In 2014, when Springer Publications published Stem Cells in Aesthetic Procedures, the first book ever published on the subject, Jacksonville physician Lewis Obi contributed a chapter, Specialized Stem Cell Fat Transfer to Face.

At places like the Mayo Clinic, researchers have been looking at the possibilities that stem cells could someday help repair damaged organs.

But Obi, a veteran plastic surgeon, already has been using stem cells, harvested from a patients own fat, in a number of procedures in recent years. He has become an ardent champion of the potential stem cells have in regenerative medicine. While stem cells extracted from bone marrow have been used in the past, Obi said there are actually more stem cells in fat than in bone marrow and they are easier to harvest

The current use of stem cells and the potential of stem cells will be the subject of a two day symposium by the Cell Surgical Network of Florida, an organization Obi founded. The symposium will be held Thursday and Friday at Memorial Hospital.

Presenters during the conference include three Jacksonville physicians, Obi, orthopedic surgeon David Heekin and anesthesiologist and pain management specialisit Orlando Florette. Heekin will talk about the orthopedic uses of stem cells and Florette will talk about the use of stem cells in pain management.

Another presenter will be Hee Young Lee, a Korean physician who invented Maxstem, a totally enclosed system which processes adult fat into large numbers of viable stem cells. Obi has used these cells in both his plastic surgery practice as well as in regenerative medicine.

Stuart Williams, a researcher with the University of Louisville, will discuss issues with the Food and Drug Administration, which has been reluctant to approve the use of stem cells to treat many conditions that stem cell advocates believe could be treated effectively with stem cells.

Mark Berman, co-author of the 2015 book The Stem Cell Revolution and co-founder of the Cell Surgical Network, the nations largest stem cell network, is scheduled to appear via Skype to talk about using stem cells to mitigate the effects of concussions.

Thursday will feature asesssions on preparing and storing stem cells and bioprinting. Friday will feature 12 presentations, the last being a panel discussion by nine faculty members.

For more about the conference and about the Cell Surgical Network of Florida, go to http://www.stemcellsurgeryflorida.com.

Charlie Patton: (904) 359-4413

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Conference looks at the medical possibilies of using adult stem cells - Florida Times-Union