DIABETES RESEARCH: FROM CELL BIOLOGY TO CELL THERAPY

City Of Hope/Beckman Research Institute, Duarte CA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Each year, the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at City of Hope National Medical Center holds an annual diabetes symposium entitled, "Advances in Diabetes Research: From Cell Biology to Cell Therapy," in the memory of the late Rachmiel Levine, the scientist responsible for clarifying the nature of insulin action. The 2005 Levine Symposium will provide cutting-edge presentations, review the latest research observations, and provide insight into future research directions in this important field. The program is expected to cover the following topics: genetics of diabetes and obesity, central and peripheral control of body weight, new strategies for the treatment of obesity, glucose toxicity and lipotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation, secondary complications of diabetes, intensive glycemic control in the hospitalized patient, aging and diabetes, pregnancy and childhood diabetes, in vivo and ex vivo islet regeneration and expansion, embryonic and adult stem cell differentiation as a source for islets, gene therapy for diabetes, immune tolerance for islet transplantation, new advances in islet encapsulation, islet transplantation beyond the Edmonton Protocol era, pancreas and kidney transplantation for diabetes, and development of closed loop systems for insulin delivery. In prior years, the Levine Symposium has attracted up to 400 attendees, however due to the positive response from prior symposia, this year's program is expected to attract a larger number of attendees. The 2005 Rachmiel Levine Symposium will be held on November 9-12, 2005 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City, CA. In addition to covering a wide range of diabetes-related topics, the program will also feature oral presentations from young investigators, poster sessions and new panel discussions. A Rachmiel Levine Scientific Achievement award will be made available to the top presenting young investigators to encourage their career growth. The meeting is expected to attract participants from diverse backgrounds, including well established, endocrinologists, diabetologists, islet biologists, stem cell and gene transfer scientists, transplant surgeons, young investigators, and health care professionals who manage patients with diabetes, from both the U.S. and abroad. This application is being submitted to request educational funding for the 2005 Rachmiel Levine Symposium in Diabetes to help support the attendance of a group of young investigators and foster the development of their academic careers. Funds will be used to reduce registration costs for trainees and fellows and to cover the cost of travel and awards given to the top 12 presenting young scientists.