Seminar on Stem Cell and iPSC Research

UTAR Centre for Stem Cell Research (CSCR) and College of Pathologists, Academy of Medicine Malaysia co-organised the 3rd UTAR Seminar on Stem Cell and iPSC Research : Basic & Translational Aspects at UTAR Sungai Long Campus on 2 December 2013.

With emphasis on the basic and translational aspects of stem cell research, including induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC), the seminar attracted participants from both the academia and the industry. There were local and foreign researchers, representatives, staff and others from thirteen (13) institutions which included research institutions among which were the  Institute of Medical Research (IMR) Malaysia, Cancer Research Initiatives Foundation (CARIF), stem cell companies; Cryocord Sdn Bhd & Cytopeutics Sdn Bhd and universities including Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and International Medical University (IMU). 

In his welcome speech at the seminar, the chairperson of the organising committee Prof Dr Choo Kong Bung who is also the chairperson of UTAR CSCR said, "We not only have distinguished speakers from Australia and Singapore and two local senior stem cell scientists to update us on the current trends in stem cell research, we also have the pleasure of having six young scientists to be our speakers to present their recent works." He added that the 3-session seminar would serve as a useful platform for active engagement with participants from different institutions and the training of research students in the art of effective presentations. Prof Dr Shelly Soo from the UTAR Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences was the master of ceremony at the seminar. 

Prof Dr John Sasko AO addressing the participants while Prof Dr Choo (left) looks on.

The seminar commenced with a keynote lecture by Prof Dr John Sasko AO who is an Australian pioneer in the application of adult stem cells and genetic therapy. He is also heading the Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program at the Centenary Institute in the University of Sydney, Australia. His topic was on the hidden layers of gene expression control with focus on microRNAs; the mechanisms and the therapeutic strategies in the control of cell mutations. The next presentation was by Dr Thamil Selvee Ramasamy, Imperial College London, UK & UM, Malaysia on her research finding about 'Multiple signaling pathways regulating definitive endoderm differentiation from human embryonic stem cells.'

A highlight in the second session was the presentation by the invited speaker; Prof Dr Seow Heng Fong from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia on the relevancy of tumorshperes as in vitro models for studying chemo-resistance of cancer stem cells with references to the Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) Theory). Showcasing their current findings in stem cell research were the presentations in the same session by post graduate researchers; Teoh Hoon Koon, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), National Cancer Council, Malaysia & Universiti Putra Malaysia on 'Inhibition of U266 cell growth by human mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated siRNA silencing of interleukin-6', Dr Tan Sik-Loo, UM, Malaysia on 'Growth differentiation factor 5-induced human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells (hMSCs): an imaging analysis via confocal laser scanning microscopy and atomic force microscopy' and K. Shri Hymavathee from UTAR CSCR on 'Oxidative stress-induced pre - mature senescence in Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells.'

Prof Dr Seow Heng Fong listening to a question posed by Prof Dr Shelly Soo

Of equal interest in the final session were the talks on adipose (fat deposits) tissues as potential sources for metabolic re-programming by Assistant Prof Shikegi Sugii from Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Singapore and the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore and the targeting cancer cells with genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells by Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng who is UTAR's Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The other two presentations were 'In vitro expansion of hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) without stable genetic modification' by Dr Fazlina Nordin, King's College London, UK & UKMMC, Malaysia and 'An investigation to determine the chondrogenic differentiation potential of bone marrow and peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells in vitro' by Dr Chong Pan Pan, UM, Malaysia.

Assistant Prof Shikegi Sugii answering a question from Prof Dr Seow Heng Fong

Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng presenting his topic to the participants

The question and answer session after each presentation saw a lively interaction between the presenter and the participants. The seminar concluded with the presentation of tokens of appreciation to the four invited speakers and six researchers.

In his closing address, Prof Dr Choo said that the seminar has grown relatively bigger with the addition of young researchers and expressed his appreciation to all the invited speakers, advisors, participants, the organising committee and the sponsors (Bio Diagnostics, Cryocord Sdn Bhd, Matrioux Science, Research Instruments and Team Medical and Science) for making the seminar a success.

The panel of speakers at the seminar. From left; Prof Dr Shelly Soo (Organising Committee), Prof Dr Choo Kong Bung (Chairperson, Organising Committee), Dr Tan Sik Loo, Dr Thamil S Ramasamy, Assistant Prof Dr Shikegi Sugii, Prof Dr Seow Heng Fong, Prof Dr John Rasko AO, Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng, Dr Fazlina Nordin, K Shri Hyamavathee, Teoh Hoon Koon and Dr Chong Pan Pan

 

Some of the foreign postgraduate researchers who attended the seminar. From left; Dr He Pei Yuan (China), Dr Srijaya T C (India), Raed Hamzah Mohammed (Iraq) and Zaid Ibraheem (Iraq)