The latest discoveries and promises of stem cell research and the development of new therapeutic approaches for a variety of diseases will be in focus at the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012 which begins today.
The four-day event, being held at Qatar National Convention Centre, is a milestone in Qatar Foundation’s ongoing collaboration with the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, Houston, Texas, US.
The aim of QF’s joint initiative with the Baker Institute’s International Programme on Stem Cell Science Policy is to develop stem cell research in Qatar as well as to find ways to address the shared challenges of community support for stem cell research in Doha and Houston.
To accomplish this goal, the programme has supported several events since its inception, including meetings, workshops, and training programmes in both cities.
The conference, which brings together eminent international as well as regional scientists, ethicists and policymakers, will also present the developed policy options that account for cultural, ethical and religious factors.
The event will draw attention to Qatar’s position in the development of stem cell research in the region and the world, given that research on stem cell as a national priority has already been initiated in the country’s best research institutions.
The conference objectives are to raise the awareness about Qatar’s initiative in promoting stem cell research, present the latest developments, and highlight the different religious views regarding stem cell research specifically the Islamic view.
The pros and cons of various options for regulating stem cell research and how scientists should address conflicting and confusing national policies and assess the different models of international collaboration will be discussed.
The conference also intends to interface with other institutions outside Qatar and contribute to the exchange of scientific knowledge to enhance the promotion of a scientific culture in the region and globally.
The keynote speakers are ambassador Edward P Djerejian (Baker Institute), Irving Weissman (Stanford University), Alan Trounson (president, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine), David Baltimore (president emeritus, Robert Andrews Millikan Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology), Roger Pedersen (Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge) and Lawrence Corey (president and director, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre).
The conference, supported by Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, will also feature a number of invited speakers from across the world.

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Seminar to focus on stem cell research development