Science + Science Writing: The Wild West of stem cell therapy

Science + Science Writing: The Wild West of stem cell therapy

Twenty years ago, in November 1998, human embryonic stem (ES) cells were introduced to the world. Derived in a nondescript laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, the master cells of human development sparked immediate hope for an inexhaustible supply of cells for therapy to potentially treat conditions such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease, spinal cord injury, and other disorders. ES cells are now widely used in research and for industrial applications such as drug screening. Their use in the clinic has lagged, but as of late 2017 at least 18 clinical trials in six countries have been launched to test the therapeutic efficacy of ES cells. In the meantime, the advent of induced pluripotent stem cells, where skin and other adult cells are genetically reprogrammed to behave like stem cells, coupled with a dearth of regulation, has enabled unproven treatments to come to market, in some cases with tragic consequences. This session will explore the Wild West landscape of stem cell therapy and how to separate legitimate science from snake oil.

Social media hashtag: #WildWestStemCells

Time:
Sunday, October 14th, 10:05 am to 11:05 am
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Location:
Lisner Auditorium
Speaker(s):
Paul Knoepfler
  Professor, Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, Genome Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center & Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California Davis School of Medicine
Peter Marks
  Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Moderator(s):
Marilynn Marchione
  Chief medical writer, The Associated Press
Terry Devitt
  Director of research communications, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Organizer(s):
Terry Devitt
  Director of research communications, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Marilynn Marchione
  Chief medical writer, The Associated Press

Meeting schedule

Friday, Oct. 12

12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Check-in
Marvin Center, Great Hall (street level)

1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

$ Getting Real: Science Writing in AR and VR
Marvin Center, Room 307
W SciWriUnited: A regional SciWri groups congress
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

F Butterfly CRISPR workshop at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH lobby infodesk at 3:15.
F Tour of the Harlan Greenhouse at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH infodesk at 3:15.

4:30 pm to 5:15 pm

F Butterfly CRISPR workshop at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH lobby infodesk at 4:15.
F Tour of the Harlan Greenhouse at the GW Department of Biological Sciences
Science and Engineering Hall, 8th floor; check in at the SEH lobby infodesk at 4:15.

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

F Welcome reception
Science and Engineering Hall

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Diversity mixer
Stoney’s on L, 2101 L St. NW #103
Saturday, Oct. 13

7:30 am to 8:15 am

NASW membership meeting + light breakfast
Marvin Center, Grand Ballroom

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Check-in
Marvin Center, Great Hall (street level)

8:30 am to 9:45 am

10:15 am to 11:45 am

W Congratulations, you're a manager! Now what?
Marvin Center, Grand Ballroom

11:45 am to 2:00 pm

W Lunch break
Visit your choice of multiple local establishments for good eats + good company

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

12:45 pm to 1:45 pm

W #SciWriMentoring
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom

2:00 pm to 3:15 pm

3:15 pm to 3:45 pm

W Afternoon Break
Marvin Center: Grand and Continental Ballrooms

3:45 pm to 5:00 pm

W So you think you want to edit?
Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom

5:15 pm to 6:30 pm

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

F ScienceWriters Annual Awards Night
Washington Marriott Georgetown
Sunday, Oct. 14

7:45 am to 8:45 am

F Continental breakfast
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

7:45 am to 7:00 pm

F Exhibit Hall open
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

8:00 am to 11:00 am

F Check-in
Marvin Center Third Floor

8:45 am to 10:00 am

10:05 am to 11:05 am

11:05 am to 11:30 am

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

12:30 pm to 2:30 pm

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm

3:30 pm to 4:00 pm

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

F ScienceWriters reception
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom
Monday, Oct. 15

7:45 am to 8:30 am

F Continental breakfast
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

7:45 am to 5:00 pm

F Exhibit Hall open
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

8:30 am to 9:30 am

9:00 am to 10:40 am

F Tour of GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center with emphasis on biomedical microscopy
Science and Engineering Hall, check in at lobby infodesk

9:35 am to 10:35 am

10:35 am to 10:50 am

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

10:50 am to 11:50 am

11:50 am to 1:00 pm

Lunch break
Visit your choice of multiple local establishments for good eats + good company

12:00 pm to 12:45 pm

F Lunchtime yoga
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health

12:15 pm to 2:00 pm

F Tour of GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center with emphasis on nanofabrication techniques
Science and Engineering Hall, check in at lobby infodesk

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

3:00 pm to 3:15 pm

F Coffee break
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and Continental Ballroom

3:00 pm to 4:45 pm

F Tour of GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center with emphasis on biomedical microscopy
Science and Engineering Hall, check in at lobby infodesk

3:15 pm to 4:05 pm

F Climate science on trial
Lisner Auditorium

4:05 pm to 4:55 pm

Tuesday, Oct. 16

8:00 am to 12:30 pm

F USP field trip: The science of quality standards
Rockville, MD. Van will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott GeorgetownD

8:00 am to 5:00 pm

$ National Association of Science Writers Information Access Summit
Marvin Center (800 21st Street NW) Room 309

8:30 am to 12:30 pm

F MedImmune field trip: Beyond biotech
Gaithersburg, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

F Georgetown University Medical Center field trip: Just because we can, should we?
Washington, DC. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
F University of Maryland: Next-generation engineering
College Park, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
F University of Maryland: Quantum computing
College Park, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
F University of Maryland: Virtual and augmented reality
College Park, Md. Bus will depart/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm

F National Institute of Standards and Technology field trip: Not your standard tour
Gaithersburg, MD. Bus will depart from/return to the Washington Marriott Georgetown.

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