The field of regenerative medicine offers the future of treatment alternatives. And the Howell Foundation will present the latest research about it.

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Won't you join us? 

It seems like the 2018 Howell Lecure Series is shaping up to present the role technology is playing for the treatment and cure of severe illnesses.  Just last  February, the Howell Foundation hosted Dr. De Maria, who spoke about the latest technological advances to address heart disease.

Now, for our luncheon in May, we have the honor of hosting Benjamin Shepherd, Ph.D, Director of Therapeutics at Organovo, Inc.  His presentation "Advanced Tissue Therapies - Progress in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine” will address the latest and most innovative developments in using cultured human tissues and 3-D bioprinting for vital organ transplantation.

Organ and tissue damage can go beyond the current available treatments.  The field of regenerative medicine offers new alternatives when discussing a cure for diseases related to genetic predisposition, congenital abnormalities or severe injuries.

Why is the field of regenerative medicine so relevant in today's medicine?  The major discovery has been about harnessing the healing power of our own bodies.  Back in 2014, the Howell Foundation held a panel on the latest research in Parkinson's disease.  The major take away back then was the success of the research efforts being conducted; success that stemmed from the harvesting of the patient's own stem cells to find a cure for this devastating disease. 

The field of regenerative medicine continues to offer THE future of treatment alternatives for chronic and complex diseases.  Imagine a patient with severe heart disease having the hope of a new life without new organ transplant rejection; or the ability, for example, of having a working heart valve bio-engineered from the patient's own tissue cells.  Have you ever wondered about organs bio-printed in a lab? What about effective drug testing in "manufactured" tissue? What other alternative treatments will there be in the near future?

 About the Speaker: 

Dr. Benjamin Shepherd earned his Ph.D. at the University of Arizona where he began his interest in tissue engineering with a focus on the heart. He continued this interest as a postdoctoral fellow and a research scientist at Yale University where he explored creating blood vessels and a skin substitute from stem cells. Dr. Shepherd joined Organovo, Inc. in 2012, where he is now Director of Therapeutics. As such, he is a key player in Organovo’s efforts to develop bioprinted human tissues for drug development and screening, human disease modeling and, ultimately, therapeutic use.  At Organovo, Dr. Shepherd has led successful early-stage research programs in liver biology, oncology and stem cell differentiation within bioprinted tissues. His discussion of this cutting edge medical research promises to be surprising and exciting.

Won't you join us?

Thursday, May 10, 2018
La Jolla Country Club
11:30 - Networking
12:00 Lunch and Presentation.

Register soon!  Seating is almost full.

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About the Doris A. Howell Foundation: 
For the past 23 years, The Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research has been dedicated to keeping to women we love healthy by making a long-term, positive impact on women’s health.  To date, it is the premier organization advancing women’s health.

 The organization does so by funding scholarships to students researching issues affecting women’s health; providing a forum for medical experts, scientists, doctors, and researchers to convey timely information on topics relevant to women’s health, and by funding research initiatives that improve the health of under-served women and increase awareness and advocacy in the community; bringing women's health research to a full cycle.
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Summary & Design prepared by Carolyn Northrup with information from the following sources:

  • https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/tissue-engineering-and-regenerative-medicine
  • https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/tissue-engineering-and-regenerative-medicine
  • www.oganovo.com

Shutterstock image licensed to Carolyn Northrup 


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