SCIENTIFIC COFFEE: Closing the gap between basic and applied research: the case of stem cells

An event supported by 4DCellFate.eu for the CRG 10th Anniversary

Closing the gap between basic and applied research: the case of stem cells

Over the last ten years we have seen a remarkable increase in our knowledge of stem cells and their application, for example, in the treatment of generative diseases. These advances have been achieved largely thanks to basic research, but also to the work on cell line creation and studies of embryonic development. In this way, each day the gap between basic and applied research on stem cells becomes smaller.

Last September, John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work on stem cells. Gurdon was the first to open the Pandora's box of cell reprograming, back in 1967, and Yamanaka found an easy way to do it. This is an example of how basic research bears fruit, although it does take some time.

On this occasion we want to go beyond the techniques discovered and look deeper into the findings of the latest research, observing aspects of basic investigation and its application (in fields such as reproduction, embryo development and the creation of cell lines). Thanks to the researchers we are able to get closer to the frontiers of science.

Anna Veiga. Director of the Cell Line Bank at the Centre of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona (CMRB)

Lluis Morey. Researcher from the Epigenetic Episodes in Cancer group at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)

Day and time: Tuesday December 18, at 7pm

Location: Sala de la Caritat, National Library of Catalonia (Carrer de l’Hospital, 56, Barcelona)

Entry free. Numbers limited.

Supported by: Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT), Red de Unidades de Cultura Científica, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad , Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca de la Generalitat de Catalunya and Institut de Cultura de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona, "4DCell Fate" and CommHere projects from European Commission