2018 Conference Speakers

We had many exciting presentations designed to
share insights into the clinical direction of perinatal stem cell sources.

Upcoming Virtual Conferences

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C. Randal Mills, PhD

How the NMDP plans to save more lives with cellular therapy​

  • C. Randal Mills, PhD
    CEO of the National Marrow Donor Program

    Conference Presentation Topic: How the NMDP plans to save more lives with cellular therapy

    With more than 20 years of experience as a leader in biotechnology, Dr. C. Randal Mills has shown how innovation coupled with rigorous execution can alter the course of disease and prevent human suffering. As CEO of Be The Match, Dr. Mills leads an organization of over 1,100 fulltime professionals and 2,000 volunteers, fighting so that every person who needs a life-saving bone marrow transplant in the U.S. gets the right match, exactly when they need it. 
     
    Before joining Be The Match, Dr. Mills served as CEO of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state’s $3 billion agency charged with accelerating a portfolio of 300 stem cell programs for patients in need. Under his leadership, CIRM2.0 was launched, creating an organization internationally recognized for its speed, innovation and productivity. As CEO of Osiris Therapeutics, Randy led the company through its IPO and brought to market several first-in-class cell therapy products, including remestemcel-L—the first stem cell drug used for the treatment of children with deadly graft-versus-host disease. Dr. Mills was also a co-founder of Regeneration Technologies, Inc., where he invented BioCleanse®, the first sterilization system for human tissue transplantation accepted by the FDA. To date, this patented technology has safeguarded more than three million transplants without a single case of disease transmission.

    Dr. Mills was named to the World Regenerative Medicine Congress list of the World’s 50 Most Influential People in Regenerative Medicine and named Emerging Pharmaceutical Leader by Pharmaceutical Executive Magazine. He is the recipient of the George W. Hyatt Memorial Award for outstanding scientific contribution to the field of transplantation and his BioCleanse technology won the World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneer Award. 

    Dr. Mills serves on numerous boards including as the immediate past chairman of KeraLink International, a pioneer in the restoration of sight through corneal transplantation. He received his bachelor’s degree in Cell Science and doctorate in Drug Discovery and Development from the University of Florida. He is married with two children and is a licensed pilot.

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Doug Schmid, PhD

Wharton's Jelly Potential In Regenerative Medicine

  • Doug Schmid, PhD
    Research Associate at the University of Utah Medical School as a cellular biologist

    Conference Presentation Topic: Wharton's Jelly Potential In Regenerative Medicine​

    Dr. Schmid received his Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, Utah. He completed four years of post-doctoral training at the University of Utah Medical School and five years as a Research Associate at the University of Utah Medical School as a cellular biologist.  Dr. Schmid has 23 years of experience in primary cell culture, tissue processing and cryogenic storage of cells and tissues. After working at the University of Utah, from 2009 to present, Dr. Schmid has established, implemented, and supervised the operational aspects several stem cell companies, including the recovery, quality control, processing, and distribution of tissue.  He is passionate about quality and vitality of physiological products and the vast benefits they deliver.

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Timothy J. Nelson MD, PhD

Autologous UCB to rebuild hearts for congenital heart disease

  • Timothy J. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D.
    Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology; 
    Director, Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome; 
    Medical Director, Regenerative Medicine Consult Service

    Conference Presentation Topic:     ​Autologous UCB to rebuild hearts for congenital heart disease

    Dr. Nelson earned his PhD and MD from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  His residency and fellowship work was done at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.  Dr. Nelson’s research work is focused on cardiovascular regeneration using bioengineered stem cells to improve the ability to discover, diagnose, and ultimately treat mechanisms of degenerative diseases such as cardiomyopathy. Specifically, his research group starts with biopsy samples from patients with severe forms of heart disease and generates induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to create a model system for that patient’s disease in the laboratory. His lab looks to identify better ways to predict the onset and progression of genetic disease within the cell culture model system in the laboratory without the need for probing the patient beyond the initial tissue collection. Building on expertise of embryology and cardiac developmental biology to study lineage specific defects in pluripotent stem cells, his research program is striving to translate innovative applications based on iPS technology into clinical applications in human diseases. This individualized platform allows for pharmacological-based screening efforts to identify novel therapeutic targets using patient-specific stem cell and differentiated derivatives. Dr. Nelson has published over 70 journal articles. 

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Ramon Coronado, MSc, PhD

Exosomes to Treat Cancer

  • Ramon Coronado, MSc, PhD
    Executive Director Lester Smith Medical Research Institute

    Conference Presentation Topic:  Exosomes to Treat Cancer

    Dr. Ramon Coronado, moved from Caracas, Venezuela to San Antonio, Texas in 2009 after completing his B.S. in Polymer Engineering. He studied biomedical engineering through the joint program at UTSA/UTHSCSA and a collaborative effort with the US Army Institute of Surgical Research, receiving his masters in 2012 and his Ph.D. in 2016. Passionate about translating care, he founded Mobile Stem Care in 2013, a company focused on delivering stem cell treatments to animals. Following his success in animal care, Dr. Coronado was named Executive Director for the Lester Smith Medical Research Institute in 2015 where he leads research on a variety of human based cellular therapeutics. He received the CellTex Young Investigator Award in 2016 for his work as Director and continues to explore the boundaries of human cellular therapies. In his free time, Dr. Coronado enjoys rock climbing and freediving.

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Timothy Ganey, PhD

Lyophilization of Placental Tissue:  The Future of Long Term Storage?​

  • Timothy Ganey, PhD
    Tim Ganey is Chief Scientific Officer for Vivex Biomedical, Marietta, GA; Director of the Atlanta Learning Center, and Director of Orthopedic Research at the Atlanta Medical Center; Chief Technical Officer, Spinplant GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; a Faculty Member of the TRM Facility in Leipzig Germany, and a faculty member at Nova Southeastern, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

    ​Conference Presentation Topic: Lyophilization of Placental Tissue:  The Future of Long Term Storage?

    ​As President of the US division of co.don Tissue Engineering, he guided a team that developed and commercialized a portfolio of cell-based therapeutics for cartilage, bone, and the first clinically available biologic for intervertebral disc in 1999. Dr. Ganey has been instrumental in several technology development initiatives, among them the use of cell-based therapeutics, electric field transduction, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and prescribed matrices for regenerative medicine. Patents issues include work stemming from pulsed-field delivery, artificial matrices for bone regeneration, electro-spinning methods and materials, mimetic material modification using photoactive lasers, and stem cell procurement and purification. His efforts have been aligned with the shifting paradigm supporting regenerative treatments for effective patient care – translation as the engine of implementation.

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Rebeca Lim, PhD

Update on Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Infants.

  • Dr Rebecca Lim, PhD
    Dr Rebecca Lim is a stem cell biologist specializing in gestational tissue derived stem cells. She holds joint appointments with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University and The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research. Dr Lim holds adjunct appointments at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute and Chinese University Hong Kong. She serves on the scientific advisory board of the Centre for Commercialisation of Regenerative Medicine – Australia, and is a director of Meluha Capital, a Malaysian-owned biotech company. 

    Conference Presentation Topic:  Update on Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Infants
    ​
    Dr Rebecca Lim leads the Amnion Cell Biology team at the Ritchie Centre where she is deputy Centre Head. Dr Lim’s team has been investigating the regenerative potential of human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs). Her research team has uncovered mechanisms through which the hAECs modulate inflammatory events and bolster endogenous repair processes. They have demonstrated that hAECs are able to directly influence the stem cell niche in order to bring about tissue regeneration. This work has now progressed to early phase clinical trials across multiple sites in Australia – in premature babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, adults with liver cirrhosis, and stroke. Most recently, Dr Lim has published two patents on hAEC-derived exosomes for regenerative medicine.

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Stephen Strom, PhD

Perinatal Stem Cells to Treat Liver Disease​ 

  • Stephen C. Strom, PhD
    Professor at the Karolinska Institutet in the Department of Laboratory Medicine of the Division of Pathology, Stockholm, Sweden
    Joint appointment in the Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh
    Torsten och Ragnar Söderberg Professor in Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine

    Conference Presentation Topic: Perinatal Stem Cells to Treat Liver Disease
    ​
    At the Karolinska Institutet he is the principal investigator for a Strategic Research Program in Cancer (StratCan) and the Vetenskaprådet (Swedish Research Council) study entitled, “Understanding the biology of genes associated with longevity and healthy aging using humanized mouse models.” His work also includes a European Commission study entitled, “HUMAN: Health and understanding of metabolism, aging and nutrition.”

    Dr. Strom’s research interests include: hepatocyte transplantation as a clinical treatment of liver disease, expression and regulation of drug metabolizing enzymes and in human liver, regulation of human hepatocyte replication and differentiation and production of hepatocytes for transplantation from stem or progenitor cells.

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Shimon Slavin, MD

Clinical applications for placenta & cord tissue derived multi-potent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC): Current accomplishments and future goal

  • Shimon Slavin, MD
    Professor of Medicine, Scientific & Medical Director; Founder, Medical & Scientific Director of Biotherapy International; The Center for Cancer Biotherapy & Regenerative Medicine Weizmann Center

    Conference Presentation Topic: ​Clinical applications for placenta & cord tissue derived multi-potent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC): Current accomplishments and future goal

    Shimon Slavin, MD, Professor of Medicine, pioneered the use of personalized anti-cancer immunotherapy mediated by donor lymphocytes and innovative methods for stem cell transplantation for malignant and non-malignant disorders, including treatment of autoimmune diseases and induction of transplantation tolerance to bone marrow and organ allografts. More recently, Slavin pioneered the use of multi-potent mesenchymal stromal cell for multi-system regenerative medicine. Slavin authors 4 books, >660 scientific publications and serves on many editorial boards and many national and international advisory boards. Slavin received many international awards in recognition of his contributions for treatment of malignant and non-malignant disorders. 

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Jeremy J. Lim, PhD

Biological Properties of Dehydrated Human Amnion/Chorion Membrane and Umbilical Cord Allografts for Soft Tissue Healing

  • Jeremy J. Lim, PhD
    Senior Biomedical Engineer at MiMedx Group, Inc

    Conference Presentation Topic:     Biological Properties of Dehydrated Human Amnion/Chorion Membrane and Umbilical Cord Allografts for Soft Tissue Healing
    ​
    Jeremy Lim, PhD is a Senior R&D Engineer at MiMedx Group, Inc., where he has been a member of the Research and Development team since 2013. Prior to MiMedx, Dr. Lim was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow at Georgia Tech and an ASEE/NSF Engineering Innovation Fellow at MedShape, Inc. He received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech and Emory University in Atlanta, GA and received his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Dr. Lim’s research investigates the development and characterization of biomaterials to control cytokine delivery and regulate stem cell activity to promote healing and repair. Dr. Lim has published over 15 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters to date.

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Oula Khoury

Perinatal Cell Therapy For the Treatment of Inflammatory Lung Diseases​

  • Oula Khoury
    PhD candidate at the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina, USA

    Conference Presentation Topic: Perinatal Cell Therapy For the Treatment of Inflammatory Lung Diseases

    Oula Khoury received her master’s form the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon and is currently a PhD student at the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina, USA. Her research investigates the role of perinatal cell therapy as a potential treatment for inflammatory lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). The use of cell therapy as a treatment for inflammatory diseases has been an emerging field.  Her research focuses on providing an increased understanding of the mechanisms of action of perinatal therapies that would allow for the use of this application as a targeted treatment.

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Jo Anne Reams, PhD

Amniotic fluid: Thicker than water 

  • Jo-Anna Reems, PhD
    ​Research Professor in the Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies and Scientific Director of the Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine (CTRM) Program at the University Of Utah School Of Medicine. 

    Conference Presentation Topic: Amniotic fluid: Thicker than water 

    ​Dr. Reems earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and completed a Research Fellowship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where she developed a research focus on understanding Regulators of Hematopoiesis.   In her current role as the Scientific Director of the CTRM program, Dr. Reems' vision is to create a premier Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence in the state of Utah that facilitates the delivery of cutting-edge novel cellular therapies and tissue engineered products that extend and improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from debilitating diseases and injuries.  She has over 25 years of experience in working with somatic cells (e.g. pancreatic islets, CD34+ cells, T-regs), and tissues (placenta, amnion & amniotic fluid) as well as in expanding and engineering stem/progenitors cells for clinical applications.  She has participated on national and international committees that focus on process development and optimization strategies to develop potency assays as predictors of the in vivo efficacy of human cells, tissues and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) that are destined for therapeutic applications. 

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Sean Murphy, PhD

Amnion membrane - derived cells and materials for skin wound treatment

  • Sean Murphy, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
    Director/Secretary and Co-founder of the Perinatal Stem Cell Society

    Conference Presentation Topic: Amnion membrane - derived cells and materials for skin wound treatment
     
    Dr. Sean V. Murphy received his Bachelors degree from the University of Western Australia and his Ph.D. from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Regenerative Medicine at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina, USA. His research focuses on developing regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies to establish and improve clinical treatments for lung disease. These strategies include cell therapies to restore normal function to lung tissue and minimize inflammation and scarring associated with disease, use of 3D bioprinting to fabricate new airway tissues for transplantation, and lung-on-a-chip technologies for disease modeling and drug discovery. Dr. Murphy is currently the Associate Editor of the journal Bioprinting, on the Editorial Board of multiple journals, including Stem Cells Translational Medicine and is Director, Secretary and Founder of the Perinatal Stem Cell Society. Dr. Murphy has published over 30 peer reviewed journal articles, multiple book chapters and reviews, and numerous awards and fellowships, most notably from the American Lung Association Senior Research Training and the American Australian Association.

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Joanne Kurtzberg, MD

Extending Perinatal Therapies for the Brain.

  • Joanne Kurtzberg, MD
    Director, Marcus Center for Cellular Cures (MC3) 
    Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
    Director, Carolinas Cord Blood Bank
    Co-Director, Stem Cell Laboratory

    Conference Presentation Topic: ​Extending Perinatal Therapies for the Brain

    Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg is an internationally renowned expert in pediatric hematology/oncology, pediatric blood and marrow transplantation, umbilical cord blood banking and transplantation, and novel applications of cord blood in the emerging fields of cellular therapies and regenerative medicine. Dr. Kurtzberg pioneered the use of umbilical cord blood as an alternative stem cell source for unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Over the last two decades, Dr. Kurtzberg has established an internationally known pediatric transplant program at Duke, which treats children with cancer, blood disorders, immune deficiencies, hemoglobinopathies and inherited metabolic diseases. In 2010, Kurtzberg established the Julian Robertson Cell and Translational Therapy Program (CT2) at Duke.  CT2 focuses on translational studies from bench to bedside with a focus on bringing cellular therapies in regenerative medicine to the clinic. Recent areas of investigation in CT2, which are funded by the Marcus Foundation, include the use of autologous cord blood in children with neonatal brain injury, cerebral palsy, and autism, as well as preclinical and clinical studies manufacturing microglial oligodendrocyte-like cells from cord blood to treat patients with acquired and genetic brain diseases. Studies of donor cord blood cells and donor cord tissue MSCs in adults with stroke and children with cerebral palsy and autism are also underway. In 2018, Dr. Kurtzberg established and became director of the Marcus Center for Cellular Cures (MC3) at Duke. 
     
    Dr. Kurtzberg established one of the largest unrelated donor cord blood banks, the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank, in the world at Duke in 1998.  The bank has a current inventory of >40,000 units and has provided cord blood units to over 2,500 patients undergoing unrelated donor HSCT over the past 20 years. Dr. Kurtzberg’s lab has developed novel assays enumerating ALDH bright cells to predict cord blood potency from segments attached to cryopreserved cord blood units, and is performing translational research testing cord blood expansion, cellular targeted therapies and tissue repair and regeneration. In 2012, under the direction of Dr. Kurtzberg, the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank received FDA approval for DuCord, a stem cell product derived from umbilical cord blood, for use in transplants between unrelated donors and recipients. Dr. Kurtzberg currently holds several INDs for investigational clinical trials. Additionally, she is the co-director of the Duke Hospital Stem Cell Transplant Laboratory. 

    Dr. Kurtzberg has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers, multiple chapters and scientific reviews.  She is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Association of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, the International Society of Cellular Therapies, the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium (PBMTC), and multiple other organizations.  She has served on the Board of the Foundation of Accreditation of Cellular Therapies, co-chaired the National Marrow Donor Program’s Cord Blood Advisory Group and has served on the Advisory Council of Blood Stem Cell Transplantation to Health and Human Services.  Dr. Kurtzberg was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the PBMTC in 2012. Most recently, she established and is the first president of the Cord Blood Association.

    ***********************
    Extending Cord Blood to Regenerative Therapies for the Brain
    Joanne Kurtzberg, MD; Director, Marcus Center for Cellular Cures; Director, Carolinas Cord Blood Bank; Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program 
    ​
    Cord blood cells can work through paracrine and trophic mechanisms to help endogenous cells heal brain tissue damaged by disease or injury. Learning from observations made using unrelated donor umbilical cord blood transplantation after myeloablative chemotherapy to treat children with certain inherited metabolic diseases, cord blood therapies have been developed to treat children with acquired brain injuries, like hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, and autism. Results of preclinical and IND enabling studies will be presented to provide information about safety and potential mechanisms of action of cord blood cells in this setting. Data from early phase human clinical trials for safety and efficacy in these diseases will be presented by the speaker in this session.  

    Learning Objectives: 
    1. Attendee will learn the history and evolution of cord blood banking and transplantation.
    2. Attendee will learn about quality measures of cord blood units.
    3. Attendee will learn about new clinical applications for cord blood therapies.

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Frances Verter, PhD

Clinical trials with perinatal cells

  • Frances Verter, PhD
    Founder and Director of the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation
    Frances Verter holds a PhD in astrophysics and worked at NASA Goddard for decades.

    Conference Presentation Topic: ​Clinical trials with perinatal cells

    Prent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation is a 501c3 charity that has been helping parents to learn about and navigate their cord blood options since 1998.  We are the only organization in the world that actively maintains directories of family and public cord blood banks worldwide. Nowadays we also provide education on banking and therapy with cells from the umbilical cord and placenta. Our website www.parentsguidecordblood.org is available in multiple languages. 

    CellTrials.org is a subsidiary of the Foundation that tracks clinical trials worldwide, and provides both free resources as well as databases for sale. Commercial databases from CellTrials.org typically list two dozen parameters per clinical trial, enabling clients to analyze the data however they want. Research by CellTrials.org has enabled the Foundation to offer the world’s only search portals of all clinical trials that are actively recruiting for studies with cord blood or umbilical cord tissue.

    Frances Verter holds a PhD in astrophysics and worked at NASA Goddard for decades. Her interest in stem cell medicine is inspired by her daughter Shai, who died of cancer in 1997.

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Rouzbeh R. Taghizadeh, PhD

Umbilical Cord Tissue Processing Technologies for Perinatal MSC Banking

  • Rouzbeh R. Taghizadeh, PhD
    ​Director, Secretary, and Founder of the Perinatal Stem Cell Society
    Chief Scientific Officer, Auxocell Laboratories, Inc. 

    Conference Presentation Topic: Umbilical Cord Tissue Processing Technologies for Perinatal MSC Banking

    Dr. Rouzbeh R. Taghizadeh has dedicated more than 15 years to bringing stem cell-based therapies to clinical practice. He earned his Ph.D. in Stem Cell Bioengineering in 2006 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and cofounded AuxoCell Laboratories, Inc. as Chief Scientific Officer in 2008. At AuxoCell, Dr. Taghizadeh developed novel methods and technologies most notably, the patented AuxoCell Processing System (AC:Px™), in order to establish the collection, processing, and banking of stem cells from the human umbilical cord for eventual utilization in cell based therapies, regenerative medicine, and other clinical applications. Dr. Taghizadeh has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and patents and is an editor of the 2nd edition of Perinatal Stem Cells.

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Robert Hariri, MD, PhD

Stem cells and longevity: Placental stem cells as platform to correct age-related proteomic defects 

  • Robert J. Hariri, M.D., Ph.D.
    Co-Founder, Vice-Chairman, Human Longevity Inc.
    Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Celularity

    Conference Presentation Topic: Stem cells and longevity: Placental stem cells as platform to correct age-related proteomic defects 
     
    Dr. Hariri a surgeon, biomedical scientist and highly successful serial entrepreneur in two technology sectors: biomedicine and aerospace. The former Chairman, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, one of the world’s largest human cellular therapeutics companies, Dr. Hariri has pioneered the use of stem cells to treat a range of life threatening diseases and has made transformative contributions in the field of tissue engineering. He co-founded Human Longevity, Inc, the world’s largest gene sequencing operation with genomics legend, J. Craig Venter and Xprize founder Peter Diamandis and serves as Vice Chairman.  His activities and experience includes academic neurosurgeon at Cornell, biotechnology executive, military and defense scientist, surgeon, aviator and aerospace innovator. Dr. Hariri has over 150 issued and pending patents, has authored over 100 published chapters, articles and abstracts and is most recognized for his discovery of pluripotent stem cells from the placenta and as a member of the team which discovered TNF (tumor necrosis factor). Dr. Hariri was recipient of the Thomas Alva Edison Award in 2007 and 2011, The Fred J. Epstein Lifetime Achievement Award and has received numerous other honors for his many contributions to biomedicine and aviation. 
     
    Dr. Hariri has also served on numerous Boards of Directors including Bionik Laboratories and Provista Diagnostics.
    Dr. Hariri is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Pathology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a member of the Board of Visitors of the Columbia University School of Engineering & Applied Sciences and the Science & Technology Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and is a member of the scientific advisory board for the Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, which is awarded by the X PRIZE Foundation. Dr. Hariri is also a Trustee of the Liberty Science Center and has been appointed to the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research by Governor Chris Christie. Dr. Hariri received his undergraduate training at Columbia College and Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and was awarded his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Hariri received his surgical training at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center where he also directed the Aitken Neurosurgery Laboratory and the Center for Trauma Research. 

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Neil Riordan, PA, PhD

​A Review of the Perinatal Field and what the Future Holds​.

  • Neil Riordan, PA, PhD
    Founder and chief scientist at the Stem Cell Institute in Panama City, Panama, and co-founder of the Riordan-McKenna Institute in Southlake, Texas.

    Conference Presentation Topic: A Review of the Perinatal Field and what the Future Holds

    Neil Riordan, PA, PhD is one of the early pioneers and experts in applied stem cell research. Dr. Riordan founded publicly traded company Medistem Laboratories (later Medistem Inc.), which was acquired by Intrexon in 2013. He is founder and chief scientist at the Stem Cell Institute in Panama City, Panama, and founder of the Riordan Medical Institute and Signature Biologics in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  

    Dr. Riordan has published more than 70 scientific articles in international peer-reviewed journals. In the stem cell arena, his colleagues and he have published more than 20 articles on multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, autism, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome.
    ​
    In addition to his scientific journal publications, Dr. Riordan has authored two books about mesenchymal stem cell therapy: Stem Cell Therapy: A Rising Tide: How Stem Cells Are Disrupting Medicine and Transforming Lives and MSC (Mesenchymal Stem Cells): Clinical Evidence Leading Medicine’s Next Frontier. Dr. Riordan has also written two scientific book chapters on the use of non-controversial stem cells from placenta and umbilical cord.

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James L. Sherley, MD, PhD

Continued Development of a First Technology for Specific and Accurate Counting of Perinatal and Postnatal Tissue Stem Cells 

  • James L. Sherley, MD, PhD
    Founder and director of Massachusetts stem cell biotechnology company Asymmetrex, LLC 

    Conference Presentation Topic: Putting Clothes on the Emperor: A First Technology for Specific Counting of Adult Tissue Stem Cells

    Asymmetrex develops and markets technologies for advancing stem cell medicine, including the first-in-kind technology for specific counting of adult tissue stem cells.  This technology is also applied to design optimized procedures for more effective manufacturing of therapeutic adult tissue stem cells at greatly reduced cost.  Dr. Sherley is a graduate of Harvard College, with a B.A. degree in biology, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, earning joint M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.  Prior to founding Asymmetrex, he held academic research appointments at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston Biomedical Research Institute.  Dr. Sherley’s professional awards include Pew Biomedical Research Scholar, Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Aging Research, and NIH Director’s Pioneer Award.

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Martin Muller, MD

Endogenous and exogenous stem cells in peripartal neuroprotection

  • Martin Muller, MD
    Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University School of Medicine and Senior Consultant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Bern, Switzerland

    Conference Presentation Topic: ​Endogenous and exogenous stem cells in peripartal neuroprotection

    Dr. Mueller received his MD 2002 in Germany and Poland. He completed his board Certificate for Gynecology and Obstetrics in Germany 2007 and his subspeciality for Feto-Maternal in Switzerland 2013. After his postdoctorial Fellowship at Yale University he received his Venia Docendi – Privatdozent at the University of Bern, Switzerland in 2016. He is faculty member and Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University School of Medicine and Senior Consultant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Bern, Switzerland since 2015. His research focuses on pregnancy derived products for treatment of perinatal brain injuries which was his PhD Thesis at the Maastricht University, The Netherlands in 2017.

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Arnold Caplan, PhD

MSCs are not stem cells!

  • Arnold I. Caplan, PhD
    Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; Director, Skeletal Research Center; Professor, Departments of Biology (Primary Appointment); General Medical Sciences (Oncology);  Pathology and Biomedical Engineering (Secondary Appointments)

    Conference Presentation Topic: MSCs are not stem cells

    Arnold I. Caplan, Professor of Biology and Director of the Skeletal Research Center at Case Western Reserve University.  He received his Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  Dr. Caplan is a national and international scholar focusing on experimentation in the area of musculoskeletal and skin development.  He has published over 400 papers and manuscripts and has long been supported by the NIH and other non-profit and for-profit agencies for his efforts in trying to understand the development, maturation and aging of cartilage, bone, skin and other mesenchymal tissues and for his pioneering research on Mesenchymal Stem Cells. 

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Charles Cox, Jr. MD

Umbilical Cord Tissue for Craniofacial Surgical Repair

  • Dr. Charles S. Cox, Jr., is the George and Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in Neurosciences and directs the Pediatric Surgical Translational Laboratories and Pediatric Program in Regenerative Medicine at the UTHealth Medical School. He directs the Pediatric Trauma Program at the UTHealth Medical School/Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

    Conference Presentation Topic:  Umbilical Cord Tissue for Craniofacial Surgical Repair
    A Texas native, Dr. Cox received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in the Plan II Liberal Arts Honors Program. Upon graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch, he completed his Surgery residency at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Further post-graduate fellowships were completed in Pediatric Surgery at the University of Michigan, an NIH T32 sponsored clinical and research fellowship in cardiopulmonary support/circulatory support devices/bio-hybrid organs at the Shriner’s Burns Institute, and Surgical Critical Care/Trauma at UTHealth Medical School. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery in Surgery, with added qualifications in Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.

    The Pediatric Translational Laboratories and Pediatric Program in Regenerative Medicine is a multi-disciplinary effort that addresses problems that originate with traumatic injury and the consequences of resuscitation and critical care. The Program focuses on progenitor cell based therapy (stem cells) for traumatic brain injury, and related neurological injuries (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, stroke, spinal cord injury), recently completing the first acute, autologous cell therapy treatment Phase I study for traumatic brain injury in children.
    ​
    The program also develops novel bio-hybrid organs using cell-based and tissue engineering approaches to trauma and injury related problems. These efforts have recently resulted in two IND based cell therapeutic studies, and three patents in the past two years. The program is funded through the National Institutes of Health, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Industry Collaboration, and philanthropic contributions.
    Dr. Cox has served on scientific study sections/review groups for the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, Veterans Affairs MERIT Awards, Department of Defense, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, as well as National Research Programs in Canada, Singapore, and the Czech Republic. He is the author of over 100 scientific publications, 20 book chapters, and is the editor of a text in press entitled, Progenitor Cell Therapy for Neurological Injury.

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Robert G. Frykberg, DPM, MPH​

Applications of stem cells for lower extremity wounds 

  • Robert G. Frykberg, DPM, MPH 
    Chief of the Podiatry section and Podiatric Residency Director at the Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, and is an Adjunct Professor, Midwestern University Program in Podiatric Medicine and Professor, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.
    He is the former Chair of the Foot Care Council of the American Diabetes Association and a Past President of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. He was the 2011 recipient of the prestigious Roger Pecoraro Award from the Foot Care Council of the American Diabetes Association.

    Conference Presentation Topic: Applications of stem cells for lower extremity wounds

    Robert G Frykberg, DPM, MPH, received his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from the California College of Podiatric Medicine in 1976 prior to completing his residency in podiatric surgery at the New England Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston in 1978. In 1994 he received his Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health with a concentration in quantitative methods. He was an attending physician at the Deaconess Hospital for 21 years prior to accepting a position as the Dean for Clinical Affairs in the College of Podiatric Medicine at Des Moines University in 1999. Dr Frykberg currently holds the position of Chief of the Podiatry section and Podiatric Residency Director at the Carl T Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona and is an Adjunct Professor, Midwestern University Program in Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Frykberg's practice is devoted primarily to patients with high-risk foot problems. His research and writing interests are in diabetic foot ulcers and disorders, venous leg ulcers, and the Charcot foot. He has written numerous peer-reviewed articles and text chapters and has edited several textbooks on diabetic foot disorders. He is the former Chair of the Foot Care Council of the American Diabetes Association and a Past President of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

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Gocha Shatirishvili, MD

Outcomes of clinical trials with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) 2011-2016 

  • Gocha Shatirishvili, MD
    Medical Director of family Cord Blood Bank Geocord, Tbilisi, Georgia and Chief Scientific Officer of Department for Cell Technologies and Therapy at Cancer Research Center, Tbilisi.

    Conference Presentation Topic: Outcomes of clinical trials with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) 2011-2016 

    Dr. Shatirishvili has earned his doctoral degree (Doktor der Medizin) at the Medical University Lubeck (Germany). In 2006 under his leadership in Georgia was founded the private cord blood bank Geocord. 

    Since 2000 his research interests were focused on stem cell research and therapy. His 17 years long experience includes cord blood banking, cell therapy with autologous bone marrow stem cells (spinal cord injury, liver cirrhosis, heart failure) and  cord blood stem cells (ongoing study on autism), immunotherapy with lymphokine activated NK cells and  DC vaccine against cancer. His research field includes hematopoietic stem cell expansion (including cord blood), MSC expansion (from Wharton’s jelly and bone marrow). His area of interests for many years was rare and orphan diseases. Dr. Shatirishvili has created program of Rare Disorders for The Ministry of Health of Georgia, he also worked for Georgian Rare Diseases Office and was a Board member and expert of Alström Syndrome International (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, USA).
    ​
    Dr. Gocha Shatirishvili is a member of Georgian National Committee on Transplantation, and Committee on Bioethics at State Medical University Tbilisi. He is a member of Cord Blood Association (Government and Global Affairs Committee, Geneva, IL, USA). He actively cooperates with Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation. 

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Giampiero La Rocca, PhD

Wharton's Jelly stromal cells secretome

  • Giampiero La Rocca, PhD
    Head of the section of “Stem Cells and Tissue Repair” at the Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST)

    Conference Presentation Topic:     Wharton's Jelly stromal cells secretome​

    Dr Giampiero La Rocca has obtained the Masters Degree in Biological Sciences from University of Palermo in 2000 and got the PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology in 2005. In 2004 he was appointed as lecturer of Human Anatomy at the University of Palermo, where he is now Aggregate Professor of Histology and Embryology at the School of Medicine. He is also Head of the section of “Stem Cells and Tissue Repair” at the Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST). Since 2010, he is a member of the Scientific Board of Auxocell Laboratories, Inc. He is member of the International Placenta Stem Cell Society (IPLASS) and founding member of the Perinatal Stem Cells Society and Editorial Board member in “Cell Transplantation” and other peer-reviewed international journals. He has published more than 100 scientific works including in extenso papers, abstracts and book chapters. He was Guest Editor of multiple special issues of international journals focusing on mesenchymal stromal cells of perinatal origin since 2011.

    His current interests are focused on the definition of the in vivo features of stromal cells of the umbilical cord matrix (Wharton’s jelly), and their immunomodulatory properties both in the undifferentiated and fully-differentiated states. In particular, for the definition of new molecules as determinants for the hypoimmunogenicity of these cells in vitro and in vivo. Cells derived from his lab are currently used in preclinical models of pancreatic diseases at the UTMB Galveston, TX, and other collaborations are en-route with major international research centers for the use of the cells in models of liver diseases, applications in CNS pathologies such as stroke and TBI, as well as support to cord blood hematopoietic expansion.

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Sean Murphy, PhD

Amnion Membrane-Derived Cells and Materials for Skin Wound Treatment

  • Sean Murphy, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
    Director/Secretary and Co-founder of the Perinatal Stem Cell Society

    Conference Presentation Topic: Amnion Membrane-Derived Cells and Materials for Skin Wound Treatment

    Dr. Sean V. Murphy received his Bachelors degree from the University of Western Australia and his Ph.D. from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Regenerative Medicine at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina, USA. His research focuses on developing regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies to establish and improve clinical treatments for lung disease. These strategies include cell therapies to restore normal function to lung tissue and minimize inflammation and scarring associated with disease, use of 3D bioprinting to fabricate new airway tissues for transplantation, and lung-on-a-chip technologies for disease modeling and drug discovery. Dr. Murphy is currently the Associate Editor of the journal Bioprinting, on the Editorial Board of multiple journals, including Stem Cells Translational Medicine and is Director, Secretary and Founder of the Perinatal Stem Cell Society. Dr. Murphy has published over 30 peer reviewed journal articles, multiple book chapters and reviews, and numerous awards and fellowships, most notably from the American Lung Association Senior Research Training and the American Australian Association.

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Racheli Ofir, Ph.D., MA. Law

Human Placental-Derived Adherent Stromal Cells Co-Induced with TNF-α and IFN-γ Inhibit Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Nude Mouse Xenograft Models

  • Racheli Ofir, Ph.D., MA. Law
    VP Research & Intellectual Property, Pluristem Therapeutics Inc.

    Conference Presentation Topic:  Human Placental-Derived Adherent Stromal Cells Co-Induced with TNF-α and IFN-γ Inhibit Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Nude Mouse Xenograft Models​

    Racheli Ofir Joined Pluristem in 2007, serves as Vice President of research and intellectual property. The Research Department examines the various cells developed by the company, the properties of those cells and their mechanisms of action by using molecular methods and animal models to test the safety and efficacy. The IP department is responsible for intellectual property strategy development as well as the research that supports the IP. 

    Dr. Ofir is responsible for leading projects involving the characterization of PLX cells, Pluristem's leading placenta derived cell product candidate, including evaluating the biological activity of the cells in in-vitro and animal studies. 

    She is responsible for the studies which determines the safety profile and pharmacokinetics of PLX cells. In addition, she is in charge of all pre-clinical aspects of the PLX regulatory process and for the communications with the relevant regulatory authorities (FDA, EMA and PEI). Dr. Ofir is also responsible for applying and prosecuting over ten patent families filed worldwide, a co-inventor on five patent applications and the co-author of numerous peer reviewed articles. 

    Dr. Ofir earned her Ph.D. from the Technion, Israel institute of technology, where she investigated Telomeric position effects on gene expression and DNA replication in Human cells. She did her postdoctoral fellowship at the Technion in molecular embryology investigating genes involved in early development of vertebrates' nervous system. Dr. Ofir has extensive research experience in molecular cell biology, embryology and cytogenetics as well as broad professional experience in the field of human cell therapy. 

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Dr.Riam Shammaa, MD.CCFP(SEM)

Dr. Riam Shammaa is an expert in musculoskeletal and regenerative medicine

  • Dr.Riam Shammaa, MD.CCFP(SEM)
    Lead scientist at the National Institute for Stem cell Research. Dr. Shammaa is a pioneer in autologous and allogeneic stem cell treatments. 

    Dr. Riam Shammaa is an expert in musculoskeletal and regenerative medicine and lectures at the University of Toronto on Musculoskeletal diseases. He is an expert in pain medicine and serves as the Medical Director of Regenerative and Translational Medicine at the Canadian Centres for Regenerative Therapy. He is also the lead scientist at the National Institute for Stem cell Research. Dr. Shammaa is a pioneer in autologous and allogeneic stem cell treatments. He conducted the first spinal discs repair using stem cells in Canada. He has lent his expertise to the National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Marlies, Toronto FC, Mississauga Steelheads, Ryerson Rams,and Ontario Women’s Hockey Association. He was also appointed as lead physician at the 2015 Pan Am games and currently serves as the lead physician for Boxing Ontario. Dr. Shammaa worked in research at McGill University and in the private sector before completing his residency in family medicine at McGill University. He went on to complete a fellowship in Sports medicine at the University of Toronto. He is a national expert on regenerative medicine and had given several lectures across Canada on stem cells, Translational medicine and regenerative medicine.

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Barbara Krutchkoff, PhD FAARM 

Barbara Krutchkoff, PhD is a consultant for physicians and biomedical start-up companies

  • Executive Director, Institute of Regenerative and Cellular Medicine
    CEO of A3Cell/consultancy
    Professor Universite Paris Descartes
    ​
    Barbara Krutchkoff, PhD is a consultant for physicians and biomedical start-up companies in regenerative and cellular medicine. She is Executive Director of the Institute of Regenerative and Cellular Medicine, and Co-Chair of the IRCM IRB, which provides support for translational research and validation of regenerative therapies. Her A3Cell consultancy helps practitioners and biotech entrepreneurs navigate the regulatory pathway, as well as design and manage clinical studies. Barbara has worked tirelessly throughout her 25+ year career to engage with university and industry leaders and help to bring regenerative medicine safely to patients. Her diverse educational background includes physics and computer science at the University of Florida, biomedical engineering graduate studies at Virginia Tech, a PhD in behavioral psychology, a Doctorate in integrative medicine, Stem Cell Fellowships at A4M and UCLA. She is a board-certified Diplomat and Fellow of the AABRM. She is an adjunct professor at the Universite Paris Descartes, and Chair of the IRCM/Regenerative Outcomes committee for the NIH orthopedic registry. 

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Doug Oliver, MSW

Doug is a writer, editorial contributor, and patient advocate

  • Doug Oliver, MSW
    Founder-Chair Regenerative Outcomes Foundation Nashville, TN

    Doug is a writer, editorial contributor, and patient advocate from Nashville, Tennessee. He holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of New England and has specialized in work on health care policy, compliance, and clinical case advocacy.

    He is also a stem cell patient. At age 32, he was diagnosed with macular degeneration, a disease that attacks the retina, causing blindness of central vision. Doug became legally blind at age 45. In August 2015, he underwent autologous bone-marrow stem cell therapy to both eyes, and regained much of his lost vision. He received his driver’s license 5 months later. Doug’s story has reached millions through international broadcasts, interviews with the national press, and countless affiliate television and news media outlets. The news of his story has been featured by People Magazine, Forbes, Fox News, and has also been shared with Pope Francis.

    In early 2016, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander and Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., engaged Doug in helping to craft key legislation aimed at speeding access for others to have cellular therapies like he received. He was invited to Washington, D.C. to hold meetings with key U.S. Senators and Representatives from both sides of the aisle, and due in part to his successful efforts, the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act passed and was signed into law.

    Doug has continued to expand his work beyond Capitol Hill. He has contributed to publications such as The Hill, The Tennessean, and in September 2016, he established the Regenerative Outcomes Foundation, a non-profit project that will provide direct grants to stem cell patients participating in FDA-approved clinical trials, train patients as ambassadors between interests represented in the Regenerative Medicine field, inspire the public with a Pioneers of Hope Interview Series, educate and guide providers seeking to sponsor clinical trials, advance a national cell registry, and conduct collaborative patient outcomes research with both private and non-private  parties, and help advance a national cell therapy outcomes registry.

    His current policy work has broadened further, being recently appointed by Senator Alexander to the Foundation of State Medical Boards’ stem cell policy and ethics workgroup, undertaking academic efforts in informed consent, patient engagement, and a framework for stem cell counseling.

    Doug’s experience inspired hope, including his own, for all cell-therapy patients who need access to safe and effective cell therapy and technology.

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​Joseph Krieger

Joseph Krieger is the President of Boston BioLife.

  • Joseph Krieger
    Joseph Krieger is the President of Boston BioLife

    Joseph Krieger is the President of Boston BioLife.  Boston BioLife's mission is to bridge the gap between science and medicine - The progression of translational medicine through accredited training and education with the ultimate goal of advancing patient care and positive outcomes.

    Translational medicine (often referred to as translational science) is defined by the European Society for Translational Medicine (EUSTM) as an interdisciplinary branch of the biomedical field supported by three main pillars: benchside, bedside and community. The goal of TM is to combine disciplines, resources, expertise, and techniques within these pillars to promote enhancements in prevention, diagnosis, and therapies. Accordingly, translational medicine is a highly interdisciplinary field, the primary goal of which is to coalesce assets of various natures within the individual pillars in order to improve the global healthcare system significantly.

    Having been involved in the healthcare and Life Sciences industry for over 25 years, Boston BioLife's (BBL) management team believes that there are amazing life-altering technologies currently being developed that will greatly benefit from the various introductory resources that we offer. The accredited training and educational courses that Boston BioLife provides offers an environment that creates an awareness and provides support for cutting edge technologies. Boston BioLife's focus is to facilitate the integration of various technologies and innovative science into everyday medical practice through accredited hands-on training and education.