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Development of a Stem Cell Tool Box (EuroSTELLS)


EuroSTELLS aimed at gaining fundamental knowledge on stem cell biology. It is a very good example of interconnection and interdependency between the various synergistic and strategic ESF instruments: EUROCORES, RNP REMEDIC, SPBs “Human Stem Cell Research: scientific uncertainties and ethical dilemmas” published in 2001 and 2002  and future SPB on “Human Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine” to be published in October 2009.
EuroSTELLS has provided financial support for the International Society for Stem Cell Research Task Force to prepare their Guidelines for the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells. These have recently provided the basis to the draft National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research, thus showing the international impact ESF activities can have in medical and scientific fields.

 

EuroSTELLS final report published

EuroSTELLS was one of the first two EUROCORES programmes to be launched by the European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) in 2005, recognising a need for basic stem cell research in Europe. EuroSTELLS was aimed at generating fundamental knowledge on stem cell biology by setting up the bases for comparative analyses of stem cells of different origins and future clinical applications. Download the report (PDF)

ISSCR Guidelines for the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells Published

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is an independent, non-profit organisation to foster the exchange of information on stem cell research. Recognising the lack of clear reference materials to assist patients and patient advocacy groups in navigating the landscape of stem-cell based therapies, the ISSCR brought together a diverse, international task force of top stem cell researchers, clinicians, bioethicists, and regulatory leaders to draft professional guidelines relating to the clinical translation of stem cell research in 2007. To support them in this commendable effort, the Scientific Committee of EuroSTELLS agreed to financially sponsor the task force, together with the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, The Ellison Medical Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Beta Cell Replacement Advisory Committee. The Guidelines for the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells  have been published and for more information see www.isscr.org/clinical_trans/index.cfm.

EuroSTELLS at ESOF 2008

Credit: istock

'Stem Cells- From Bench to Bedside'          

19 July 2008, Barcelona, Spain

In this session a researcher spoke on the potential therapeutic application of stem cells for regenerating diseased cells, followed by a bioethicist and patients’ organisation representative addressing the significant ethical, legal and societal issues that must also be overcome before the potential of stem cells is realised.

 

 

Scientific Goals of the EuroSTELLS Programme

Twenty-one research groups from eleven European countries participated in the EUROCORES Programme on the Development of a Stem Cell Tool Box (EuroSTELLS).  The EuroSTELLS Programme aimed at generating fundamental knowledge on stem cell biology, setting up the bases for comparative analyses of stem cells of different origins and their clinical application in the future.  The ability to isolate, culture and manipulate stem cells ex vivo is a critical step towards elucidating their biological properties and developing their biotechnological and therapeutic potential. 

Download EuroSTELLS Brochure (pdf)

By promoting and supporting networking, the EuroSTELLS Programme fostered innovative and multidisciplinary collaborations as well as synergy with other national and European stem cell initiatives, and contributed to creating a critical mass of expertise in the stem cell field in Europe. 

Projects

Three Stem Cell Collaborative Projects were funded under this programme:

Projects Leaders

Professor Cesare Galli, Laboratorio di Tecnologie della Reproduzione, Cremona, Italy

Professor Elaine Dzierzak, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Professor Stefan Krauss, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway

Last update 28/04/2009- JMS

Neural rosettes, derived from bovine blastocysts, immunostained for BrdU (red) and phospho-histone H3 (green). From Lazzari et al., Stem Cells, 2006; 24:2514-21.


Neural rosettes, derived from bovine blastocysts, immunostained for BrdU (red) and phospho-histone H3 (green). From Lazzari et al., Stem Cells,
2006; 24:2514-21.

 

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