French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss once said: “the scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he’s one who asks the right questions.” That’s how science progresses, a never-ending series of questions to make sure that what you think is right, is right.

That’s why there are so many scientific conferences. They bring together some of the finest scientific minds of the day in any particular field to pose tough questions, and to question the answers. That’s particularly important in a relatively young field such as stem cell research. We have come a long way in a short time in improving our understanding of how stem cells work but clearly we still have a long way to go to fully understand how to harness those cells and use them to repair damage and restore health.

That’s why the stem cell agency is teaming up with the World Alliance Forum to hold a conference entitled “Future of Stem Cells” on November 15 in San Francisco. The event brings together two Nobel Prize winners (Dr. Shinya Yamanaka and Dr. Paul Berg) and some of the sharpest minds from academia and industry to explore the most pressing questions in stem cell research today.

The forum will discuss the most promising advances in stem cell technology as well as the challenges that need to be overcome before that promise can be turned into practical applications. It also features some biotech industry leaders that are working hard to turn theory into practice, such as Cellular Dynamics International (which is a key partner in our iPS Cell Bank initiative) as well as CIRM-funded iPierian and StemCells Inc.

Autodesk, Inc. – a 3D printing and design company based in Mill Valley – will also participate, highlighting a fascinating intersection of regenerative medicine and another industry. And because regenerative medicine will almost certainly change the face of medicine as we know it today another hot topic at the conference will be the societal impact of stem cell technology.

UC Davis stem cell researcher and blogger Dr. Paul Knoepfler calls the conference a “once in a lifetime kind of event.”

You can see a full list of speakers, topics and find out how to register for the event at http://wafsf.org.

Kevin McCormack