HELPING THE BODY HEAL ITSELF: REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE TO BE DISCUSSED AT UH
Professor Dame Julia Polak to Present Seminar on Tissue Engineering
Professor Dame Julia Polak, a pioneer in stem cell research and
regenerative medicine, will speak at the University of Houston at
4:15 p.m., Tuesday, March 8. The event is open to the public.
In a seminar on “Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine,”
Polak will discuss the promise this type of research holds to treat
diseases that include diabetes, arthritis, coronary artery disease,
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. In addition to providing
hope for those afflicted with these types of ailments, tissue engineering
is already helping athletes who suffer from various sports injuries.
Polak’s visit is sponsored by the Texas/United Kingdom Collaborative
Research Initiative, a program supported by the British government
with the aim of stimulating interactions between researchers from
participating Texas institutions and universities in the UK.
“The discovery that stem cells can be manipulated to form
virtually any cell type or tissue is providing the basis for cell
replacement and engineered tissues,” Polak said. “These
may ultimately play a large role in treating widespread and devastating
diseases. Various types of stem cells are being investigated for
their potential….to help the body heal itself.”
Herself a recipient of a heart and lung transplant a decade ago,
Polak will discuss how biology, materials science and biomedical
engineering have come together in this new field directed toward
long-term repair and replacement of failing human tissues and organs.
One of the most highly cited researchers in the world, she is ranked
in the top 10 of the World’s Most Prolific Scientists. Joining
Imperial College London in 1992, Polak is the director of the Tissue
Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Centre based in Chelsea and
Westminster Hospital.
Polak’s visit is co-hosted by the Houston chapter of Sigma
Xi, the UH College of Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmacological
& Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sigma Xi is the national research
honor society of scientists and engineers that recognizes scientific
achievement and is dedicated to advancing these fields with its
mission to enhance the health of the research enterprise, foster
integrity in science and promote the public’s understanding
of science for the purpose of improving the human condition. The
College of Pharmacy offers a Pharm. D. degree, a master’s
in pharmacy administration, a Ph.D. in pharmaceutics or pharmacology
and combined Pharm.D./Ph.D. degrees, with facilities both on the
UH campus and in the Texas Medical Center.
WHO: |
Dame Julia Polak
Director, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Centre
Imperial College London / Chelsea and Westminster Hospital |
WHAT: |
“Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine”
Seminar |
WHEN: |
4:15 to 5:15 p.m. (reception to follow)
Tuesday, March 8 |
WHERE: |
University of Houston
Science & Research 2 Building, Room 130
Entrance 14 off Cullen Boulevard http://www.uh.edu/campus_map/buildings/SR2.html |
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