European Science Foundation aims to strengthen 'regenerative medicine'

Stem cells are the body's 'master cells' that have not yet been programmed to perform a specific function. Most tissues have their own supply of stem cells, and it is becoming clear that if these cells can be given the appropriate biochemical instructions, they can 'differentiate' into new tissue. In this way, for example, stem cells could be seeded into damaged heart muscle to repair it.

Regenerative medicine has many advantages over more conventional ways of repairing or replacing damaged tissues or organs. Because the stem cells are taken from the person being treated, there are no problems with the body's immune system recognising the cells as 'foreign' and attempting to reject them, something that is still a problem with organ transplantation, for example.

To help ensure that Europe retains its competitive edge in the field, the ESF has launched REMEDIC, a research networking programme in regenerative medicine (13 May 2008). For the next five years a steering committee of 13 of Europe's leading specialists in regenerative medicine will organise a series of meetings and workshops to bring together experts to share ideas and develop new collaborations.

“I think this network will be very important to allow scientists in the field to share and disseminate information,” says Professor Yrjö Konttinen, of Biomedicum Helsinki in Finland, who chairs the steering committee. “The network is open, so we will be in contact with many different organisations with an interest in the field. We want to meet people, establish joint collaborations with existing programmes and we will also be seeking funding for new initiatives.”

REMEDIC will concentrate on the potential of a particular type of cell in the body called mesenchymal stromal cells. These can be obtained from fat tissue and coaxed to differentiate into a range of cell types, including bone, cartilage and muscle. Once the cells are in the relevant tissue, their growth and proliferation can be protected by biomaterials, which are structures implanted into the body that can guide the growth of the new tissue.

REMEDIC's first workshop is planned for mid-August in Helsinki, and a call for short term and exchange visits will be launched in late 2008. REMEDIC is a Research Networking Programme managed by the European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) at the European Science Foundation.

*FWF, Austria; FWO, Belgium; FSS, Denmark; AKA, Finland; DFG, Germany; NWO/ZonMw, Netherlands; RCN, Norway; FCT, Portugal; NURC, Romania; SAV, Slovakia; MICINN, CSIC, Spain; VR, Sweden; SNCF, Switzerland.

Media Contact

Thomas Lau alfa

More Information:

http://www.esf.org/remedic

All latest news from the category: Life Sciences and Chemistry

Articles and reports from the Life Sciences and chemistry area deal with applied and basic research into modern biology, chemistry and human medicine.

Valuable information can be found on a range of life sciences fields including bacteriology, biochemistry, bionics, bioinformatics, biophysics, biotechnology, genetics, geobotany, human biology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, cellular biology, zoology, bioinorganic chemistry, microchemistry and environmental chemistry.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors