News
30-Nov-2006 - LGC addresses the London Regenerative Medicine
Network
Dr Neil Harris, who leads LGC’s Bioanalysis Bioprogramme
management team, addressed a recent meeting of the London
Regenerative Medicine Network (LRMN)
LRMN was established in 2005 to accelerate the progression of
world-class stem cell and tissue engineering research being
undertaken in the UK, and its translation into everyday routine
clinical practice. In addition, LRMN also aims to make the UK a
viable hub of regenerative medicine by attracting and retaining key
stakeholders in the UK.
Members of the UK regenerative medicine community have expressed
the need for greater overall clarity regarding the current
legislation, guidance and standards to be used. In response to
this, Lord Sainsbury, former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
for Science and Innovation, instigated the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) to commission the British Standards Institution
(BSI) to develop a publicly available specification (PAS), which
gives guidance on the product pathway from cell and tissue donation
to clinical trial for cell-based therapies, and outlines the
accompanying legislation, codes of practice, guidance documents and
standards for this process.
Dr Harris recently undertook a DTI-funded secondment to BSI
where he worked with Dr Caroline Munro (University of York), with
whom he authored the report 'Guidance on codes of practice,
standardised methods and regulations for cell-based therapeutics -
from basic research to clinical application'. He addressed
the LRMN meeting on the regenerative medicine PAS 83, illustrated
with clinical examples about how it is intended to be used.
Keynote speakers included Dr Zack Hall, President of the
California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Professor Geoff
Raisman, Director, Spinal Repair Unit, Institute of Neurology,
London. The meeting was held at the Guy’s Hospital Campus of King’s
College at London Bridge on 16 November.
Designated as the UK´s National Measurement Institute (NMI) for
chemical and biochemical analysis, LGC liaises closely with the UK
Office of Science and Innovation, which is responsible for national
measurement within the DTI. The principal programmes in which LGC
is engaged are Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM), Measurements for
Biotechnology (MfB) and Measurement for Emerging Technologies
(MET).
Notes to Editors