The Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) promotes stem cell biology and therapies in Australia and New Zealand. Stem cells are involved in many aspects of biology and disease including cancer, developmental biology and cell biology. The past ten years has seen immense growth in the stem cell field, leading to its development into a research discipline in its own right. The public has become increasingly interested in stem cells through achievements in the field, both past and present, and the many possibilities available in the future, with expectations of novel clinical therapies and solutions to previously intractable medical problems.
The ASSCR aims to promote scientific interests and facilitate networking amongst the growing stem cell research community in Australia and New Zealand. In particular, the society aims to foster and enhance links between researchers and clinicians to allow good translation of the research and also to foster links with other disciplines including bioethics, law and sociology. In so doing, the society aims to provide accurate and well-rounded information to the general public and in so doing, be the face of stem cell research in Australia and New Zealand.
To this end, the society is affiliated with a number of organisations including the Stem Cell Network of the Asia-Pacific (SNAP) and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). These links will assist in the representation of stem cell research in Australia and New Zealand to the rest of the world, and help establish and strengthen networking opportunities between Australia and New Zealand and the rest of the world.
The ASSCR will be holding its first annual meeting as part of the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress (AHMRC), on November 17, 2008 in Brisbane, Queensland. This meeting will involve a number of presentations by international and local eminent stem cell researchers working in various areas of stem cell applications, as well as a public forum “Stem Cells in Action”, which will look at stem cell therapies available in Australia and New Zealand and the need for regulation of such therapies and their usage in clinics.
The Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research urges Victorian Member
of Parliament to vote for the Prohibition of Human Cloning for
Reproduction Bill 2008 and Research Involving Human Embryos Bill 2008.
These two bills replace current legislation and oversee regulations
pertinent to specific areas of stem cell research, such as research
involving human embryos and generation of human cloned embryos. The ASSCR letter to Victorian MPs can be downloaded here.
Membership of the ASSCR:
Professionals working in stem cells or related fields can be Regular ($85) or Student ($40) Members. Anyone interested in stem cells can be Associate Members ($40).
To become a member please complete this form and mail it to our PO Box Address
Committee Nominations:
The newly formed ASSCR is calling for nominations for positions on the committee, including Officers Committee will be elected at the First Annual General Meeting as set out in the Rules of the Association which can be viewed. The Annual General Meeting will be held at 12.30 pm on Monday 17th November at the Brisbane Convention Centre. If you wish to nominate someone for one of the positions on the ASSCR Committee please complete the form and email to info@asscr.org by 4.00pm on 24th October.
Contact ASSCR:
Email: info@asscr.org
Postal address:
ASSCR
PO Box 8159
Monash Uni LPO
Wellington Rd
Clayton, Victoria 3800.
Australia