Saturday, May 3
9:00 am - 4:00 pm*
Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building
Michigan State University
*please note the time change
Gene Transfer technologies offer great opportunity for both facilitation of basic research efforts, as well as potential for treatment of a great variety of both genetic and acquired diseases. Recent developments in optimizing gene transfer vectors has resulted in tremendous capabilities, inclusive of life-long correction of animal models of genetic disease, as well proven cures of rare human diseases such as X-linked Severe Combined Immuno-deficiency. Although the potential is great, the obstacles to achieving greater success are equally daunting, and will require innovative efforts to overcome them before widespread clinical utility is realized. For the gene therapy field, recognition of these problems has been glaringly highlighted by several highly publicized setbacks. Fortunately, with recognition of problems come innovative solutions. This symposium will highlight efforts by several internationally acclaimed investigators to address these problems "head-on," in an attempt to understand gene transfer limitations, and afford the opportunity for gene therapy to achieve the benefits it has always promised. Simultaneous with this, exciting insights into the full potential that gene transfer strategies may provide for the treatment of the most difficult of human diseases will also be highlighted. This focused introduction to this exciting and growing field is open to researchers from MSU, as well as from neighboring institutions.
The Symposium is sponsored by both the Genetics Program and the Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology Graduate Program. It is a follow-up to Spring Semester course "Gene Transfer," facilitated by Dr. Andy Amalfitano and Dr. Vilma Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan.