Stem cells, both from a basic developmental biology standpoint and from their potential in regenerative medicine applications, remain one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields of study in biology. This meeting will cover a number of state-of-the-art areas as well as emerging challenges that confront us today. We will cover such questions as: What makes a stem cell a stem cell? What are the working rules of self-renewal and pluripotency? Can we successfully achieve reprogramming of somatic cells and use them in regenerative medicine? How can we achieve directed differentiation of stem cells? What are the unique characteristics of cancer stem cells? Is there a "best" kind of stem cell for regenerative medicine applications? Is there a "safe" kind of stem cell for regenerative medicine applications? How will genome editing advance stem cell biology?

An atmosphere conducive to constructive discussion and free exchange of information is the primary goal of this meeting.