Newswise — WINSTON-SALEM, NC, March 2022 – The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and the Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF) for the second year will join forces for their annual meetings to be held in conjunction and virtually, kicking off on Monday, June 6 - 11. 

The combined meetings of WFIRM’s Regenerative Medicine Essentials (RME) Course and RMF’s World Stem Cell Summit (WSCS) provide a global ecosystem of regenerative medicine and stem cell science with the most up-to-date information and advances in the fields via a single and multi-track virtual format. Prominent, leading experts of the regenerative medicine and stem cell science fields will share their knowledge and provide insight into advances and promising lines of research.

RME, which is in its 8th annual year, is an immersive course designed for clinicians, researchers, technicians, students, industry, investors, government representatives, patient advocates and organizations from national and international communities. Organized as an educational and scientific meeting, the purpose is to promote the participation and education of all stakeholders, providing attendees who join from across the globe, a firm foundation in regenerative medicine coupled with the “roadmap forward” for this exciting field. 

Produced by the non-profit RMF, and in its 17th year, the WSCS is the most inclusive and expansive interdisciplinary, networking, and collaborating meeting in the stem cell science and regenerative medicine field. With the overarching purpose of fostering translation of biomedical research, funding, and investments targeting cures, the Summit and co-located conferences serve a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders. Topics include stem cells, biomaterials, cell therapies, clinical trials, regulatory matters, pathways to market, bio-manufacturing technologies and much more.

From the science behind pioneering discoveries and clinical applications, to regulatory and manufacturing challenges, the Summit and the Course will provide a comprehensive look at progress to date, current challenges, and new “hot” topics as well as future applications.

Course founder and WFIRM Director Anthony Atala, M.D., serves as co-director with Joan Schanck, MPA, WFIRM’s chief education program officer, and RMF Executive Director Bernard Siegel.

"The RME course continues to evolve to provide the best insights and overviews of the regenerative medicine field and our efforts are greatly enhanced by the partnership with the World Stem Cell Summit and the leadership and outreach Bernie brings to the endeavor,” said Atala.

According to Siegel, the focus of the Summit has always been to bring together stakeholders in the stem cell research field and patients who can benefit from cell therapies. “Our hope is that through the Summit, we can help shine a light for participants to find novel ways to accelerate the pathway to cures and amplify patient voices,” he added.

Stem Cells Translational Medicine, the official journal partner of RMF, endorses the World Stem Cell Summit and the Wake Forest Regenerative Medicine Essentials Course.

For more information about RME and to Register, please visit RME Course.

For more information about the upcoming virtual World Stem Cell Summit, please visit: www.worldstemcellsummit.com.

About the World Stem Cell Summit: The World Stem Cell Summit is a project of the nonprofit Regenerative Medicine Foundation. Since 2003, Regenerative Medicine Foundation has built the strongest, most comprehensive and trusted global network for Regenerative Medicine, uniting the world’s leading researchers, medical centers, universities, labs, businesses, funders, policymakers, experts in law, regulation and ethics, medical philanthropies and patient organizations. Our mission is to accelerate regenerative medicine to improve health and deliver cures. We are committed to the ethical advancement of an innovative medicine powered by regenerative, restorative, and curative technologies. All we do is in service of health, life, and the alleviation of human suffering.

About the Regenerative Medicine Foundation: The nonprofit Regenerative Medicine Foundation fosters strategic collaborations to accelerate the development of regenerative medicine to improve health and deliver cures. RMF unites the world’s leading researchers, medical centers, universities, labs, businesses, funders, policymakers, experts in law, regulation and ethics, medical philanthropies, and patient organizations. We maintain a trusted network of leaders and pursue our mission by producing our flagship World Stem Cell Summit series of conferences and public days, honoring leaders through the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Awards, supporting our official journal partner STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM), promoting solution-focused policy initiatives both nationally and internationally and creating STEM/STEAM educational projects. For more information about RMF, please visit: www.regmedfoundation.org.

About Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine: The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is recognized as an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies, with many world firsts, including the development and implantation of the first engineered organ in a patient. Over 400 people at the institute, the largest in the world, work on more than 40 different tissues and organs. A number of the basic principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine were first developed at the institute. WFIRM researchers have successfully engineered replacement tissues and organs in all four categories – flat structures, tubular tissues, hollow organs and solid organs – and 15 different applications of cell/tissue therapy technologies, such as skin, urethras, cartilage, bladders, muscle, kidney, and vaginal organs, have been successfully used in human patients. The institute, which is part of Wake Forest School of Medicine, is located in the Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, and is driven by the urgent needs of patients. The institute is making a global difference in regenerative medicine through collaborations with over 400 entities and institutions worldwide, through its government, academic and industry partnerships, its start-up entities, and through major initiatives in breakthrough technologies, such as tissue engineering, cell therapies, diagnostics, drug discovery, biomanufacturing, nanotechnology, gene editing and 3D printing.