by Fran Jurga | 11 March 2010 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com
Peek inside Thomas Edison’s laboratory in his home in Florida. More than 100 years ago, his ultra-progressive experimentation with electric light, motion pictures and other early forms of technology and communication must have seemed as mystifying as stem cell research seems to most people today. (Photo by Staci)
The following information was provided by the University of California:
A new professional organization, the North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association, has been launched as the result of a recent international conference, co-sponsored by the University of California at Davis, which focused on the use of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine to treat horses and other animals.
The new North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association will be dedicated to advancing the science and clinical application of non-embryo-derived stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine techniques that use stem cells derived from other sources.
“The association’s goal is to facilitate scientific investigations with stem cells that are acquired from fat, bone-marrow and umbilical-cord sources, and to combine that knowledge with other regenerative medicine techniques that are designed to improve the health care of animals and humans alike,” said Sean Owens, a veterinary professor and director of UC Davis’ Regenerative Medicine Laboratory.
The independent association is open to membership for all regenerative medicine researchers, stem cell biologists, biomedical engineers, clinicians and health technicians. Membership information can be obtained from Owens at [email protected] or from Gregory Ferraro, a veterinary professor and director of UC Davis’ Center for Equine Health, at [email protected].
The new association grew out of the March 5-6 inaugural North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference, which drew 280 research scientists, veterinarians and physicians from around the globe to California’s Santa Ynez Valley. The meeting was jointly coordinated by UC Davis’ Center for Equine Health; the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center of Los Olivos, Calif.; and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital of Lexington, Ky.
The conference highlighted the latest in cutting-edge research and innovative clinical applications of non-embryo-derived stem cell technologies. It was moderated by Gregory Ferraro of UC Davis and featured presentations by 25 regenerative medicine research experts from throughout the United States and Canada, as well as roundtable discussions between researchers and practicing clinicians.
“The collaborative setting provided by gatherings such as this will facilitate growth in the field of regenerative medicine,” said Doug Herthel, a conference speaker and practicing veterinarian at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center.
John Peroni, a faculty member at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, remarked that “regenerative medicine has our industry excited because it holds so much potential for treating conditions that were formerly though to be untreatable.”
