1st International Exchange Program for

Developmental/Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

23-29 August 2009

University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Course information:

This course is offered to students of University of Toronto and University of Hong Kong only. Seven students will be selected from the applicants at each University. The lectures, however, will be advertised and open for the entire University of Hong Kong.

Our budget allows the coverage of the airfare of the Toronto students up to $ 1200 CAN (current lowest fare with Air Canada). Any amount above this is on their supervisors.

During the course full accommodation is provided to the Toronto students by University of Hong Kong.

Students interested

at HKU contact Prof. Kathy Cheah (hrmbdkc<at>hkusua.hku.hk )

at UofT contact Prof. Andras Nagy ( nagy<at>lunenfeld.ca )

Provide (1) a letter of interest describing how your project and career plan benefit from the course, (2) a letter of support from your supervisor.

Application deadline: June 15, 2009

Tentative Program

Saturday, 22th August, 2009

18:00Registration

19:00WELCOME RECEPTION

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Chair:

9-9:15 AM Welcome and overview and practicalities

Kathy Cheah and Andras Nagy

9:15-10:30 AMIntroduction to Stem cells

Andras Nagy

10:30-11:00 AMCoffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMSearch for Stem Cells in human endometrium

Rachel Chan

12:00-14:00 PMLunch and self introduction of “students”

Chair:

14:00-15:30 PMSKPs and Stem Cell Therapies

Freda Miller

15:30-16:00 PM Coffee/tea break

16:00-18:00 PM Practical

18:00 - Dinner and free time

Monday, August 24, 2009

Chair:

9-10:30 AMStem cells from the blastocyst

Janet Rossant

10:30-11:00 AMCoffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMEpigenetic reprogramming in stem cell differentiation

Ray Ng

Chair:

12:00-13:00 PMStudent talks - 4 – (15 min each)

13:00-14:00Lunch

Chair:

14:00-15:30 PMReprogramming and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Andras Nagy

15:30-16:00 PM Coffee/tea break

16:00-18:00 PM Practical: hESC Identification of undifferentiated colonies (0.5h)

Freezing/ Sub-culture of hESC (1.5h)

In vitro differentiation (0.5h)

WSB Yeung and Cherry

18:00 - Dinner and free time

Tueday, August 25, 2009

Chair

9-10:30 AMSignaling protein and drug discovery using cancer stem cells

David Kaplan

10:30-11:00 AMCoffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMExtracellular matrix niche and stem cell differentiation

Barbara Chan

12:00-13:00 PMStudent talks - 4 – (15 min each)

13:00-14:00PMLunch

Chair:

14:00-15:30 PM Neural Stem Cells in Normal and Pathological Development

Freda Miller

15:30-16:00 PM Coffee/tea break

16:00-17:30 PM p53 families in neurodegeneration and neural stem cell function

David Kaplan

18:00 - Dinner and free time

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Chair:

9-10:30 AMCardiac differentiation of human ES cells

Ron Li

10:30-11:00 AMCoffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMAdult stem cells for angiogenesis

HF Tse

12:00-13:00 PMLunch

13:00-14:00 PM Student talks - 4 – (15 min each)

Chair:

14:00-15:30 PMRole of microRNAs in cardiac Regeneration

Ron Li

15:30-16:00 PM Coffee/tea break

16:00-17:00 PMEstablishing mesenchymal stem cells from human ESC/iPSC and applications in cardiovascular diseases

Qizhou Lian

17.00-1800Practical: hESC Thawing of hESC (1h)

WSB Yeung and Cherry?

18:00 - PUBLIC LECTURE ON STEM CELLS BY Janet Rossant

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Chair:

9-10:30 AMHematopoietic stem cells

Ian Rogers

10:30-11:00 AMCoffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMGene expression profiling in understanding the colon stem cell niche environment - SY Leung

12.00-1:00 PMStudent talks - 4 – (15 min each)

13:00-14:00 PMLunch

Chair:

14:00-15:30 PM Genetic alterations of stem cells

Andras Nagy

15:30-16:00 PM Coffee/tea break

16:00-17:00 PMStudent talks - 4 – (15 min each)

17:00-18:00 PM Practical

18:00 - Dinner and free time

Friday, August 28, 2009

Chair:

9-10:30 AMNSC potential - both biological and therapeutic

Robin Lovell-Badge

10:30-11:00 AMCoffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMZebrafish for the study of normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis?

Anskar Leung

12:00-14:00 PMLunch

Chair:

14:00-15:30 PMTransdifferentiation: facts and artifacts

Ian Rogers

15:30-16:00 PM Coffee/tea break

16:00-16:45 PMStudent talks - 3 – (15 min each)

16:45-18:00 PM Practical: hESC : Examination of hESC colonies and EB (0.5h)

18:00 - Dinner and free time

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Chair:

9-10:30 AMIn vitro-derived gametes and ethics of stem cell research and therapy"

Robin Lovell-Badge

10:30-11:00 AM

Coffee/tea break

11:00-12:00 PMDiscussion on Ethics:

Chairs: Janet Rossant, Robin Lovell-Badge, PC Ho

12.00-12.30 Wrap up, closing

All faculties

12:30-14:00 PMLunch

14:00-18:00 PM Outing

18:00 - Outing – Banquet

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Departure