No 8/April 7, 2005

“"Biopolitics and Regenerative Medicine - Pros and Cons”"

International Conference with German Federal Research Secretary Edelgard Bulmahn and Scientists from EU Countries

During a two-day meeting (April 7-8, 2005) in Berlin, Germany entitled “Biopolitics and Regenerative Medicine - Pros and Cons”, politicians and scientists from various member countries of the European Union convened to discuss state of the art of human embryonic stem cell research and its regulation in Europe. Research on human embryonic stem cells has been heavily debated, especially in Germany. This research also includes the new field of “regenerative medicine” wherin researchers aim to use their knowledge of the body’s natural regeneration processes to improve the treatment of severe diseases. Organizers of the international conference were the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Laboratories, and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Participants included the German Federal Research Secretary of Germany, Edelgard Bulmahn, the Permanent State Secretary of the German Federal Research Ministry, Wolf-Michael Catenhusen, Dr. Octavi Quintana Trias, Director, Directorate General for Research of the European Commission, Brussels, Belgium, Prof. Rafael Capurro, European Group on Ethics, European Commission, Prof. Spiros Simitis, Chairman of the National Ethics Council, Berlin, Marie-Hélène Mouneyrat, Secretary General, Comité Consultatif National d`Ethique, Paris, France, Dr. Glyn Stacey, Director, UK Stem Cell Bank at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), South Mimms, UK, Prof. Petr Dvorak, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic, Prof. Andrzej M. Kaniowski, University of Lódz, Poland, Prof. Henning M. Beier, Deputy Chairman, Central Ethics Commision for Stem Cell Research, Institute for Anatomy and Biological Reproduction, RWTH University Aachen, Prof. Walter Birchmeier, Scientific Director of the MDC Berlin Buch, Prof. Detlev Ganten, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Charité University Hospital Berlin, as well as two Members of the German Parliament, Prof. Maria Böhmer (Christian Democratic Party) und Jörg Tauss (Social Democratic Party).

 

The conference is part of the MDC research project “Discourse on Ethical Questions of Biomedicine” under direction of the research group “Bioethics and Science Communications” (Head: Dr. Christof Tannert) and is supported by the German Federal Research Ministry.

 

Barbara Bachtler

Press and Public Affairs

Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch

Robert-Rössle-Straße 10

13125 Berlin

Germany

Phone.: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 96

Fax:  +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 33

e-mail: presse@mdc-berlin.de

http://www.mdc-berlin.de/en/news

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