Stem Cells and Reprogramming (Z4)

The fields of developmental and stem cell biology have revealed complex networks that regulate fundamental cell fate decisions. Such information was leveraged first to reprogram cells to induced pluripotent stem cells, and more recently to induce cell fate transitions from one somatic cell state directly into another, without involving a pluripotent stem cell phase. This conference will focus on the mechanisms underlying cellular pluripotency, differentiation, and reprogramming. These will include the understanding of signaling, transcriptional, translational and epigenetic events regulating cell fate transitions. The utility of such cellular regulation for disease modeling and regenerative medicine for multiple organ systems will be examined. Translational efforts in academic and industry that are moving toward regenerative medicine will be highlighted, as will efforts to use stem cell biology for drug discovery and evaluating drug toxicity. The emerging intersection of human genetics and stem cell biology that will lead to more personalized medicine will be a thematic focus woven into most sessions of this conference.