2011 Conference

//2011 Conference
2011 Conference 2012-09-06T20:02:55+00:00

The First Vatican Adult Stem Cell Conference – November 2011

Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture took place from on November 9-11, 2011, in Vatican City.  The exclusive 3-day event gathered the foremost experts in Adult Stem Cell research alongside distinguished leaders in the fields of life sciences, medicine, religion, ethics and public policy.  Click here to explore the archived 2011 Conference website.

In early 2012, the Pontifical Council for Culture produced a special edition of “Cultures and Faith”, their quarterly journal which published works by many of the speakers at the 2011 Vatican Conference, as well as articles by other leaders in the field of stem cell science. The journal attempts to translate these topics for a larger audience, allowing many of the participants from the conference to build on the remarks they made.

The journal included the following essays:

  • Editorial Introduction – by Robin L. Smith, MD, MBA, Chairman and CEO of NeoStem, Inc., President of The Stem for Life Foundation and Msgr. Tomasz Trafny, Head of Science and Faith Department, Pontifical Council for Culture
  • “What are Stem Cells?: Overcoming Misconceptions” – by Maximo G. Gomez, Ph.D
  • “Where Do Stem Cells Come From?” – by Denis Rodgerson, Ph.D, and Mariusz Z. Ratajczak, MD, Ph.D, D.Sci
  • “Stem Cell Therapy and Heart Failure: A Potential Paradigm Shift in Treatment of Chronic Heart Disease” – by Roberto Bolli, MD, FAHA
  • “Bio-Insurance: Future Applications For Adult Stem Cells & How to Keep Them Healthy” – by Vincent C. Giampapa, MD, FACS
  • “Umbilical Cord Blood Banking” – by Andrew L. Pecora, MD, FACP and Lee F. Clough, RN, HP (ASCP)
  • “Targeting Autoimmune Diseases with Adult Stem Cell Therapy” – by Richard K. Burt, MD
  • “Considerations to Create a Cell Based Therapeutic: The Pharmacy of the Future” – by Robert A. Preti, Ph.D
  • “Ending the Dispute Over Stem Cell Therapies” – by Hon. Tommy G. Thompson, Former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
  • “Humanism In Stem Cell Research: Necessary Conditions for Optimization” – by Kevin T. Fitzgerald, Ph.D, Ph.D
  • “Education as a Challenge: Necessary Tool for a Better Future” – by Anthony J. Cernera, Ph.D
  • “Will Advances in the Life Sciences Change Our Vision of Man? – by Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, O.P., Ph.D