4th Annual Reproductive, Genetic & Biotechnology Conference

17.10.2018

On October 12, iVF Riga Stem Cell Center held the 4th Annual Reproductive, Genetic & Biotechnology Conference. Specialists from Georgia, Austria, Germany, Spain, Russia and Latvia took part in this conference and told about new products in the field of characterization and application of stem cells.

The conference was attended by over 150 specialists: midwives, gynecologists, geneticists, biotechnologists, oncologists, family doctors, immunologists, etc.

Dr. Violeta Fodina, medical director and leading specialist of iVF Riga clinic, focused the audience’s attention in her speech at the opening ceremony on the development of regenerative medicine in the world; she paid particular attention to the conditions in which it is necessary to work with cells - in the GMP laboratory; she noted the need to develop cellular technologies in Latvia. Dr. Fodina also spoke about the establishment of the Association of Specialists in Cellular Technologies and invited all the conference participants to take part in its work.

At the conference, there was a great opportunity to hear the results of the application of stem cells in the treatment of autism, neurodegenerative and neuroimmunomodulating diseases, as well as for the restoration of bones.

Of great interest was the report of Dr. W.-D. Grimm, PhD, MSc, Senior Professor of Periodontology, Periodontology, Department of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Germany, on the application of stem cells in dentistry. Professor Grimm spoke about the achievements in this area and future potential that still exists in stem cells.

Gocha Shatirishvili, MD, PhD, medical Director of family Cord Blood Bank Geocord and Chief Scientific Officer of Department for Cell Technologies and Therapy at Cancer Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia, in his presentation spoke about the achievements in the treatment of children with autism. It was very interesting for doctors of various specialties to find out what results Georgian colleagues have achieved in treating autism.

Maria Mihailova (PhD, molecular biologist, biotechnologist of iVF Riga Stem Cell Center) emphasized the importance of quality control in the work with stem cells.

The second part of the conference was devoted to genetics and reproduction; experts from the UK, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands and Russia presented the results on the application of the latest technologies in the diagnosis of cancer and the improvement of reproduction.

Andrew Read, PhD, Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK, spoke in detail about the importance of medical genetics, genetic screening and testing capabilities; about the need to strictly determine in which cases it is possible to assess and interpret test results correctly, and in which cases it cannot be done with reliable accuracy.

Karen Temple, PhD, University of Southampton and Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, UK, emphasized in her presentation the role of genetic imprinting for IVF, and described the influence of epigenetic factors on the development of embryos and their ability to be inherited.

The conference participants also had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the equipment of medical institutions and laboratories, products and services provided by such companies as SIA Merck, SIA Hydrox, A/S Origio, SIA Biosan, Gedeon Richter Plc., Vitrolife Sweden AB, SIA GenMedica Baltic, SIA BENU, SIA Interlux, UAB ViaMedPharma.

It should be emphasized that participants and guests noted the high level of organization and holding of the conference, as well as appreciated the importance of such events for the development of the Latvian medicine in Latvia.