More than 200 enrolled in the XV Summer Bioethics Course on covid-19 of the Zaragoza Medical College
September 2, 2020
Several studies confirm that corticosteroids reduce mortality from severe covid by a third
September 3, 2020
The first edition of this course was organized by four Araid researchers / Fifty students participated, of which a total of 32 received a scholarship
To listen to world leaders in the field of advanced therapies, it is often necessary to attend conferences in the United States or in certain European cities. However, fifty people interested in this branch, from Aragon and other parts of the country, had the opportunity to create a debate through the Summer School in Advanced Therapies of the Menéndez Pelayo International University, with the first course organized by the researchers from the Aragonese Agency for Research and Development Foundation (Araid) Pilar Martín Duque, Pedro M. Baptista, Silvia Hernández-Ainsa and Alberto J. Schuhmacher.
The participants – including 32 doctoral students awarded scholarships for this course – expanded their knowledge of advanced therapies, which include a series of medicines based on genes, cells and tissues. “Thus, both gene and cell therapy, as well as tissue and organ engineering, are at the forefront of innovation and provide new opportunities to address a variety of diseases with limited or no therapeutic options,” explains Schuhmacher.
From last Monday to Wednesday, students were able to debate with such important personalities as Anthony Atala, pioneer in regenerative medicine, or Marc van de Weterin, one of the precursors of organoids, as well as others such as Juan Bueren, from gene therapy, or Gunnel Hallden. Also national figures such as Santiago Nonell, Damián García del Olmo or Ander Izeta, another of the great names in this field.
"We have been able to bring together speakers of extraordinary international stature, some are nominated for the Nobel Prize," the researcher stressed. "There are many people who have invented these things or who are already testing them on patients," he said.
Among the numerous – telematic – sessions, the attendees were surprised by the words of Atala, who curiously said: “in the 50 minutes of this talk I have told you about my laboratory's research over the last 30 years,” as Schuhmacher recalls. .
The covid-19 pandemic forced the sessions to be held online, which did not prevent the success of this meeting, whose follow-up the researchers intend to continue organizing with new editions. And in this way we can create synergies and bring together a greater number of researchers in this field that is knocking on the doors of a revolution.
