The Kyoto University Hospital held the eighth conference of its Kyoto University Hospital iPS Cell/Regenerative Medicine Study Group at Shiran Kaikan Hall. Founded in November 2009, the group aims to advance the hospital's research on regenerative medicine using iPS cells, embryonic stem cells and somatic stem cells, as well as to disseminate its findings, hoping to eventually contribute to the advancement of medicine. More than 110 participants from both inside and outside the university attended the eighth conference.
After an opening address by Director Michiaki Mishima from the Kyoto University Hospital, the following general lectures were given: "Astellas Pharma's Approach to iPS Cell Research" (Yukiko Yamagishi, senior researcher, Molecular Medicine Research Labs, Astellas Pharma Inc.); "Pathological Modeling of Miyoshi Myopathy Using Patient-derived Human iPS Cells" (Hidetoshi Sakurai, program-specific research center senior lecturer, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application); "Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases Using iPS Cell Technology" (Haruhisa Inoue, associate professor, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application); and "From Fundamental Research on Products Using Human Cells toward the Realization of a Regenerative Medicine Industry" (Masukazu Inoie, R&D director, Japan Tissue Engineering Co., Ltd.).
Later, Professor Teruo Okano--vice president of Tokyo Women's Medical University and director at the Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science as well as president of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine--gave a special lecture entitled "The Challenge of Fusing Cell Sheets and iPS Cells."
At the venue, participants eagerly listened to the lectures, and the event ended on a successful note.
 Opening address by Director Mishima |  Special lecture by Professor Okano |
