Associate Principal Investigators
State Research Institute
The Centre of Innovative Medicine
eiva.bernotiene@ekmi.vu.lt
(+370) 614 61008
Dr. Eiva Bernotiene has expertise on analysing properties of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) with a particular emphasize on possible application in rheumatology for enhancement of regeneration potential of damaged cartilage, and suppression of autoimmune process and inflammation. Field of research includes MSC isolated from synovial fluid and tissues derived from both, healthy and arthritic joints of adult and children patients. Bernotiene also has expertise and interest in MSC from adipose tissue, placenta and umbilical cord blood and tissues and bone marrow.
Center of Neurosciences and Cell Biology , University of Coimbra, Portugal
Biomaterials and Stem Cell-based Therapeutics
lino@biocant.pt
+351- 231 419 040
Professor Lino Ferreira has expertise in the fields of stem cells and biomaterials. He is using biomaterials at different scales to obtain fundamental knowledge about the effect of chemistry, mechanics and three-dimensional organization on stem cell differentiation/renewal. He is also using nanomaterials to desiccate the molecular circuitry governing the differentiation of stem cells as well as to manipulate and track them.
San Rafaelle Scientific Institute, Milan
Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy
galli.rossella@hsr.it
+39 (0)2 26434626
Dr. Rossella Galli has a long-standing experience in the field of neural stem cells (NSCs). Currently, her research interest is focused on the functional characterization of cell-autonomous molecular determinants, known to control cardinal stem cell properties in normal NSCs, in the attempt of understanding their putative role in regulating the same properties in brain tumor-derived cancer stem cells.
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction
Department of Molecular Immunology
kyurkch@hotmail.com
Professor Stanimir Kyurkchiev, MD, DSc, has a long lasting experience in reproductive biology and immunology. Since 2005 his group is working on the immunomodulatory activities of human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from different sources – bone marrow, adipose tissue, endometrium, decidua. Professor Kyurkchiev’s group is currently developing a project on the controlled differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into hematopoietic stem cells and lymphoid cells.
University College London
Institute of Ophthalmology.
g.limb@ucl.ac.uk
+44 (0) 207 608 6974
Dr Astrid Limb’s expertise focuses on investigations into overcoming natural barriers for retinal stem cell transplantation, to create a permissive environment in which grafted cells could functionally integrate. Her research involves identification, expansion and neural differentiation of adult Müller stem cells from the human neural retina, as well as transplantation of these cells into experimental models of retinal degeneration and assessment of retinal function.
CNIC-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares
mmanzanares@cnic.es
+34 91 4531311
Dr. Manzanares is a senior scientist at the CNIC in
His recent publications include:
- Spruce T, Pernaute B, Di-Gregorio A, Cobb BS, Merkenschlager M, Manzanares M, Rodriguez TA, An Early Embryonic Role for miRNAs in the Maintenance of Extraembryonic Stem Cells in the Mouse Embryo. Dev Cell 17 Aug 2010, 19(2):207-19.
Newcastle University
North East England Stem Cell Institute and Institute of Cellular Medicine
Annette.Meeson@ncl.ac.uk
+44 (0) 191 222 8239
Dr Annette Meeson has expertise in the identification and characterisation of adult stem cells, and is involved in optimising isolation techniques for stem cells from both normal, injured and diseased tissue. Her expertise includes isolation of stem cells from multiple organs as well as from solid tumours and fluid aspirates associated with breast and ovarian tumours. Her research interests are focused on two main areas (1) the contribution of stem cells to breast and ovarian cancer progression. (2) Stem cells of cardiac and extra-cardiac origin to treat cardiomyopathy.
Carlos III Health Institute
Department of Cell Biology and Development
hmira@isciii.es
+34 918223271
Helena Mira has expertise in the field of neural stem cells. She is interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate stem cells in the adult brain. Her current emphasis is on the aging perspective. Her lab explores both cell intrinsic and cell extrinsic (niche) contributions to the aging phenotype. In addition to addressing basic questions, her long-term research interests include the development of stem cell-based strategies for the treatment of age-related neurodegenerative disorders
Erasmus Medical Center
Department of Cell Biology
r.poot@erasmusmc.nl
+31 (0) 10 7043352
Dr. Raymond Poot’s lab has expertise in protein purification and ChIP analysis of key transcription factors in embryonic and neural stem cells. His interest lies in defining the transcription factor networks that control the self renewal and differentiation of embryonic and neural stem cells and their relation to human disease.
University of Copenhagen/Copenhagen University Hospital
Biotech Research and Innovation Centre
Bo.porse@bric.ku.dk
+45 3532 5620
Professor Bo Porse is a molecular biologist interested in the mechanisms underlying normal and malignant hematopoiesis from a stem cell-centric viewpoint. His main focus areas are 1) Transcription factors in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. 2) The influence of posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA biology on stem cell functions. 3) Elucidation of differences between hematopoietic stems cells and their leukemic counterparts.
Spanish Research Council (CSIC)
Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular del Cancer (IBMCC)
isg@usal.es
+34-923-238403
Dr. Isidro Sanchez-Garcia has expertise in the field of stem cells and cancer and has pioneered key advances in cancer as a reprogramming-like process
His recent publications include:
- Vicente-Duenas C, Cobaleda C, Perez-Losada J, Sanchez-Garcia I. The evolution of cancer modeling: the shadow of stem cells. Dis Model Mech. 2010 Mar-Apr; 3(3-4):149-55. link
- Castellanos A, Vicente-Duenas C, Cambos-Sanchez E, Cruz JJ, Garcia-Criado FJ, Garcia-Cenador MB, Lazo PA, Perez-Losada J, Sanchez-Garcia I. Cancer as a reprogramming-like disease: Implications in tumor development and treatment. Semin Cancer Biol. 2010 Feb 24 [Epub ahead of print] link
- Gonzales-Herrero I, Vicente-Duenas C, Orfao A, Flores T, Jimenez R, Cobaleda C, Sanchez-Garcia I. Bcl2 is not required for the development and maintenance of leukemia stem cells in mice. Carcinogenesis 2010; doi:10.1093/carcin/bgq062 link
Helmholtz Center Muenchen – German Research Center for Environmental Health
Institute of Stem Cell Research
timm.schroeder@helmholtz-muenchen.de
+49 (0)89 3187 3758
Dr. Schroeder is an expert in the field of embryonic and adult hematopoiesis. He is interested in the molecular control of stem and progenitor cell fate decisions. Dr. Schroeder has pioneered the development of novel bioimaging approaches for the continuous long term analysis of stem cell systems at the single cell level
University Münster
Medical Faculty, Institute for Cell Biology, Stem Cell Biology and Regeneration group
jschwamb@uni-muenster.de
+49 (0)251 8357183
Dr. Jens Schwamborn is a junior group leader at the University Münster. His research interests are in the field of mammalian neural stem cells, reprogramming technology and adult neurogenesis. He is particularly interested in the mechanisms and molecules that regulate neural stem cell maintenance, cell fate programming and neural stem cell replacement therapies.
University of Zurich
Institute of Anatomy, Division of Cell and Developmental Biology
lukas.sommer@anatom.uzh.ch
+41 (0)44 635 53 50
Genetic approaches in mouse model systems combined with cell biological assays have allowed Professor Lukas Sommer to identify mechanisms regulating stem cell fates in the developing CNS and in neural crest-derived tissues. Our research also led to the identification and characterization of adult neural crest-derived stem cells and the study of disease mechanisms involving aberrant neural crest development and tumor formation. Professor Sommer is the current Chair of the Swiss Stem Cell Network SSCN.
Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Department of Cell Biology and Development/ Neuro-oncology Unit
psanchezg@isciii.es
+34 (0) 918223265
As a cellular biologist Dr. Pilar Sanchez Gomez has been interested in the molecular mechanisms that control adult neural stem cell (NSC) behavior. Her work has contributed to establish the role of Shh, PEDF and DYRK1A, in the Subventricular Zone niche in the mouse. Now her lab is particularly focused in describing the similarities and differences between the regulation of NSCs and brain tumor initiating cells. She is exploring new therapeutic avenues for the aggressive forms of this type of cancer.
Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Dresden, Germany
elly.tanaka@crt-dresden.de
+49 (0)351 272 06652
Professor Elly Tanaka studies regeneration using the salamander as a model system. She is interested in understanding how stem cells in regeneration systems undertake a full regeneration response, and how this capacity has been restricted in mammalian equivalents. In particular she studies spinal cord regeneration and limb regeneration
European Institute of Oncology
Experimental Oncology
giuseppe.testa@ifom-ieo-campus.it
+39-02-94375105
Dr. Giuseppe Testa has expertise in the fields of genome engineering, stem cells and chromatin regulation, in which he pioneered new DNA engineering technologies and the characterization of new histone modifiers. His research theme is the epigenetics of lineage commitment and maintenance. His lab studies the function of histone lysine methylation in three related aspects of genome regulation: i) the physiology of genome programming during neural differentiation; ii) the aberrant genome programming in cancer; and iii) the induced genome reprogramming that enables cell fate reassignment.
