McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine Launches Stem Cell City

Portal designed to accelerate global understanding of stem cell research and build on legacy of Canadian leadership in regenerative medicine

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TORONTO, June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Today, the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine launched Stem Cell City, a virtual community designed to inform people about stem cell research and allow them to articulate their support of using regenerative medicine to defeat the major diseases of our time.

50 years ago, the Canadian discovery of stem cells changed the scientific world. Since then, Toronto has become a global leader in regenerative medicine and stem cell research. The McEwen Centre itself, a division of Toronto's University Health Network, is home to a team of world-leading stem cell biologists and is a driving force within the global stem cell research community. Stem Cell City is designed to help the general public better understand the impact and the promise of stem cell research to save lives.

During the official launch of the site, Robert and Cheryl McEwen, founders of the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine, encouraged Canadians to be among the first to join Stem Cell City by visiting www.joinstemcellcity.com.

"We are so proud of the fabulous achievements of our scientific community," said Cheryl McEwen, "I encourage you to join Stem Cell City. Stand up and be counted as an informed Canadian who believes that stem cell research will help us achieve a future free of many of the diseases that continue to devastate us all."

Notable features of the Stem Cell City site include:

• Join the community. Explore the world of regenerative medicine, find out more about the promise of stem cell research, and add your support to the call for an accelerated approach to eradicating the major disease of our time. 
• Follow the discoveries. Receive updates on the work being done in the areas of heart, blood, diabetes, neurology and lung and the progress being made toward cures.
• Direct the research. Channel your support directly to the areas of research that matter the most to your personally. Representatives of the McEwen research community were joined for the Stem Cell City announcement by representatives of the Ontario Government, the University Health Network (UHN), the international stem cell community, and patient advocates to help launch this online initiative.

Those who believe in the potential of stem cell research and want to know more can join Stem Cell City by going to www.joinstemcellcity.com.

Quotes

It seems like every week there's a new breakthrough brought on by stem cell research somewhere in the world. There has never been a better or more appropriate time to bring all the best information together in one place - here in Ontario - to keep people informed on the best research going on around the world.

Premier Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario

Regenerative medicine harnesses the power of stem cells to repair, regenerate or replace diseased cells, tissues and organs. At the McEwen Centre, research and discovery are approached with urgency, passion and the belief that we can ultimately transform the treatment - and cure - major diseases around the world. Stem Cell City will help us share our vision with supporters around the world.

Robert McEwen, Co-Founder, McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine

As a truly multidisciplinary approach, regenerative medicine brings together expertise from complementary fields including cell and molecular biology, genetics and tissue engineering. Through a commitment to this kind of collaboration, we are beginning to harness the remarkable potential of stem cells to develop novel treatments for a broad range of devastating and life-threatening diseases.

Dr. Gordon Keller, Director, McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine

Till and McCulloch's stem cell research discoveries launched a revolution in science and medicine for the patients of Ontario and the world. In 2003, building on the great scientific discoveries in Ontario, Rob and Cheryl McEwen launched the McEwen Centre in cooperation with the University of Toronto. Premier McGuinty, in 2007, joined Ontario with California in a stem cell leadership challenge to the world. I challenge the global community of patients and families to join the McEwens and this legacy of Canadian stem cell leadership by signing up as citizens of Stem Cell City to change the future of human suffering.

Robert Klein, Chairman, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

I am grateful every day for this research and to the scientists that found the answers that saved my life. I sincerely wish that their work continues to offer this kind of hope for other people like me who have a life-threatening disease. Please join Stem Cell City and learn more about this amazing research.

Lisa Ray, patient advocate, model, actor and stem cell transplant recipient

About the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine
The McEwen Centre was established at University Health Network in 2003 with a generous donation of 10 million dollars from Rob and Cheryl McEwen, which they matched in 2006 with a second donation. The McEwen Centre's vision is to be a world-renowned centre for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. McEwen Centre investigators are working together to accelerate the development of more effective treatments for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and spinal cord injury. As it continues to advance the cause of global stem cell research, the McEwen Centre is also proud to host 4,000 of the world's leading stem cell researchers during the International Society for Stem Cell Research's (ISSCR) 9th Annual Meeting in Toronto, from June 15 - 18, 2011.

/NOTE TO EDITORS: Media Assets accompanying this story are available as follows:

Video : http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/mmnr/smr/McEwen_LisaRay-v18.flv

Video: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/mmnr/smr/McEwen_MediaReel_v1_ProRes_1.flv

SOURCE McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine