Islet transplantation is emerging as an attractive option of cell based therapy in the treatment of type 1 diabetes and type 3C diabetes. Currently islet transplantation is offered at a few highly specialized centers around the world. Since India is predicted to become global capital for diabetes by 2030, it is essential to establish such centers in the country.
US researchers are aggressively pursuing ways to improve upon islet cell isolation and transplantation technology having made great progress in the use of pig-derived islets, and using stem cells to offer tremendous potential to conquer pancreatic disease. Scientists at the Asian Healthcare Foundation (the research wing of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, an OMED certified center of excellence for treatment of pancreatic diseases) have achieved significant progress in isolating, culturing and transplanting pancreatic islets (in simian models), with a long term interest in establishing islet transplantation center in India. The aspirations of Asian institute of gastroenterology and Schzule diabetes institute have been recognized by the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum.
It is expected that a host of global leaders will participate and share their experiences. Deliberations at the envisaged workshop would aim to
a) Identify key issues in islet transplantation b) Recognize areas for collaborative research and c) Evolve a road map for establishing islet transplantation centers in India.
Four Scientific Sessions
Interactive brain storming Session
Leading Pancreatologists & researchers from US and India.
Indo-US Science and Technology Forum
The Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), established under an agreement between the Governments of India and the United States of America in March 2000, is an autonomous, not for profit society that promotes and catalyzes Indo-US bilateral collaborations in science, technology, engineering and biomedical research through substantive interaction among government, academia and industry. As a grant making organization, the principle objective of IUSSTF is to provide opportunities, to exchange ideas, information, skills and technologies, and to collaborate on scientific and technological endeavours of mutual interest that can translate the power of science for the benefit of mankind at large.