7th International Stem Cell School in Regenerative Medicine 2009
Stem cells, biomaterials and nanotechnologies in regenerative medicine
Prague, Czech Republic
The Local Organizing Committee has decided
to extend the application deadline to September 15th
– = APPLICATION FORM = –
Financed by the European Union Marie Curie Conferences and Training Courses
“RegMedTeach” project (MSCF-CT-2006-46102)
Arndt Rolfs, Rostock, Germany (coordinator)
Ernest Arenas, Stockholm, Sweden
Stefan Krauss, Oslo, Norway
Eva Sykova, Prague, Czech Republic
Jens Zimmer, Odense, Denmark
The 7th International Stem Cell School in Regenerative Medicine will be held in Prague, Czech Republic, in November 2009. A three-day scientific conference will be held in conjunction with the Joint Conference of the Czech and Slovak Neuroscience Societies from November 2nd to 4th, followed by a three-day practical course from November 5th to 7th.
The conference and practical course are financed by the European Union Marie Curie Conferences and Training Courses “RegMedTeach” project (MSCF-CT-2006-46102) and are open to participants from both EU and non-EU countries. The conference and the practical course will be held as separate, independent events, and a limited number of participants at each event will have their registration fee, their hotel and living expenses, and their travel to and from Prague covered by European Union funds.
Important information
Scientific conference: November 2 – 4, 2009
Practical course: November 5 – 7, 2009
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Eligibility: open to both EU and non-EU nationals
Support available: payment of registration fee, hotel and living expenses, and round-trip travel expenses
Number of supported participants: 80 – 100 for the scientific conference, 20 – 25 for the practical course
Registration fee: separate fees of 50 euros for the conference and 100 euros for the course
Application material required: application form, CV and brief motivation letter explaining why you wish to attend the conference and/or the practical course
Application deadline: September 15, 2009
Abstract submission: following acceptance to the conference, participants will have the opportunity to submit an abstract for poster presentation, if desired.
Details of available support
The funding provided by the European Union will cover the registration fee, the hotel and living expenses and the round-trip travel expenses of a limited number of participants at the scientific conference and the practical course. Hotel accommodation will be arranged by the organizers, and all meals will be provided. Hotel accommodation will be provided from November 1st through 4th (4 nights) for the conference participants and from November 4th through 7th (4 nights) for the practical course participants. In addition, the selected participants will receive reimbursement of their travel costs to and from Prague following the completion of the School and upon receipt of the necessary documentation. The travel expenses are covered by the EU on the basis of real costs, up to the maximum amounts in the following table (based on the direct distance – as the crow flies – between the participant’s location and Prague):
| < 500 km | Maximum contribution 250 EUR | |
| 500 – 1000 km | Maximum contribution 500 EUR | |
| 1000 – 1500 km | Maximum contribution 500 EUR | |
| 1500 – 2500 km | Maximum contribution 1000 EUR | |
| 2500 – 5000 km | Maximum contribution 1050 EUR | |
| 5000 – 10000 km | Maximum contribution 2000 EUR | |
| > 10000 km | Maximum contribution 2500 EUR |
Practical Courses
There will be 3 practical courses offered from November 5 to 7. If selected to attend the practical courses, successful applicants will be able to choose which practical course they wish to join.
- Biomaterials – growing cells on polymers and nanofibers, implanting biomaterials into models of brain and spinal cord injury
Day 1: Isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the bone marrow, preparation of biomaterials (hydrogels and nanofibers) for cell seeding, cell culture techniques (harvesting, cell counting), seeding biomaterials with stem cells, monitoring cell adhesion Day 2: Checking cell viability and proliferation using the WST method, immunohistochemical staining, imaging cells using fluorescent and confocal microscopy Day 3: Experimental models of spinal cord injury (balloon compression lesion), implantation of seeded hydrogels, behavioral testing, histological evaluation, evaluation of isolated MSCs - Imaging – labeling cells in vitro with superparamagnetic nanoparticles, in vivo imaging of labeled cells using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Day 1: Isolation of MSCs from the bone marrow, cell labeling with magnetic nanoparticles, preparation of phantoms for in vitro imaging, staining for iron Day 2: Experimental models of brain and spinal cord injury (photochemical lesion, balloon compression lesion), cell transplantation into the brain and spinal cord Day 3: MR imaging, evaluation of isolated and labeled MSCs - Patch-clamp recording and calcium imaging of stem cells
Day 1: Experimental model of brain injury (ischemia - bilateral carotid occlusion), cell culture techniques specifically related to MSCs and ESCs, principles of the patch-clamp technique. Day 2: Calcium imaging techniqes in situ, simultaneous recording of calcium currents and calcium imaging of stem cells in situ. Day 3: Basics of immunohistochemical staining, Ca2+ imaging using fluorescent dyes in stem cells
Application procedure
- Complete the application form and paste your CV and a brief motivation letter into the fields provided.
- Submit the completed form, along with your CV and motivation letter, no later than September 7, 2009.
- Applicants must indicate on their application form if they wish to attend the conference or both the conference and the practical course.
- Applicants must indicate on their application form which category of researcher applies to them – see the definitions of the different categories on the form.
- Applicants must understand that attendance at both events is limited and is subject to certain EU requirements to insure geographical and gender balance among the participants.
- Applicants must understand that they may be accepted for only one of the events even if they have applied to attend both.
- Applicants will be notified by e-mail as to whether they have been accepted for funding.
- Following acceptance to the conference, participants will have the opportunity to submit an abstract for poster presentation, if desired.
- Following the completion of the conference and/or practical course, participants must submit documentation of their travel expenses to the organizers. Reimbursement for the travel expenses will then be sent to the participants via bank transfer.
- Organizing office: regmed@biomed.cas.cz