PRESS RELEASES
Novel Treatments for Neurological Diseases to be Explored at Cambridge Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 22, 2006
CONTACT:
Public Affairs
Adriana Bobinchock
617/855-2110
Belmont, MA - Influential neuroscientists from across the United States and the globe will convene at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge, Mass. next week, where they will discuss exciting breakthroughs and novel treatments for such neurological diseases including Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The Fourth Cellular and Molecular Treatments of Neurological Disease Conference, to be held Friday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Sept. 30, is sponsored by McLean Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
"This conference serves as a meeting place to discuss cutting-edge research that, though still in its infancy, has the potential to improve the lives of millions of people," said principal organizer of the conference Ole Isacson, Dr. Med. Sci., director of the Center for Neuroregeneration Research at McLean Hospital and professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School. "These are exciting discoveries that offer hope and we are eager to discuss them in a public forum and learn from one another."
The five key topics include:
- "Novel Clinical Therapeutics for Neurological Disease," which will explore the most innovative or current pharmacological, cellular and device-related clinical treatments for neurological diseases.
- "Potential Biological Routes to Regeneration in Models of Neurological Disease," which will provide insightful basic science perspectives that are potential clues toward future cellular treatments and neural circuitry modifications.
- "Novel Biomaterials in Cellular and Molecular Treatments," which will discuss how the interaction between living matter and non-living scaffolds can be developed or used in the interest of cell differentiation or the study of axonal regeneration.
- "Progenitor Cell Biology, Development and Connectivity", which will look at both the generation and degeneration of upper cortical and lower spinal motor neurons as it may be relevant to ALS and other related diseases; "Progenitor Cell Biology, Neuronal Differentiation and Functional Studies," which will describe stem cells in the context of potential future clinical applications in neurology and neurosurgery; and "Progenitor Cell Proliferation, Programming and Epigenetic Stability," which will explore sophisticated molecular level data and methods to elucidate the basic processes of cell division and genetic programming of progenitor cells.
- "Gene and Molecular Therapy Against Neurological Disease," which will discuss the most exciting breakthroughs in molecular medicine as it relates to models of neurological damage or disease.
"Some of the most prominent national and international neuroscientists will be presenting and discussing their work this year, so we are anticipating an extraordinary conference, where each one of us will expand our knowledge and walk away better informed and energized, said Xandra Breakefield, PhD, co-organizer of the conference and geneticist in the Center for Molecular Imaging Research at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.
Among the speakers are C. Warren Olanow, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Howard Federoff, MD, of the University of Rochester, Jennifer Elisseeff, PhD, of John's Hopkins Medical School, Kevin Eggan, PhD, of Harvard University, and Jeffrey H. Kordower, PhD, of Rush Presbyterian Medical Center. For a complete list of speakers, visit neuroregeneration.org/cmt4.htm.
U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks McLean Hospital the nation's top psychiatric hospital. McLean is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, and a member of Partners HealthCare.
