December 15, 2011 (Hollywood, FL) – The Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and Foundation (DRIF) will co-sponsor the 8th annual World Stem Cell Summit, scheduled for Dec. 3 – 5, 2012 at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Pam Beach, Florida. This event will be the largest and most comprehensive interdisciplinary stem cell conference, and will feature more than 170 renowned international speakers conducting in-depth program tracks in science, business and society. Palm Beach is expected to attract more than 1,200 attendees from 25 nations, and more than 200 endorsing organizations and media partners. The event will also be sponsored by the Genetics Policy Institute and the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Dr. Camillo Ricordi, DRI scientific director, stated, “Diabetes currently affects more than 360 million people worldwide and it is predicted that within the next 18 years the toll will pass the 500 million mark. Stem cells are central to ongoing cure-focused strategies at the DRI and at over 30 collaborating centers worldwide that comprise the DRI Federation and the Cure Alliance.
“The World Stem Cell Summit offers researchers and patients invaluable opportunities to learn, network and forge collaborations to reach our collective goals to accelerate therapies and find an ultimate cure for diabetes and other devastating disease conditions now afflicting humankind,” he said.
In the last decade, DRI’s move toward globalization of research collaborations has been at the center of its operations and key to accelerating research toward a cure for diabetes, particularly through the creation of the Diabetes Research Institute Federation. The DRI Federation is a consortium of like-minded scientists representing more than 30 institutions from around the world; it is committed to maximizing efficiencies in diabetes research so as to quicken the pace of progress and speed research for the ultimate benefit of patients. Scientists from numerous DRI Federation sites are working on joint stem cell and regenerative medicine projects with DRI scientists in Miami.
“We cannot work optimally if we are still confined by the barriers of traditional academic research. The DRI Federation is a ‘Manhattan Project’-type initiative, bringing together top researchers in key scientific disciplines who can apply their respective expertise to curing this disease,” adds Ricordi. “These worldwide partnerships use an integrated, translational research approach; our goal is to bring promising findings to patients more quickly than ever before and eradicate diabetes in the shortest possible time.”
Robert A. Pearlman, president and CEO of the DRI Foundation, stated, “The DRI introduced an open-door philosophy because we believe that collaboration will lead us to a diabetes cure even faster. By participating in the World Stem Cell Summit, we can continue to connect with other visionaries and advocates who will help move this important research forward.”
Bernard Siegel, founder of the Summit and executive director of the Genetics Policy Institute, stated, “Stem cell research and regenerative medicine represent the future of medicine. The World Stem Cell Summit unites the global stem cell stakeholders, and we are very proud to stage our 8th annual Summit in the epicenter of global philanthropy, Palm Beach County, Florida.”
Joshua Hare, MD, Director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) at the University of Miami Miller School, adds “The Summit is an extraordinarily prestigious event that will provide ISCI with a powerful platform to showcase our story to the entire world.”
For more information about the Diabetes Research Institute and/or the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, contact Lauren Schreier at 954.964.4040 or lschreier@drif.org.
To learn more about the Summit, visit: www.worldstemcellsummit.com.
About the Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation
The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) is the organization of choice for those who are serious, passionate and committed to curing diabetes. Its mission is to provide the Diabetes Research Institute with the funding necessary to cure diabetes now.
The Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) leads the world in cure-focused research. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to shrink the timeline toward the discovery of a biological cure for this disease. Having already shown that diabetes can be reversed through islet transplantation, the DRI is building upon these promising outcomes by bridging cell-based therapies with emerging technologies. The Diabetes Research Institute was created for one reason – to cure diabetes – which is and will continue to be its singular focus until that goal is reached. For the millions of people affected by diabetes, the DRI is the best hope for a cure. To learn more, visit DiabetesResearch.org or call 1-800-321-3437.
About the Genetics Policy Institute (GPI)
GPI is a 501c3 nonprofit foundation with the mission to promote and defend stem cell research and its application in medicine to develop therapeutics and cures for many otherwise intractable diseases and disorders. GPI pursues this mission through production of its flagship annual World Stem Cell Summit, publication of the World Stem Cell Report, the Stem Cell Action Awards, special projects, speaking engagements, teaching initiatives and strategic collaborations.
Contacts: World Stem Cell Summit, Mara Leventhal, GPI Communications Coordinator, 917-488-2877, Mara@genpol.org