Cryo-Save Launches Educational Program on Clinical Applications of Stem Cell Therapies: An Example of Excellence in Serbia

ZUTPHEN, Netherlands, October 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Cryo-Save, Europe's leading family stem cell bank launches an educational program on stem cell therapies. The aim of the program is to increase the awareness of stem cells therapy and regenerative medicine amongst healthcare professionals.   Cryo-Save Serbia played a lead role in coordinating this annual event on Regenerative Medicine, Tissue and Genetic Engineering in Belgrade, Serbia earlier this October.  

Healthcare professionals lack information on stem cell therapies

By being the leading company in Europe and one of the most active family stem cell banks in the world, Cryo-Save recognizes the responsibility to proactively contribute in building a proper know-how in adult stem cell applications and research.

For this reason, a network of experts has been put in place to set-up a series of educational activities, such as symposia and workshops, for the end of 2011 and the whole 2012. In different countries the program will give healthcare professionals the opportunity to meet, discuss and update each other on the latest scientific achievements and to remain informed on current clinical trials and on-going research projects.

An excellent example recently happened in Serbia, where the International Symposium on Clinical Applications of Stem Cell Therapies informed some 150 medical professionals.  Cryo-Save is very proud to have participated and supported this symposium in Belgrade, Serbia earlier this October where several key researchers and scientists presented on topics regarding transplantation, cord blood, heart disease and many other modern clinical applications of stem cell therapies.

Arnoud van Tulder, CEO of Cryo-Save Group, said, "Cryo-Save is very committed to creating a new culture on the issue of adult stem cells in order to increase, all over the world, a proper awareness on the value of existing treatments and promising applications. We are conscious of our leading role in this industry and, for this reason, we have started supporting an extensive program of educational activities, recently in Serbia and soon in the Netherlands and Bosnia Herzegovina, to offer professionals an up-to-date point of view in stem cell research."

The International Symposium on Regenerative Medicine, Tissue and Genetic Engineering

The Serbian symposium was mostly oriented towards clinical applications of stem cell therapies. Prof. Lorenza Lazzari (Research and Development Director - Cell Factory Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano - Italy) and Prof. Zoran Ivanovic (Scientific Director - Etablissement Francais du Sang Aquitaine-Limousin - France) addressed the issues of cord blood stem cells and haematopoesis.

Prof. Christoph Stamm (Professor, Consultant Surgeon Deutsches Hertzzentrum Berlin - Germany) presented the advances and drawbacks of current stem cell therapies in cardiac diseases, specifically myocardial infarction therapy and also how stem cell therapy might help the heart transplant candidates. He specifically emphasised the belief that stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood and tissue will prove more potent and applicable.

Dr. Fernando de Miguel Pedrero (Senior Researcher, Unidad de Terapia Celular Hospital Universitario La Paz Madrid - Spain) presented a clinical trial concerned with stem cell therapy of chondral knee defects.

Dr. Roger Amar (Director, Amar Clinic, Marbella - Spain) presented an extensive experience in the use of mesenchymal stem cells harvested from adipose tissue and grafting them into facial structures using a FAMI technique.

Dr. Mima Fazlagic, Chairman of the Serbian Symposium and member of the Cryo-Save Medical Board, quoted, "We hope that in the future we will be able to bring more cutting-edge science and therapy to professionals and broader public alike."

More information:

Cryo-Save:http://www.cryo-save.com/group

Cryo-Save, the leading international family stem cell bank, already stores more than 185,000 samples from cord blood and umbilical cord tissue for newborns and adipose tissue for adults. These stem cells can mean the difference between life and death in the case of future threats to the health of the donors. There are already several diseases that can be cured by the use of stem cells, and the number of treatments will only increase. The use of stem cells from adipose tissue is increasingly popular in plastic surgery. Driven by its international business strategy, Cryo-Save is now represented in over 40 countries on four continents, with ultra-modern processing and storage facilities in the United States, Belgium, Germany, Dubai, India, South Africa and France (validation in progress).