Media Release: VICTORIA TO HOST KEY SEMINARS AT BIO2006

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FROM THE MINISTER FOR INNOVATION

DATE: Monday, April 10, 2006

VICTORIA TO HOST KEY SEMINARS AT BIO2006

The first ever regenerative medicine sessions to be held at the international biotechnology conference, BIO2006, were launched in Chicago by Minister for Innovation, John Brumby.

In opening the Regenerative Medicine Track, Mr Brumby said the series of eight seminars would bring together some of the world’s most influential scientists involved in stem cell and other regenerative medicine developments.

“Regenerative medicine is an exciting new field that brings together many scientific fields and has enormous potential to save lives, reduce suffering as well as treat and prevent disease,” Mr Brumby said.

“The Victorian Government recognises the importance of this field in tackling disease in the future which is why we announced as part of our $203 million Lifesciences statement Healthy Futures the establishment of a $118.8 million Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute to be at Monash University.

“This institute will provide a focus for cutting edge research, clinical applications and the development of commercial products around one of the most significant fields of medical science.

“We and the Californian-based company Invitrogen Corporation are proud to jointly sponsor this track, the first of its kind to be held at a BIO conference.”

Mr Brumby said that the Regenerative Medicine Track sessions will cover a range of issues, from the interaction between science, business and policy, to tissue regeneration, new developments in California’s stem cell ‘gold rush’ and emerging opportunities.

“Recent advances in the field of stem cell science have opened up new prospects for success in the treatment of cancer, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease,” he said.

“The purpose of this track is to bring a global perspective on stem cell science, to confront and examine ways that we can all assist and expand this exciting health area.”

Among the Track speakers are Victorians Alan Trounson, the Director of Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories and Peter Mountford, CEO, Stem Cell Sciences, who have both helped position Melbourne at the forefront of stem cell and cell therapy research.

Stem cells are of particular significance to researchers because of their ability to renew and develop into any type of specialised cell in the body.

Victoria has taken a leading role in Australia in stem cell science following the discovery of human embryonic stem cells in Alan Trounson and Martin Pera’s laboratory at Monash University in 1998.

“Today, amid tough global competition, Victoria continues to be a leader in regenerative medicine, a fact recently acknowledged by Forbes magazine,” Mr Brumby said.

“Victorian scientists, over the past year, have announced notable developments in this emerging sector.”

These include determining breast stem cells that can unlock the cause of cancer by researchers at the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) and a method for detecting abnormal embryonic stem cells before they change into cancerous cells by the Australian Stem Cell Centre.

These discoveries build on past achievements including the development of two human embryonic stem cell lines – Mel 1 and Mel – 2 – by Stem Cell Sciences Limited, the ASCC and Melbourne IVF; these have been made available to researchers worldwide free of IP or commercial encumbrances.

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