September 15, 2017 (Houston, TX) -- Texas Heart Institute kicked off the first day of its International Symposium on Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine with a keynote address from Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt, followed by an overview of the state of cardiovascular medicine and research by THI President Emeritus James T. Willerson, MD. The symposium covers the current landscape and development of clinical regenerative medicine, drawing on the expertise and experiences from leaders in the field both nationally and internationally.
"The State of Texas recognizes the need to support the power and potential of regenerative medicine and its ability to improve the quality of life for patients everywhere," said Paul Bettencourt, Texas State Senator. "The physicians and researchers in this room play a major role in bringing adult stem cell therapies to patients and we are proud to support their important work."
Unlike areas with known evidence-based knowledge, the field of clinical stem cell therapy is a nascent field in which most of the competence and performance issues are unestablished. The symposium creates an opportunity to share new findings and discuss and debate the state of the field, in order to direct further development and build the framework for clinical implementation.
"Texas Heart Institute has been a leader in cardiovascular stem cell research and discovery, pioneering a number of the earliest studies in this space," said Emerson Perin, MD, Director of Texas Heart Institute's Stem Cell Center and co-director of the symposium. "But there is still a lot of work to be done to more fully understand the possibilities and limits of the field. We're proud to host colleagues from across the globe to discuss the trends, challenges and opportunities we can collectively tackle to bring these life-changing studies to patients worldwide."
The two-day symposium includes advanced lectures and dynamic case presentations from leaders in various areas impacting regenerative medicine study, including regulatory, unresolved issues, and new concepts and applications. It is co-chaired by Emerson Perin, MD, Director of THI's Stem Cell Center and Doris Taylor, PhD, Director of THI's Regenerative Medicine Research Labs.
"The mission at Texas Heart Institute is to reduce the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative programs in research, education and improved patient care," said James T. Willerson, MD, President Emeritus at Texas Heart Institute. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to furthering the world's understanding of regenerative medicine and how it can be used to innovate treatment options for patients today. Symposiums such as this are critical to fulfilling our mission."
