News Release

Stem Cells journal awards human cord-blood research

Dr. Cinzia Rota wins annual young investigator award at International Stem Cell Symposium

Grant and Award Announcement

Wiley

Durham, NC & Seoul, Korea, November 2010 - The journal Stem Cells has announced Dr. Cinzia Rota as the winner of the annual Stem Cells Young Investigator Award. Co-sponsored by the International Stem Cell Symposium, the $10,000 prize is annually given to a young scientist who is the principal author of a research paper published in Stem Cells and judged to be most important by the Journal editors.

Dr. Rota, from the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Bergamo, Italy, was awarded the prize for her paper entitled 'Life-Sparing Effect of Human Cord Blood-Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Experimental Acute Kidney Injury.'

"The translation of pre-clinical results into therapies will be an important aspect of stem cell research over the next ten years" said Rota. "Students entering this field should know that it is fascinating, with the opportunity to produce results that can potentially be translated in clinical practice, providing hope in areas where traditional medicine does not offer therapeutic opportunities."

Dr. Rota's award winning paper investigated the potential of human cord blood to cure acute kidney injury. The research revealed the potential for of human cord-blood stem cells as a future cell therapy.

"I think that one of the most important things for the public to understand is the different characteristics and regenerative potentials of human embryonic and adult stem cells; that these cells are not interchangeable, and that one or the other may be better for certain clinical applications," said Rota. "Therefore, detailed studies on ESCs, iPS cells, and adult stem cell are all necessary to provide for future cell therapy applications."

The award was announced at the annual International Stem Cell Symposium, hosted at the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul.

"Stem cell science is one of the most attractive fields for those who are interested in fundamental basic science as well as its clinical application. Ambitious young scientists are absolutely welcome in this exciting field," said Professor Il-Hoan Oh, Director of The Catholic University of Korea's Cell & Gene Therapy Institute and chair of the Symposium's organizing committee. "We need to remember that ultimately we are working to advance stem cell science to help people and our society."

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