From the Bench to the Bedside – Laboratory practices leading to clinical applications

• Cell Isolation Procedures
• Cell Culture Systems

Are you about to start in the field of cartilage repair? Or are you a clinician wanting to try laboratory work yourself?

After the success of the laboratory skills course in Cardiff, the second ICRS laboratory skills course will be held in the Netherlands. It will take place in the last week of October 2008 for all those interested in improving their knowledge and skills in techniques commonly used in preparing cells for tissue engineering/tissue regeneration and other cell therapies.

Topics to be studied will include cell culture procedures, bioreactors and cell tranfections. Participants will have the opportunity not only to hear the theory outlined, but more importantly, to have a chance to partake in the practical, hands-on experience in a range of techniques from a state-of-the-art cell tracking to biochemical assays and mechanical testing. Faculty will include experts in a range of specialities. The course will be focused particularly on cartilage but techniques will apply to other musculoskeletal and somatic tissues to be treated using tissue engineering/tissue regeneration therapy.
We hope to welcome you to the Netherlands!

Gerjo van Osch, Laura Creemers, Jos Malda – Course Directors

Course highlights

Basic cartilage biology

Functional characterisation
histological procedures and scoring
mechanical testing

- Cell culture systems
monolayer
hydrogels
(3D printed) scaffolds
cell lines
bioreactors

- Cell tracking
membrane markers, iron oxide, genetic labelling

- Monitoring and assessment of outcome
DNA/RNA isolation,
gene expression by PCR
transfections and reporters
several biochemical assays (GAG, collagen, DNA, MMPs)



Invited Faculty (Tentative)

Morton A. Karsdal, Herlev DK
Ivan Martin, Basel, CH
Ruud Bank, Amsterdam & Leiden, NL
Jan de Boer, Enschede, NL
Laura Creemers, Utrecht, NL
Dirk Grijpma, Enschede & Groningen, NL
Roeland Hanemaaijer, Leiden, NL
Peter van der Kraan, Nijmegen, NL
Roel Kuijer, Groningen, NL
Jos Malda, Utrecht, NL
Gerjo van Osch, Rotterdam, NL
Daniel Saris, Utrecht, NL
Jan Verhaar, Rotterdam, NL
Harrie Weinans, Rotterdam, NL
Tim Welting, Maastricht, NL