Scientific and practical medical conference «Possibilities of using postnatal stem cells in oncology and oncohematology»

02.03.2018

On March 1, 2018, Infertility treatment and Reproductive genetics clinic iVF Riga in cooperation with Stem Cell Centre iVF Riga and with support from the partners (SIA Merck and SIA BENU) hold the scientific and practical medical conference «Possibilities of using postnatal stem cells in oncology and oncohematology». Venue of the conference was Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel (Elizabetes 55, Riga).

The target audience of this conference was oncologists, oncohematologists, doctors of various specializations, biotechnologists, laboratory specialists interested in cell therapy possibilities and learning this subject.

A spotlight of the conference was the lecture of Dr. Arnon Nagler, M.D., M.Sc., Chair ALWP of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), Co-chair Scientific Council of the EBMT, Hematology Division, BMT and CBB Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. During the lecture “Cord Blood Transplantation for Hematological Malignancies focusing on acute Leukemia” Professor Arnon Nagler told about the specificity of umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation, about the use of umbilical cord blood for oncohematological diseases. Professor Nagler also highlighted the situation in the world in the field of transplantology of hematopoetic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), compared results of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from different sources in oncohematology.

Alexandra A. Aizenshtadt, PhD, continued the topic of stem cell transplantation. She spoke about mesenchymal stromal cells possibilities and mechanism of action for the treatment of acute Graft-Versus-host Disease (GVHD).

Dace Berzina, Molecular Geneticist of iVF Riga Clinic acquainted participants with the possibilities and practical application of genetic analysis HLA-typing in oncohematologists’ practice, also reported on new diagnostic methods for an accurate HLA-typing and about the other fields of medicine where the doctors can apply this analysis.

Dr. Violeta Fodina, head of iVF Riga clinic, presented our Stem Cell Centre, told audience about its importance for Latvia, possibilities and prospects of development including the isolation of mesenchymal stromal cells from the umbilical cord and fat and creation of GMP facilities for working with mesenchymal stromal cells. 

After the conference, oncologists, oncohematologists, immunologists visited the Stem cell Centre iVF Riga with the excursion. Also, as a part of an excursion, our Stem cell Centre specialists and the doctors had a discussion dedicated to the prospects of cord blood stem cell application in Latvia.

It should be noted that HSCT in oncology and oncohematology has been used for more than 60 years and is currently considered as the standard method of treatmentTransplantation of UCB has 30 experience and over 30 thousand hematopoetic stem cell transplantation have been carried out in the world.

In general, it should be emphasized that all participants and guests appreciated the importance of such events for the development of cellular technologies in Latvia.