Adult stem cells are currently used in clinically in the U.S. and abroad as part of clinical trials at stages ranging from experimental Phase I safety studies, to double-blinded Phase III pivotal studies. The "state of tile art" in a multidimensional fashion addressing both adult stem cell sources and indications will be overviewed. Published data from late-stage clinical trials, as well anecdotal case reports will be dlscussed in the framework of current day mechanistic understanding of stem tell biology.
Ability to identify factors that contributed to rapid clinical implementation of adult stem cell therapy for specific indications but not others.
Understanding fundamental biological and molecular differences between embryonic and adult stem cells.
Identifying markers of success in clinical trials of stem cells and why such trials are uniquely different than conventional "small drug" trials.
Regulatory pathway for stem cell clinical trials.
Understanding the future direction of stem cell clinical implementation.