Director, NSW Stem Cell Network, Australia
Biography
Dr. Bernie Tuch is Director of the NSW Stem Cell Network and a Professor of Medicine at both The University of Sydney and Monash Universities. He is involved in cutting-edge research with clinical applications, looking at novel ways of achieving positive outcomes. Attempts to examine the safety and efficacy of novel interventions have been through phase 1b/2a clinical trials, including the use of human fetal pancreas, and more recently encapsulated human islets, as a therapy for type 1 diabetes. His former research group was responsible for the creation of the first human embryonic stem cell lines at an Australian public hospital. Over the past few years he and his colleagues have grappled with the issue of trying to move the stem cell field forwards expeditiously in humans with interventions, many of which are unproven.