The biennial event will take place on October 24th and 25th, 2023.
The central campus of the Federico Santa María Technical University will be the venue for the third edition of the National Congress on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (ITMR 2023). This year, the event is organized by the Valparaíso Scientific and Technological Center (CCTVal) in collaboration with the Daniel Alkalay Lowitt Biotechnology Center (CBDAL), both from USM, along with the University of Valparaíso.
Tissue engineering, biomaterials, regenerative medicine, nanobiotechnology, biomedicine, medical physics, and biotechnology will be among the topics addressed in this meeting.
“The first edition of this congress took place in November 2017. Subsequently, due to national contingency and the pandemic, it was held in December 2021, with the University of Chile organizing it on both occasions. This time, we are very excited to be hosting this major scientific event. There has been significant research and advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in recent times, and therefore, we believe it is necessary to create spaces for gathering, dialogue, and feedback to share the generated knowledge, developed technologies, and promote collaboration,” said Dr. Cristian Acevedo, President of the ITMR 2023 organizing committee, CCTVal and CBDAL researcher, and faculty member of the Department of Physics at USM.
This is the first time this congress will be held in Valparaíso, which is a milestone for scientific and academic institutions engaged in research and technology in these fields. Dr. Caroline Weinstein, President of the ITMR 2023 scientific committee, Director of the Master’s Program in Bioactivity of Natural and Synthetic Products, and the Laboratory of Therapeutic Innovation and Molecular Diagnostics at the School of Chemistry and Pharmacy of the University of Valparaíso, stated, “This city has been the birthplace of tissue engineering in Chile, under the leadership of Dr. Manuel Young, who catalyzed the collaboration between USM and UV 20 years ago, and in a way, this event symbolizes those beginnings.”
Furthermore, the researcher added, “Tissue engineering is recognized by the European Medicines Agency as an advanced therapy. Thus, there are devices approved by major high-surveillance regulatory agencies. Therefore, it is vital to gather and discuss global advancements in scientific and technological developments that will shape the therapies of the future and contribute to improving the quality of life for people, especially the elderly who will require these therapies to repair, regenerate, and replace tissues and organs.”
In addition to scientific and applied research talks, ITMR 2023 will offer attendees a Health Technologies and Services Fair, which will take place in the Patio del Cañón at the Federico Santa María Technical University throughout the duration of the congress. During this event, supplier companies will present their equipment, supplies, and capabilities, becoming a strategic and conducive point for innovation and scientific and technological development. As of now, the registered institutions include the Impact Basal Center, GenexPress, Thermo Fisher, and Andes Import.
It is important to highlight that individuals who wish to participate through poster presentations can submit their abstracts until August 25th via email: resumenes.itmr2023@usm.cl. The best works will be selected by the Congress’s Scientific Committee and will be published in a special issue of the Ars Médica Medical Sciences journal published by the School of Medicine at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
The event, which will feature prominent experts in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, will begin with a keynote speech by Dr. Jonny Blaker, leader of the biomedical materials research area at the Henry Royce Institute (UK) at the University of Manchester. Among the confirmed presentations, the roundtable discussion “Women Leaders in Tissue Engineering” stands out, sponsored by the InES Genero project at the University of Valparaíso. The panelists will include Dr. Francisca Acevedo, Director of the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Bioproducts at the University of La Frontera; Dr. Tania Bahamondez, Director of the Chilean Pharmacopeia Research Center and the Laboratory of Antimicrobial Pharmacotechnology at the University of Valparaíso; Dr. Verónica Palma, from the Stem Cell and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CTYBD) at the University of Chile; and Dr. Caroline Weinstein, who will moderate the panel.
In addition, ITMR 2023 will feature a panel discussion on “Innovation in Technological Devices for Tissue Engineering,” led by Dr. Yusser Olguín, researcher at CCTVal and faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Environment at USM, Dr. Tomás Corrales, researcher at CBDAL, Eduardo Sáez, MD, Otorhinolaryngologist, and Rodrigo Céspedes, MD, Otorhinolaryngologist, with moderation by Dr. Acevedo.
Furthermore, there will be presentations such as “Polymeric Matrices Based on Marine Collagen in Tissue Engineering,” by Dr. Nayeli Rodríguez from the Scientific Research Center of Yucatán (Mexico); “Biophysics with a Focus on Synovial Joint Modeling,” by Dr. Roberto Andresen from the University of California Merced (USA); “Present and Future Perspectives in the Use of Therapeutic Tissues,” by Dr. Sebastián San Martín from the Biomedical Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Valparaíso; “Hemichannels as Pharmacological Targets for Wound Repair,” to be delivered by Dr. Agustín Martínez, Director of the Institute of Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences, Interdisciplinary Center of Neuroscience Valparaíso, University of Valparaíso; and “Smart Dental Biomaterials: From Antibacterial Therapies to Tissue Regeneration,” to be presented by Dr. Santiago Orrego from the Department of Oral Health Sciences at Temple University (USA).
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