5^th International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine September 12-14, 2016 Berlin, Germany

W.Mohl has graduated at the age of 24 years from the Vienna University, Medical school and received his PhD from the natural science chapter of the University of Vienna during his clinical training. With 34 he received the Board of Surgery and the academic license to teach surgery at 36. At the age of 40 he became Professor of Surgery at the University of Vienna. He has published more than 90 papers in reputed journals, book chapters and has been serving as an editorial board member of several journals and id founder in a start up company Miracor.

Coronary hemodynamics, cardiac regeneration and cardioprotection

Denis Barritault graduated in Math and Physics, completed his Ph.D. in biochemistry in Paris University. Post doctoral in molecular immunology at Pasteur Institute and NYU as NIH Fogarty Fellow he joined INSERM unit in Paris as developmental biologist. He made the first description and patents of FGF extracted from retina in 1979 and 82 as skin and cornea healing agent, became full professor at Paris East University in 1985, founded and directed a CNRS Laboratory on cell and tissue regeneration until 2003. He is now President of OTR3, Emeritus Professor and author in over 200 publications and 29 patents.

tissue regeneration, molecular immunology

Kristin Comella has over 15 years’ experience in corporate entities with expertise in regenerative medicine. She was recently named number 24 according to Terrapin’s list of the Top 50 Global Stem Cell Influencers. Ms. Comella has pioneered a variety of stem cell therapies including cord blood derived cells, bone marrow cells, muscle cells and adipose cells for use in many different applications. She has developed a wide range of regenerative products and techniques that have been successfully implemented into the clinic. She also led the team that gained the first ever FDA approval for clinical trials using a combined cell and gene therapy product. Ms. Comella has been a member of the Bioheart Inc. senior management team since 2004 and is currently serving as the Chief Scientific Officer and board member. Bioheart is a publically traded company focusing on the discovery, development and commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of degenerative diseases. Since joining Bioheart, she has played a major role in managing the product development, manufacturing and quality systems of cellular products. In addition, Ms. Comella is currently and actively serving on multiple boards in the stem cell arena. She was co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stemlogix, LLC for veterinary medicine. Ms. Comella has years of cell culturing experience including building and managing the stem cell laboratory at Tulane University's Center for Gene Therapy. Previously, she worked as a research engineer for Osiris Therapeutics developing stem cell therapies for osteoarthritis. Ms. Comella holds an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Florida.

Adipose derived stem cells

The research of Scott L. Nyberg, M.D., Ph.D., is focused on the development of a multidisciplinary bioartificial liver program to improve the treatment of patients with liver failure and support the Mayo Clinic clinical liver transplant program. His lab is also involved with regenerative medicine of liver disease as it pertains to treating patients in liver failure with extracorporeal bioartificial livers or implantable tissue-engineered livers, or treating patients with metabolic liver disease with hepatocyte transplantation.

regenerative medicine of liver disease

Jane Lebkowski has been actively involved in the development of cell and gene therapies since 1986 and is currently Chief Scientific Officer and President of R&D at Asterias Biotherapeutics Inc, where she is responsible for all preclinical and product development of Asterias’ products. From 1998 to 2012, Dr. Lebkowski was Senior Vice President of Regenerative Medicine and Chief Scientific Officer at Geron Corporation. Dr. Lebkowski led Geron’s human embryonic stem cell program, being responsible for all research, preclinical development, product development, manufacturing, and clinical development activities. Prior to Geron, Dr. Lebkowski was Vice President of R&D at Applied Immune Sciences. Following acquisition of Applied Immune Sciences by Rhone Poulenc Rorer (currently Sanofi), Dr. Lebkowski served as Vice President of Discovery Research. Dr. Lebkowski received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Princeton University in 1982, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of Genetics, Stanford University in 1986. Dr. Lebkowski has published over 70 peer reviewed papers and has 13 issued U.S. patents. Dr. Lebkowski is on the Board of Directors of the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy. Dr Lebkowski also served as an industry representative to FDA’s Office of Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapy Advisory Board.

Preclinical development, product development, manufacturing, and clinical development activities

Esmaiel Jabbari completed his PhD at Purdue University and postdoctoral studies at Monsanto, Rice University, and Mayo Clinic. He is Full Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Director of Biomimetic Materials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory at University of South Carolina. He is internationally known for his work on synthesis and processing of cell-responsive polymers and hydrogels for applications in regenerative medicine and growth factor delivery. He received the Berton Rahn Award from the AO Foundation in 2012 and the Stephen Milam Award from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation in 2008. He was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in 2013. He has published >200 books, book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and conference proceedings, and presented >250 seminars at national and international conferences on biomaterials, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. He has mentored >100 visiting scholars, post-doctoral researchers, doctoral students, and undergraduate students. He is a member of numerous scientific organizations including BMES, SFB, TERMIS, MRS, EMBS, ACS, AIChE, and AACR.

Skeletal tissue engineering, Stem cell encapsulation and delivery, Self-assembled nanogels for growth factor delivery, Bioinspired materials, Multi‐scale composite materials, Drug targeting to cancer stem cells, Model gels to control cell microenvironment

Bertha Chen completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and Doctorate of Medicine from Stanford University School of Medicine. She is Professor of Ob/Gyn and Urology (by courtesy) at Stanford University School of Medicine and co-Chief of the Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery. Her research focus is in stem cell pluripotency and mesenchymal differentiation, and stem cell based therapy for urinary incontinence. She has published more than 55 papers in reputed journals.

stem cell pluripotency and mesenchymal differentiation, and stem cell based therapy for urinary incontinence

Dennis Lox practices Sports and Regenerative Medicine in the Tampa Bay, Florida and the Washington D.C. metro areas in the United States. Dr. Lox has treated numerous patients with AVN. As well as patients from all levels of sports competition including the professional ranks. Dr.Lox frequently presents his findings at national and International Conferences on Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering.

Regenerative Medicine, sports medicine, musculoskeletal regeneration

He is a founder and director of the Lower Silesian Centre of Cellular Transplantation, Wroclaw (Poland) which participates in the National Marrow Donor Program (Minneapolis, USA) as an international transplant centre since 2002 (No. TC 484). He started marrow transplantation in 1987 and the institution activity cover auto- and allogeneic transplantations of hematopoietic cells in sibling and alternative donor settings. He is an author and co-author of more than 200 scientific papers published in peer-review journals (immunology and immunogenetics of transplantation, pioneering transplantation in immunodeficiency and marrow processing ). He served as a research coordinator of FP5 StemNet project and his institution has EBMT, EFI and NMDP accreditations.

Immunogenetics, Cellular immunology, Autoimmune diseases, Bone marrow transplantation, Regenerative medicine

Giacomo Cao is currently working as a Professor of Chemical Engineering, is currently the Coordinator of the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cagliari, Italy and the Head of the Bioengineering Group at CRS4, Italy. The main research interests in the field of biomedical engineering are the design of rotating bioreactors for engineered cartilage growth, the experimental analysis and modeling of in vitro proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells, the use of human mesenchymal stem cells for acute toxicity tests as well as the development of novel processes for tissues decellularization and recellularization.

Bioengineering, mesenchymal stem cells, tissues decellularization, recellularization

Vasiliki E. Kalodimou is Director of the Flow Cytometry-Research and Regenerative Medicine Department at IASO Maternity-Pediatric and Research Hospital in Athens, Greece. Before her current appointment, Kalodimou served as a haematology associate at General University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, and as an instructor at both the General University Hospital of Heraklion and the Ipokratios Medical- Technical Institute of Athens. Kalodimou received her bachelor’s degree in Human Physiology and her master’s degree in Human Molecular Genetics from the Imperial College at the University of Medicine in London, UK. She completed her PhD at the University of Medicine in Athens, Greece, with an emphasis on stem cells and factors affecting their viability and absolute numbers.

Since 2006, Dr. Kalodimou has studied and working with stem cells from placenta, umbilical cord and adipose tissue, in every day practice and their applications in regenerative medicine and Flow Cytometry. Also is working in the area of human genetics & population genetics. In collaboration with the Hellenic Flow Cytometry Society, Kalodimou has developed quality control schemes for stem cell marker enumeration. The goal of this work is to find helpful new applications for flow cytometry, evaluate the risk factors for stem cell infusion, and improve the clarity and accessibility of measurements by flow cytometry. Her work quantifies and ranks all risks of flow cytometry enumeration to prevent and minimize the false-positive results from different cytometer uses. She is also working to establish combinations of monoclonal antibodies for mesenchymal and adipose tissue stem cell enumeration. In addition to collaboration with state universities and pharmaceutical companies on research projects, Kalodimou frequently publishes her findings. The Greek edition of the book was published in 2010 and has been well-received while in 2013 the English edition of the book was puplished by AABB Press USA. She is a member of two subsections of the AABB Cellular Therapies Section and also an AABB assessor.

Giorgio Calori Maria has completed his education of Medicine and Surgery University of Milan in 1982; 1987 Specialization School in Orthopaedics and Traumatology University of Milan; 1990 Specialization School in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, University of Milan; 1994 Specialization School in Hand Surgery University of Florence. At present working as Chairman of Complex Operative Unit of Orthopaedic Reparative Surgery and Risk Management, G.Pini Orthopaedic Institute, piazza Cardinal Ferrari 1, University of Milan. Also as Professor at the University of Milan at the Graduate School of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and tutor of the course on "Biological processes in the repair of fractures and in nonunions" since 2004. Professor at the University of Milan in the course in Medicine and Surgery of the course on "Human Anatomy” since 2003 and of the course on "Orthopaedics and Traumatology" since 2013. His relation with scientific sociteis as President of the European Society of Tissue Regeneration in Orthopaedics and Trauma (ESTROT.) President overseeing the super-specialist Society for osteosynthesis CIO (Italian Osteosynthesis Club) of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (SIOT). President overseeing the Lombardy Section SLOTO of Italian Hospital Orthopaedics and Traumatologists. Former President of the Tissue Regeneration Commission of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (SIOT). Member of the international Advisory Board on biotechnologies and regenerative medicine. President of the National Board for regenerative medicine

Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medicine and Surgery, regenerative medicine

Dr. Zuba-Surma is a group leader in Department of Cell Biology at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnlogy and Head of Laboratory of Stem Cell Biotechnology in Malopolska Centre for Biotechnology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. She completed her PhD in molecular biology and immunology in 2004 from Jagiellonian University. In 2005, she moved to USA for her 4-year postdoctoral fellowships in Institute of Molecular Cardiology and Stem Cell Biology Institute at the University of Louisville, KY. She published more than 90 papers in reputed journals in stem cell and cardiology fields and is co-author of patent and several patent applications. She was awarded by several national and international prices and stipends for scientific achievements and she has been actively founded by several grant agencies for her work in stem cell field (NIH, NCN, NCBiR, FNP).

Stem and progenitor cells in the treatment of acute and chronic myocardial injury

Dr. Y. James Kang currently is a China National One-Thousand-Talents Professor and Director of the Regenerative Medicine Research Center at Sichuan University West China Medical College, the President and CEO of Sichuan 3D Bio-printing Institute; the Director of Sichuan Regenerative Medicine Research and Technology Center; the Editor-in-Chief of the journals Cardiovascular Toxicology and Regenerative Medicine Research; and the Editor of the book series of Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology. His research interests are in regenerative medicine, focusing on 3D bio-printing and cardiovascular regeneration, as well as dietary manipulation of cardiovascular disease, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, oxidative stress and antioxidant mechanisms, and non-human primate models for human diseases.

regenerative medicine, focusing on 3D bio-printing and cardiovascular regeneration, as well as dietary manipulation of cardiovascular disease, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, oxidative stress and antioxidant mechanisms, and non-human primate models for human diseases.

Dr. Yang received his medical training from Luoyang Medical College, followed by a M.S. Pathophysiology from the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences in Beijing, China. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Microbiology/Immunology from RFUMS/The Chicago Medical School and postdoctoral training at Northwestern University. Prior to his arrival at the North Carolina Research Campus, he was an Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Yang was a recipient of the Career Development Award from the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. He is also an American Cancer Society Research Scholar.

Dr. Yang's research is focused on molecular and cellular cancer biology. His work has explored E2F-1 mediated oncogenicity; the roles of granyzme and caspases in breast carcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance; communication between p53 and p73 proteins in breast cancer cells; crosstalk between ER and erbB-2 pathways, and phytoestrogen modulated breast cancer prevention. Dr. Yang's current research is on breast cancer etiology and prevention with emphases on the modulation of hormone-growth factor crosstalk, apoptosis and mammary stem cell reprogramming by various genetic and environmental factors.

Roberta Di Pietro got the degree in Medicine cum Laude in 1985 and the PhD in Sports Medicine cum Laude in 1988, University of Chieti, Italy. She worked as a visiting scientist in UK at the Biochemistry Department, AFRC, Cambridge; in USA at the Pathology Department, USUHS, Bethesda, and at the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland, Baltimore. She currently works at the G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti, Italy, as a Full Professor of Histology. She joined the Editorial Board of Current Pharmaceutical Design as an Executive Guest Editor and since 2010 she was recognized as a Registered Referee for Archives of Ophthalmological Reviews and Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. She is now author of 168 scientific publications plus international e-bookchapters and Italian textbooks.

Sports Medicine, Histology

Dr. Murugan Ramalingam is Associate Professor at the Centre for Stem Cell Research (a unit of Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine-Bengaluru), Christian Medical College and Hospital Campus, India. Concurrently he is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Tohoku University, Japan. Prior to joining the CSCR, he was Associate Professor of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering at the Institut National de la Santé et de la RechercheMédicale, Faculté de ChirurgieDentaire, Université de Strasbourg, France. He has worked at the WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Japan, as an Assistant Professor. He has also worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the U.S. National Academies Associateship program. He received his Ph.D. in Biomaterials from the University of Madras. He has also undergone training in Ethical and Policy issues on Stem Cells from Harvard University, USA, and in Operations Management from the University of Illinois-Chicago. His current research interests are focused on the development of multiphase biomedical materials, through conventional to nanotechnology to biomimetic approaches, microfabrication, cell patterning, stem cell differentiation, tissue engineering and drug delivery.He is the author of over 160 publications, including peer-reviewed journal papers, conference proceedings, book chapters, authored books, edited books, and patents relevant to biomaterials, stem cells, and tissue engineering. His current h-index is 20. He has organized several international conferences and chaired Biomaterials, Nanobiotechnology, Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering sessions. He also serves as a board member of several international scientific and research committees in various public and private bodies and grant reviewer of various international funding agencies. He serves on the editorial boards of multiple biomaterials and tissue engineering-related journals, including as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, the Journal of Bionanoscience and the American Journal of Stem Cell Research. He is a recipient of several prestigious fellowships and awards, including CSIR Fellowship (India), SMF Fellowship (Singapore), NRC National Academies Fellowship (USA), NationaleProfesseur des Universités (France) and Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (UK).

Stem cell differentiation, Cell patterning, Interface tissue engineering, Biomaterials, Biomolecular delivery.

Dr Chong has completed his PhD from Southern Illinois Univesty School of Medicine. and postdoctoral studies from Oregan Primate Research Center. He is an Associate Professor at Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. He has published more than 40 papers in reputed journals.

Stem cell therapy, Regenerative medicine, multidrug-resistant cancer cells

Ryang Hwa Lee is an Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine located in Temple, Texas. Dr. Lee received her B.S. in Microbiology in 1997 and Master’s degree in Medicine from Pusan National University School of Natural Science in 1999. She earned her Ph.D. in Physiology from Pusan National University Medical School in 2003 working with Dr. Jin Sup Jung on the characterization of human adipose & bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. In 2003, she joined the Center for Gene Therapy at Tulane University Health Sciences Center, as a post-doctoral fellow working with Dr. Darwin Prockop on mesenchymal stem cells from human bone marrow. She came to the Institute for Regenerative Medicine with the Texas A&M Health Science Center in 2008 as a Research Scientist. Dr. Lee joined the faculty of Texas A&M University System Health Science Center in 2009.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted attention in efforts to develop cell therapies, because they are readily obtained from patients, expanded in culture and exhibit stem-like properties to differentiate into multiple cellular phenotypes. Currently, MSCs are employed in a large series of clinical trials in heart disease, Crohn’s disease, cartilage repair, stroke, spinal cord injury and several other diseases. However, clinical trials will require additional information about the most effective cells to employ, the optimal route of administration and -most importantly- the mechanisms whereby the cells repair injured tissues. This group specializes in determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms of beneficial effects of MSCs in diseases that include heart disease, diabetes, and peritonitis. The goal is to develop a cellular therapy for human diseases either (a) with adult stem/progenitor cells (MSCs), or (b) with therapeutic factors that MSCs produce in response to signals from injured tissues.

Dr. Pedro G Morouco is a PhD specialized in Biomechanics and the Head of R&D Biofabrication Group at the Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development – Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal. His research activity focuses mostly on products and processes engineering, bringing the gap between the lab and in vivo applications. He has Co-edited 2 books, authored and co-authored more than 100 papers published in books (n=15), international journals (n=40) and international conferences (n=55). He is the Member of the Editorial Board in several international peer-review journals and was distinguished with the New Investigator Award 2014 from ISBS. He coordinates granted national and international research projects and is the Chairman of the CDRsp Advanced Courses on Regenerative Medicine and Workshops on Direct Digital Manufacturing for Medicine.

Biomechanics, Biofabrication

Ryang Hwa Lee is an Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine located in Temple, Texas. Dr. Lee received her B.S. in Microbiology in 1997 and Master’s degree in Medicine from Pusan National University School of Natural Science in 1999. She earned her Ph.D. in Physiology from Pusan National University Medical School in 2003 working with Dr. Jin Sup Jung on the characterization of human adipose & bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. In 2003, she joined the Center for Gene Therapy at Tulane University Health Sciences Center, as a post-doctoral fellow working with Dr. Darwin Prockop on mesenchymal stem cells from human bone marrow. She came to the Institute for Regenerative Medicine with the Texas A&M Health Science Center in 2008 as a Research Scientist. Dr. Lee joined the faculty of Texas A&M University System Health Science Center in 2009.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted attention in efforts to develop cell therapies, because they are readily obtained from patients, expanded in culture and exhibit stem-like properties to differentiate into multiple cellular phenotypes. Currently, MSCs are employed in a large series of clinical trials in heart disease, Crohn’s disease, cartilage repair, stroke, spinal cord injury and several other diseases. However, clinical trials will require additional information about the most effective cells to employ, the optimal route of administration and -most importantly- the mechanisms whereby the cells repair injured tissues. This group specializes in determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms of beneficial effects of MSCs in diseases that include heart disease, diabetes, and peritonitis. The goal is to develop a cellular therapy for human diseases either (a) with adult stem/progenitor cells (MSCs), or (b) with therapeutic factors that MSCs produce in response to signals from injured tissues.