PRESS RELEASES

7 July 2009

UK's leading stem cell conference to visit Nottingham in 2010

• East Midlands Conference Centre to host UKNSCN Conference 2010
• Fiona Watt to give Dame Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture

The UK National Stem Cell Network (UKSCN) has announced Nottingham as the venue for its national research conference in 2010. The conference, in what will be its third year, will see hundreds of scientists, including overseas researchers, from across the full spectrum of stem cell research converge on the East Midlands Conference Centre, 12-14 July 2010.

UKNSCN has also announced that the 2010 Dame Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture – the flagship conference keynote talk in memory of one the world’s foremost female developmental biologists – will be given by Prof Fiona Watt from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research at the University of Cambridge. In recognition of Dr McLaren’s contribution to science during her lifetime UKNSCN invites a world class female stem cell scientist to deliver the memorial lecture each year as the highlight of the national conference.

The UKNSCN Annual Conference is the UK’s leading stem cell research conference – and the only opportunity for the entire stem cell community to come together to discuss hot topics. High profile UK and international scientists will be delivering keynote speeches on the latest issues in stem cell research and advances in the field. The conference will represent the diversity and breadth of UK stem cell science, with many of the speakers on the programme being young, up and coming researchers and with representation across adult, embryonic and iPS stem cell research, social science and tissue engineering.

Prof Watt will deliver the Dame Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture as the culmination of the first day of the conference.

Ben Sykes, UKNSCN Executive Director, said: “It is a great pleasure to announce both that the third UKNSCN Conference will be held in Nottingham in 2010 and that Fiona Watt will deliver the Dame Anne McLaren lecture.

“Nottingham is a leading centre for regenerative medicine in the UK and recently established STEM – the Wolfson Centre for Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering and Modelling – which integrates these disciplines into purpose-built facilities designed to promote state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research. It is the UKNSCN’s policy to move the conference around the UK to cities hosting recognised centres of excellence in stem cell research. Combined with a central location and superb conference facilities, Nottingham is an ideal host for the meeting.

“As one of the world’s leading experts on skin stem cells we can expect a fascinating and insightful keynote lecture from Fiona. She is unquestionably one of the top female stem cell researchers active today and as such joins the illustrious previous keynote lecturers, Christine Mummery and Janet Rossant, as scientists honouring Anne’s pioneering spirit.”

Prof Watt is Herchel Smith Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Cambridge, Deputy Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research and Deputy Director of the CR-UK Cambridge Research Institute. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society. The main research interest of her group is in understanding how adult tissues maintain their differentiated state and understanding how problems in the epidermal stem cell population can give rise to types of skin cancer.

Prof Watt said: “I am very grateful to UKNSCN for inviting me to give the 2010 Dame Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture. Anne was an inspiration to all scientists working in developmental biology and stem cell science. Through her life and work she was a role model for many female scientists, myself included.”

Speaking on behalf of the McLaren family, Professor Jonathan Michie said: “We are delighted that the lecture in Anne’s memory has become a successful feature of the UKNSCN conference, and so pleased that Professor Fiona Watt has agreed to deliver it next year. Anne always enjoyed her visits to Nottingham, when she met with those appointed to the ‘Anne McLaren’ posts, which the University had graciously named in her honour.”

REGISTRATION FOR THE UK NATIONAL STEM CELL NETWORK CONFERENCE WILL OPEN IN AUTUMN 2009. CHECK http://www.uknscn.org/meetings/meetings10.html FOR DETAILS.

ENDS

Contact

UKNSCN Media Relations
Matt Goode, Tel: 01793 413299, Mobile: 07766 423 372
Direct e-mail: matt.goode@bbsrc.ac.uk, Press Office e-mail: ukpo@uknscn.org

Notes to editors

The UK National Stem Cell Network acts as a network for stem cell researchers and all stakeholders. It aims to bring coordination and coherence to a range of national and regional activities in the field of stem cell research. Its overall mission is to promote and enhance the coordination of research across the sub-disciplines of stem cell science, thereby helping to speed to translation basic research into therapeutic applications.

2010 will be the third UKNSCN Annual Conference, following on from successful events in Edinburgh (2008) and Oxford (2009).

The UKNSCN currently receives financial support from four of the UK Research Councils:

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)

The Network operates for all stakeholders in UK stem cell research. The secretariat is operated through BBSRC on behalf of all the Government sponsors of stem cell research, including the Research Councils, the Department of Health, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Technology Strategy Board. Its work is governed by a sponsors’ Management Board, supported by an expert Advisory Committee.