ISCI second workshop

A second international human ES cell workshop was held at the Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, from 3rd to 6th August, 2006, for representatives of ISCI participating laboratories and other invited researchers active in the human ES cell field.  The program and participant list are provided as Annex 2.  As for the first Workshop, held in 2005, additional sponsorship was sought from several companies with interests in human ES cell research.  These were, Invitrogen Corp., Serologicals Corp (Chemicon), Applied Biosystems (ABI), Stem Cell Technologies,  R & D Systems and Axordia Ltd.  This year the program focused upon two topics. 

1. Detailed discussions were held of the plans for ISCI2 that have previously been presented to the Forum.  Those plans were approved by the participants and there was general agreement that we should seek to take ISCI2 forward in the way set out in those plans.  Discussions were also initiated with the Industrial representatives about how companies might support the proposed work in ISCI2.

2. The results from ISCI1 were presented and discussed.  These discussions provided the basis for the final analyses of the data that have since been carried out and provide the basis of the final report that has now been submitted for publication.

It was agreed by participants that these workshops provide an invaluable forum for informal discussion between laboratories focusing upon human ES cell research, helping to foster future interactions and collaborations, as well as underpinning the programs of ISCI itself.