Baker Institute conference to discuss latest developments in stem cell research

BY FRANZ BROTZEN
Rice News staff

With a new administration in Washington, the outlook for stem cell research has changed. The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy will host a conference Sept. 14 on what those changes mean for advancements in the fields of stem cell biology and policy.

	PHOTOS.COM

The event brings together leading experts from Texas and the United Kingdom to discuss the implications of current federal and state stem cell developments and how they might affect the research, as well as lessons learned from the U.K. regulatory experience. The Obama administration tasked the National Institutes of Health with development of new human stem cell research guidelines, which will be discussed for the first time in a U.K.-U.S. forum since their publication in July. The British experts will highlight their regulatory and legislative experiences, which have helped to position the U.K. as a leader in stem cell research.

Texas has a high concentration of stem cell research and opportunities for translating science to the clinic via its medical institutions. Great Britain is keen to expand its collaborative relations with leading U.S. institutions, including those in Texas, and seek cures for diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Participants will also share best practices on policy, regulation and governance.

The conference discussion will focus on policy, regulatory, ethical and collaborative issues. Discussants include Lorraine Chammah, grassroots chairman of Texans for Advancement of Medical Research, who will speak on Texas politics and policy; and Rob Buckle, head of the Neurosciences and Mental Health Board and lead on stem cells and regenerative medicine at the Medical Research Council Head Office in London, who will address governance of stem cell regulation in the U.K. In addition, James Lawford-Davies, lecturer in law and medicine at the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Newcastle and a visiting research fellow in the Department of Law at the University of Durham, will review international stem cell policies; and Paul Simmons, professor and director of the Center for Stem Cell Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, will discuss the impact of medical tourism and unproven therapies on stem cell research.

”Texas-U.K. Collaboration” is the fifth conference in the Baker Institute’s ”Stem Cells: Saving Lives or Crossing Lines” series. The event is organized by the Baker Institute’s International Stem Cell Policy Program, which is part of the Science and Technology Policy Program. The event seeks to bring together scientists, ethicists, policymakers, media experts, and community and business leaders to find new ways to engage the general public in a dialogue on issues related to stem cell research.

Support for this program has been generously provided by the State of Qatar and the emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, through the State of Qatar Endowment for International Stem Cell Policy.

Co-sponsors for the conference are Texas-United Kingdom Collaborative and the Science and Innovation Section of the British Consulate-General Houston.

The event begins at 2 p.m. in Baker Hall’s Doré Commons.

Rice faculty, staff and students who want to attend must RSVP by e-mail (bipprsvp@rice.edu) or by fax (713-348-5993).