‘Stem Cells to Cure Parkinson's in 5 Years’

‘Stem Cells to Cure Parkinson's in 5 Years’ Thursday, 15 November 2007 An international symposium on advanced stem cell research is held in Seoul, S. Korea, this week to develop a roadmap for developments in the vital scientific field. The 2007 Seoul Symposium on Stem Cell Research is held at Korea University on Thursday and Friday (Nov. 15-16) with about 1,000 experts in attendance, the organizers said. Nineteen speakers from six countries are scheduled to outline future trends in stem cell research, applications of stem cells and the control of cell growth to facilitate the use of cells for medical treatments. The event was first held in October 2003. ‘Stem Cells to Cure Parkinson's in 5 Years’ Olle Lindvall, a professor at the Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University Hospital in Sweden, said that the cure for the Parkinson's disease is likely to be one of the first and most effective applications of human stem cell research, though the field in general has many obstacles to overcome. “I think that Parkinson's disease is one of the diseases where we will be able to do the first clinical test,” Lindvall told The Korea Times on Thursday. Lindvall is one of the main players in the field of regenerative neurology, and a 25-year veteran in restoring brain function with cell therapies. “With the stem cell approach, though I cannot guarantee, scientifically-based clinical trials will be carried out within five years. When it comes to the other diseases, it is less sure.” “We have transplanted dopamine cells from foetuses into the brain and saw they can survive. I think that there are many attempts to produce this type of cell from different types of stem cells,” he said, adding that animal tests are already underway in many institutions around the world. “I think that it can realistically happen within the next five years.” ......... ZenMaster

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