Healthy stem cells work to restore or repair the body’s tissues, but cancer stem cells have a more nefarious mission: to spawn malignant tumors. Cancer stem cells were discovered a decade ago, but their origins and identity remain largely unknown.
Today, the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University hosted its second Stem Cell Symposium, focusing on cancer stem cells. Leading scientists from the U.S., Canada and Belgium discussed the latest advances in the field and highlighted the challenges of translating this knowledge into targeted cancer treatments.
“These exceptional scientists are pioneers in the field and have made enormous contributions to our understanding of the biology of stem cells and cancer,†said Paul Frenette, M.D., director and chair of Einstein’s Stem Cell Institute and professor of medicine and of cell biology. “Hopefully this symposium will spark productive dialogues and collaborations among the researchers who attend.â€
The presenters were: