Stem cells Europe 2008.

The focus of this conference report is to highlight some of the key themes presented at this excellent annual conference hosted by Select Biosciences Ltd at the Hilton Amsterdam, which attracted a worldwide audience of more than 150 delegates. This 3-day conference comprised 2 days of presentations in the 'Research Track' and 1 day of presentations in the 'Business/Commercialization Track'. The research track of this conference focused on the following key topics: basic research in the stem cells space; understanding stem cell biology; pluripotency; characterization of different types of stem cells and their role in mediating regenerative medicine; stem cells in drug discovery and development activities; and cancer stem cells. The business/commercialization track of the conference focused on the following key topics: case studies of companies commercializing stem cells; and stem cell patentability in the USA, EU and the UK.