Joslin Diabetes Centre holds seminar on stem cell research

[admin]

The Joslin Diabetes Centre, affiliate at Dubai Health Authority, is hosting a conference on stem cell research. The conference, which will take place on the 19th of May, 2010, at the Rashid Medical Library Auditorium will discuss - Stem cell therapy in diabetes -Is it a dream or a reality?

The one-day conference will have two sessions, the first one, which is for the public, will take place from 4pm to 6:30pm and the second one, which is for specialists will take place from 7 pm to 9:30 pm.

In the second session, international endocrinologists and researchers will give their perspective on stem cells research in diabetes, which is a new methodology being used to manage the disease.

Dr Ahmed Hassoun, Consultant Endocrinologist, Joslin Diabetes Centre, affiliate at DHA, said, "The aim of this public session is to educate patients and their families about diabetes, the current treatment options as well as how far stem cell research has reached until this day. We want to make sure patients are aware of the pros and cons of each treatment so that they do not assume that the latest treatment is inevitably to best one."

He mentioned that the second session which is for specialists will mainly discuss stem cells therapy with regard to diabetes management.

Renowned international speakers taking part in this one-day session include Philippe A Halban, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Switzerland and Gordon Weir, MD, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Head of the Section on Islet Transplantation and Cell Biology at Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, USA.