Accelerating Regenerative Medicine into the Clinic: Combining Education and Basic Science

When:  Feb 21, 2017 from 19:30 to 20:30 (CT)

Dr. Windebank is a neurologist and Professor of Neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. For more than 30 years, he has managed and conducted research, including clinical trials on patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. He leads a neuroscience-focused research team studying neuroprotection, peripheral nerve disease, spinal cord injury, and neural repair. The laboratory collaborates with clinicians and scientists in the fields of neurogenesis, neuroregeneration, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, genetics, orthopedic surgery, and neurologic surgery. Dr. Windebank’s research focuses on cellular mechanisms that protect or promote regeneration of the nervous system and is consistently translated into clinical trials. He has made fundamental contributions the understanding of mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. In recent years, his research group has significantly advanced the field of tissue engineering to facilitate repair in the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. He is currently the principal investigator for 2 clinical trials using stem cells in the treatment of ALS.

Dr. Windebank received his BA and MA degrees in biochemistry and his MD degree from the University of Oxford in England followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and Washington University in St. Louis. He served as Dean of the Mayo Graduate School from 1992 to 1998 and as Dean of the Mayo Medical School from 1998 until 2005. Since 2005 he has been involved in the development and leadership of the Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Windebank has published more than 300 scholarly articles.

In this lecture, Dr. Windebank will discuss the process of taking discoveries from the research laboratory into the clinic to improve the health of patients and communities. He will explore both educational and research avenues that can accelerate the complex process of translation and will use examples from his experience to emphasize the importance of a patient-centered and team-based approach.

Location

Mayo Clinic, Phillips Hall, Siebens Building
200 1st Street SW
Rochester, MN 55902