Canada’s Stem Cell Research Community Gather Virtually for the Nation’s Largest Regenerative Medicine Conference

October 23, 2020 (Ottawa, ON) – More than 400 stem cell and regenerative medicine experts will be logging in for the 2020 Till & McCulloch Meetings (TMM) starting Monday, October 26, 2020. Originally scheduled to take place in Vancouver, Canada’s premier stem cell and regenerative medicine conference will have a decidedly different look and feel this year. Hosted by the Stem Cell Network, the event will be held entirely online bringing Canadian and international experts together to discuss the state of the science and advances in developing new therapies and technologies that will change how chronic disease and illness are treated in the years to come.

This year’s event features two keynote speakers, Dr. Christine Mummery, professor and renowned researcher in developmental biology from Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, and Dr. John Dick, Senior Scientist, University Health Network, University of Toronto & Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. Delegates will also hear from patient Kevin Bolusi, who will share his personal experience as a participant in an SCN-funded clinical trial that used a tissue-engineered skin substitute to treat his third-degree burns.

Each year at TMM, two distinguished awards are given to outstanding researchers in the field. This year, Dr. Bartha Knoppers, Director of the Centre of Genomics and Policy at McGill University, will receive the Till & McCulloch Award for her exceptional ethical, legal and social implications paper in Science entitled, Biotechnologies nibbling at the legal “human.” Dr. Sabiha Hacibekiroglu, a post-doctoral fellow at Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute will receive the Drew Lyall Award of Excellence in recognition for her top-ranked abstract, Engineered safe and immune-tolerant ‘designer’ RPE cells towards the treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration. Both awards will be presented on Wednesday, October 28.

“As the home to the discovery of stem cells, Canada has long been a significant contributor to the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine,” said Dr. Michael Rudnicki, CEO and Scientific Director, Stem Cell Network, “The Till & McCulloch Meetings are a highlight of each calendar year. They give the members of our field the opportunity to connect, share knowledge, celebrate Canadian research achievements and showcase our up-and-coming talent.”

This year’s agenda offers a diverse program with a broad range of topics including future technologies in stem cell research and regenerative medicine, legal and regulatory context for clinical translation and policy development, and bioengineering advancements and commercialization. View the entire conference program.

The Till & McCulloch Meetings, hosted by the Stem Cell Network, also include more than 180 abstract presentations, workshops and exhibits from 22 sponsors, and specific programming for career development and advancement.

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About the Till & McCulloch Meetings
The Till & McCulloch Meetings are Canada’s premier stem cell research event. The conference is an annual gathering of Canada’s leading stem cell scientists, clinicians, bioengineers and ethicists, as well as representatives from industry, government, health and NGO sectors from around the world. The 2020 event is hosted virtually by the Stem Cell Network from October 26-28.

About the Stem Cell Network
The Stem Cell Network (SCN) is a national non-profit that supports stem cell and regenerative medicine research, training the next generation of highly qualified personnel, and delivering outreach activities across Canada. SCN’s goal is to advance science from the lab to the clinic for the benefit of Canadians. SCN has been supported by the Government of Canada since inception in 2001. This strategic funding, valued at over $118M, has benefitted approximately 196 world-class research groups and more than 3,300 trainees and has catalyzed 24 clinical trials. Tomorrow’s health is here. stemcellnetwork.ca

Contact
Janice Nicholson
Director, Communications, Stem Cell Network
613-402-3974
janicholson@stemcellnetwork.ca