The pace of medical technology and prosthetics is advancing rapidly. Let's face it. There is a great gap between basic biomedical research and the clinic and this can be bridged by bringing scientists and clinicians together to collaborate, network and advocate for more research funding in order to allow for revolutionary change in regenerative medicine to occur.
Aside from a few organs like the liver and the skin, 90% of the human body has very limited regenerative potential. On the other hand, other vertebrates (lizzards and snakes) and most small invertebrate animals (cockroaches and earthworms) have the capacity to re-grow a lost limbs or body segments, human beings must rely on artificial implants and prosthetics in order to restore full sensory or motor function after a sever accident or congenital birth defect. The basic science behind limb and tissue regeneration is still in its infancy and scientists are just starting to understand the molecular pathways that allow for tissue regeneration.
What are the current technologies in regenerative medicine?
These technologies include but is not limited to cellular therapies, bioscaffold and artificial devices such as pacemakers, artificial left ventricular hearts/ pumps and robotic implants.
The Annual Symposium on Regenerative Medicine will take place in Pittsburgh from November 3-4 at the Double Tree Hotel. The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh is the major organizer and sponsor of this conference. These are the major questions that the conference will attempt to address in its agenda.
1. What are the best medical protocols for medical doctors and physical therapists to respond towards a patient that has undergone regenerative medical treatment using state-of-the art technologies such as an artificial implant or prosthetic?
2. How do current investigators and scientists in the field of regenerative medicine use their research to advance the field and how to commercialize and put a medical device product into the market?
More importantly, this conference will help bring scientists and clinicians together in order to work on various aspects of the field: rehabilitation science and regenerative medicine. In order for this to happen, it will require that cellular biologists, bioengineers, clinicians, nanotechnologists, neurologist, and robotic scientists come together to plan, collaborate and devise strategies that will help to seed up the pace of research and discovery.
The program will include the following sessions or event:
1. Distinguished guest speakers from major universities in the United States including up to eight local scientists.
2. Poster sessions to highlight the research being performed around the region and the United States.
3. Exhibition of current state-of-the-art commercial medical products used in the clinical setting.
4. Case studies to help build medical protocols and expand the current literature on rehab regenerative medicine
geared towards clinicians, patients, physical therapists and scientists.
5. Plenary events that will cover topics ranging from the benefits of mechanotranduction to wound healing, stem cell research, cartilage tissue regeneration, techniques in spinal cord injury regeneration, etc...
The following is a list of highly recognized people involved in organizing and directing the conference:
a) Fabrisia Ambrosio, PhD, MPT
Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation & Director, Cellular Rehabilitation Laboratory University of Pittsburgh
b) Alan J. Russell, PhD
Distinguished University Professor of Surgery & Director, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine UPMC and University of Pittsburgh
c), Michael Boninger, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation University of Pittsburgh
Medical and nurse students, faculty, scientists, residents, and laypersons can register starting at $125.00 per person and the fee includes breakfast, lunches, educational materials, and access to the exhibit and poster sessions.
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