Skokie, IL, USA – Douglas Melton, the President of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and founding editor of StemBook, has outlined in an open letter a new format for the ISSCR Annual Meeting 2019 offering new opportunities and expanded horizons.

New Annual Meeting Opportunities
As the premier professional stem cell gathering in the field, the annual meeting is an ideal setting to address new trends and directions, and to assist new and younger members with professional development. The 2019 meeting in Los Angeles will feature young researchers and emerging science in new ways. The Program Committee, chaired by Marius Wernig, has carefully blended presentations by leaders in the field with presentations of cutting-edge research coming out of labs around the world.

ISSCR 2019 will feature 112 abstract-selected speakers and presenters, and 15 of them will be selected to present their science in plenary sessions alongside more seasoned researchers in each subject area. The goal is to showcase young talent and new ideas, while providing opportunities for young researchers to grow and build their professional portfolios. Researchers at any stage can do a transformative experiment that changes what we know and how we think about biomedicine. The next important experiment or advance may well be uncovered in an ISSCR meeting session.

In my experience it is gratifying to learn new ideas and approaches from the next generation, and I look forward to having young trainees take the stage to present their work before the largest collection of stem cell professionals in the world. The annual meeting is exactly the right platform to share important learnings from our colleagues at all career levels; I’m hoping it will reinvigorate us all and motivate presenters to highlight their best research.

Sharing Science Broadly
In 2019, the annual meeting plenary session format will be slightly different than in the past, with a goal of connecting people in new ways, across stem cell disciplines. Plenaries will be organized around tissue type, with speakers representing a variety of scientific approaches: molecular, cellular, animal model, and clinical-based in each area. This new format showcases the diversity of science and we hope will broaden understanding and expand horizons. By introducing scientists to new research areas outside their usual scope, we hope to inspire new insights and break through some of the accepted dogmas to find new possibilities.

With the field at the leading edge of biomedicine, the annual meeting is more important than ever as a place for scientists and clinicians to explore fundamental stem cell science and collaborate with colleagues on applying research findings to treat disease. Trainees have excellent opportunities to learn about the science, be exposed to new applications, and make connections with colleagues and mentors who will be important for years to come.

We hope you will mark your calendar for 26–29 June in Los Angeles and join us for exciting and innovative stem cell science.

Douglas Melton
ISSCR President, 2018–2019

###

NOTES FOR EDITORS
This is an extract of a letter published on October 25 by the ISSCR. Douglas Melton is the current ISSCR President and the founding editor of StemBook.

About ISSCR Annual Meeting 2019
The ISSCR Annual Meeting takes place 26 to 29 June 2019 in Los Angeles, CA, USA. It is the world's largest stem cell-focused meeting. With more than 3500 attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and media, the meeting brings together everyone from senior scientists to trainees to discover, share, and network with leading innovators in the stem cell community. Through scientific programming and networking opportunities, we provide inspiration and insight to advance the promise of this dynamic field of research. Includes: plenary and keynote speakers, and 20 concurrent sessions in 5 tracks, plus collaboration and networking opportunities. isscr.org