Regular Events
The Foundation supports several types of educational activities: Seminars, Symposia, Workshops and Publications. Funding to support these activities is sought annually from corporations and private individuals. Unrestricted educational grants are greatly appreciated and fully tax deductable.
The last few years have brought remarkable advances in stem cell research. For example, recent studies have shown that embryonic stem cells can be used to effectively treat acute spinal cord injury in rats. But how are these laboratory advances translated into human cures? Are there unanswered scientific questions? Are there unanswered clinical approach problems? Are there unanswered healthcare regulatory issues?
In 2002, Dr. Ann A. Kiessling, Director of the Bedford Research Foundation, and Dr. Carol Warner of Northeastern University, launched The Activated Egg Symposium, an annual, one-day meeting held at Northeastern’s Henderson House, and hosted by the Bedford Research Foundation. Each year, leading scientists from around the world present their current views of egg and stem cell biology.
Prostate Workshop
A one day workshop is being planned. Experts in identifying and typing bacterial species according to ribosomal RNA gene sequences will convene with experts in prostate physiology for the purpose of defining problems to be solved in understanding prostate infections.
Seminars
Since its beginning in l996, the Foundation has sponsored the seminar series, Egg Group, for scientists-in-training in the general area of egg physiology. The seminar series was initiated by Foundation Director, Ann Kiessling, and Carol Warner, Matthews Distinguished Professor, Northeastern University in 1992. The format of the series is to provide a forum for graduate students and post doctoral fellows to present their on-going work for advice and counsel. Experiments with the small numbers of eggs available for study, even from such abundant species as mouse and cow, require special techniques. The sharing of information between research groups in New England colleges and universities has solved numerous technical problems and spawned many productive collaborations between research teams. Foundation sponsorship is limited to the cost of the pizza and beer needed to nourish the scientific minds that attend the seminar series. Egg Group meets three to four times each year.