Free and open to all, Public Day in Wake Forest Biotech Place will highlight Winston-Salem’s emergence as a global hub for regenerative medicine

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — May 30, 2023 — Innovation Quarter, in partnership with the World Stem Cell Summit, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. and Visit Winston-Salem, today announced the Summit’s Public Day will be held on June 5 in Wake Forest Biotech Place.

This is the first time the World Stem Cell Summit has held their annual event in North Carolina. Public Day is a free and open event designed to introduce communities in which the World Stem Cell Summit is held to the topic of stem cells and regenerative medicine in the hopes of spurring collaboration, education and innovation in the field.

“Winston-Salem, with the presence of the Wake-Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and a vital biotechnology sector, has become the national epicenter for translational regenerative medicine,” said Bernard Siegel, JD, executive director of the Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF) and the Healthspan Action Coalition (HSAC). “The state of North Carolina is a vital hub for industries at the leading edge of bringing regenerative medicine cures from the bench to the bedside. Last but not least, our collaborative partnership with WFIRM makes Winston-Salem the natural choice for an international meeting bringing multiple stakeholders in the regenerative medicine ecosystem together for cross-fertilization and the sharing of knowledge.”

Public Day will showcase cutting-edge research, provide animated visuals explaining stem cell research, and provide an overview of the possibilities of regenerative medicine.

“Generating excitement and buy-in for regenerative medicine as one of the up-and-coming economic engines for Winston-Salem is what Public Day is all about,” said Gary Green, Chief Operating Officer of the RegenMed Development Organization and Chief Workforce Development Officer at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.  “To continue the momentum, we need community alignment around regenerative medicine as a sector we’re going to focus on from many angles, like workforce pipeline development, education, company recruitment and more. Public Day will help spread that vision.”

The World Stem Cell Summit’s Public Day agenda includes:

• 8 to 10 a.m. – Check-In & Breakfast – Atrium
• 9 to 9:30 a.m. – Opening Ceremony; Bernard Siegel, Host – Atrium
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – White Board Animations-sponsored by Americans for Cures -Stem Cells 101, Bubble baby Disease, Spinal Cord Injury, Sickle Cell Disease, type 1 Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis- classroom
• 9:30 to 10 a.m. – Global Hub of Innovation: How Winston-Salem’s Regenerative Medicine Leads the Way; presented by Winston-Salem ecosystem leaders – Atrium
• 10 to 10:30 a.m. – Inside the Cellular Universe – Revealing the Wonders of Extreme Microscopy; Prof. Frank Marini, PhD – Atrium
• 10:30 to 11 a.m. – Advancing Human Health in Space: The Final Frontier is Expanding; Ian White, PhD – Atrium
• 11 to 11:30 a.m. – The Bioethical Basis for Healthspan: Will Stem Cells Get Lost in the Translation?; Graham Parker, MD – Atrium
• 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Rudy the Rhino & Jeanne Loring: Saving Endangered Species with Stem Cells – Atrium
• 12:40 to 1:45 p.m. – Lunch Break (Coordinated with RME lunch time) – Atrium
• 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. – Heroic Tales of the Human Spirit – Overcoming Pain and Suffering; Lisa McClellan, founder of
  Ring of Brotherhood Foundation and Christy Martin, World Boxing Council – Atrium
• 2:30 to 3:20 p.m. – Taylor’s Tale: Run to the Light; SharoncKing – Atrium
• 2:30 to 3:20 p.m. – Career Showcase Presented by Innovate Bio, Forsyth Tech, RemDO – Classroom
• 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. –  New directions for regenerative medicine – Mahendra S. Rao, MD, PhD, CEO panCELLa and Impact Therapeutic – Atrium
• 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. – Should adult diseases be treated in infancy, or even prenatally? – Evan Y. Snyder, MD, PhD, FAAP – Atrium
  
• 4:45 to 5 p.m. – Anthony Atala, MD, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine – Atrium

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About the Innovation Quarter
Innovation Quarter (www.innovationquarter.com) is a vibrant, mixed-use innovation district located in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Anchored by Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Innovation Quarter is home to a community of more than 4,500 workers in 115 companies and four other institutions of higher learning where almost 2,000 degree-seeking students come to learn every day. In addition to more than 1,100 residential units, the Innovation Quarter also features a dynamic urban park, publicly accessible greenway and free community events that make this a true “Live.Work.Learn.Play” community. It is a founding member of the Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) and was named a “Best Practice in Creating Integrated Places” by GIID for its work in intentional placemaking.

Media Contact:
James Patterson
Director, Marketing & Communications
jhpatter@wakehealth.edu
336.713.1652