09 November 2009

For Immediate Release:

The Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation awards Representative Daniel E. Bosley (1st Berkshire) with a Certificate of Appreciation at the Activated Egg Symposium 2009.

The Foundation honored Representative Daniel E. Bosley in recognition of his dedication and tireless efforts on behalf of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine in Massachusetts.

“Representative Bosley was instrumental to the passage of the Massachusetts Stem Cell Bill in 2005.  And we thank him for taking a leadership position in educating his fellow legislators about the importance of stem cell science,” said Dr. Ann Kiessling, director of the Bedford Stem Research Foundation as she presented the award.

The Seventh Annual Activated Egg Symposium hosted Stem Cell scientists from major universities in New England and California. This year’s keynote, Renee A. Reijo Pera, director of Stanford’s Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Education achieved notoriety because of her controversial research using embryonic stem cells to create sperm and eggs.  She was joined by internationally known leaders including, Dr. Gary Stein, director of Massachusetts’ new International Stem Cell Registry, Dr. Haifan Lin, director of the Yale Stem Cell Center, Dr. Laura Grabel, Wesleyan University, Dr. Ann Kiessling, director of the Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation, Dr. Ren-He Xu, director of the University of Connecticut-Wesleyan Stem Cell Core, Dr. Jesse Mager, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,  and I. Glenn Cohen, Harvard Law School’s new Petri Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics.  With attendance limited to 100, the event provides a unique environment for investigators from academia, industry and infertility clinics to meet, discuss their most recent science and form new collaborations.  Discussions also included estimates of time to develop new stem cell based therapies for degenerative diseases, including diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord diseases, AIDS and heart failure.

Representative Bosley’s lunch time talk was warmly received with a standing ovation for his many accomplishments.

05 November 2009

Discussions will include estimates of time to develop new stem cell based therapies for degenerative diseases, including diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord diseases, AIDS and heart failure.

At this crucial time, when the federal government is not funding any new human embryonic stem cell grants while federal guidelines are being organized, the Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation's Seventh Annual Activated Egg Symposium is bringing together an elite group of speakers from Connecticut, Massachusetts and California to share their latest research with other scientists, mostly funded by state stem cell research initiatives. 

This year’s keynote, Renee A. Reijo Pera, director of Stanford’s Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Education was interviewed last year in the New York Times for her controversial research using embryonic stem cells to create sperm and eggs.  She will be joined by internationally known leaders including, Dr. Gary Stein, director of Massachusetts’ new International Stem Cell Registry, Dr. Haifan Lin, director of the Yale Stem Cell Center, Dr. Laura Grabel, Wesleyan University, Dr. Ann Kiessling, director of the Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation, Dr. Ren-He Xu, director of the University of Connecticut-Wesleyan Stem Cell Core, Dr. Jesse Mager, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,  and I Glenn Cohen, Harvard Law School’s new Petri Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics.  With attendance limited to 100, the event provides a unique environment for investigators from academia, industry and infertility clinics to meet, discuss their most recent science and form new collaborations.

Special guests this year also include, Senator Jack Hart and Representative Daniel E. Bosley, legislators behind Massachusett’s stem cell bill passed in 2005.

Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation is Massachusetts’ only independent, non-profit, - stem cell laboratory, currently located in Somerville, MA.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20091105/bs_prweb/prweb3159974

03 November 2009

Gary Stein, PhD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts, has joined the November 6, Symposium faculty.  http://www.umassmed.edu/cellbio/faculty/stein_g.cfm

Dr. Stein will give a talk entitled, “Transcription Factor Mediated Epigenetic Control of Cell Growth Phenotype”

More event info

29 October 2009

The Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation is proud to announce that I. Glenn Cohen, JD will join the facutly as this year's dinner speaker.  Cohen is an assistant professor at Harvard Law School, and co-director of the Petri-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics.

Prof. Cohen is currently working on projects relating to reproductive technology and medical tourism, but his past work has included projects on end of life decision-making, FDA regulation, research ethics, and commodification. Prior to joining Harvard faculty, Prof. Cohen served as a clerk to Chief Judge Michael Boudin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

30 September 2009

Dr. Laura Grabel www.wesleyan.edu/bio/grabel/grabel.html
“From Embryonic Stem Cell to Neuron, with Stops Along the Way”

Dr. Ren He Xu stemcell.uconn.edu/funding/core.html
"A Neglected Role of bFGF in Supporting Culture of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells"

Dr. Haifan Lin www.cellbiology.yale.edu/faculty/lin_h/lin_h.html
"Stem Cells, Small RNAs, and Self-Renewal of the Germline."

Dr. Ann Kiessling www.bedfordresearch.org
"Unique Cell Cycle Control in 8-Cell Human Embryos"

Dr. Jesse Mager, Assistant Professor, Veterinary & Animal Sciences, UMASS Amherst
"Essential functions of Yin-Yang1 during oogenesis and preimplantation development."

Gary Stein, PhD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts
http://www.umassmed.edu/cellbio/faculty/stein_g.cfm
“Transcription Factor Mediated Epigenetic Control of Cell Growth Phenotype”

(Please see the full program here)

31 August 2009

Welcome to the Activated Egg Symposium's new Website!  We're proud to launch our fully web 2.0 integrated portal.  And check out our easy to navigate video section.  And we've got even more improvements on the way!

15 December 2008

As director of Stanford’s Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Education, Renee A. Reijo Pera, 49, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, works at ground zero of the controversy over human embryonic stem cells. She uses human embryos to create new cells that will eventually be coaxed into becoming eggs and sperm. In other research, she has also identified one of the first genes associated with human infertility. The questions and answers below are edited from a two-hour conversation and a subsequent telephone interview.

The New York Times, "A conversation with Renee A. Reijo Pera: Using Embryos to Put Fertility First"