The Route28 Summits in Neurobiology provide an outstanding training experience on topics with significant promise in the applied clinical sciences. Well-known scientists and trainees are brought together with an express goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies for disease and injury in the central nervous system. The workshop incorporates a unique and successful training strategy. Formal talks alternate with critical and candid discussions led by each speaker. To facilitate interaction, graduate students and fellows must work throughout the conference to integrate the research presented into mini-grant proposals. Working in groups of 7, participants collaborate to solve one of three assigned problems on tissue repair in the CNS. On the last day, the groups finalize and present the strategies they have developed. A study section of senior scientists score each proposal based on creativity and scientific merit. In August 23-30 of 2001, the workshop """"""""The Id of Stem Cells"""""""" focuses on a controversial yet growing concept that stem cells from a given organ system may not be limited to the repair and regeneration of the source tissue. This idea is supported by a number of novel and entirely unexpected observations. For example, stem-like cells introduced into a recipient during bone marrow transplant appear able to generate new muscle, bone, cartilage, vascular cells and potentially even glia and neurons. Conversely, neural stem cells isolated from the adult brain seem able to reconstitute the hematopoetic system when transplanted in lieu of bone marrow stem cells. Although the identity of the cells responsible for these phenomena is not yet known, the concept that embryonic, mesenchymal, hematopoetic and neural stem cells may share a significant overlap in lineage potential has significant implications for novel approaches to CNS repair. The workshop held in August of 2003, builds on the theme of stem cell- mediated CNS repair by focusing on the use of modern genomics, proteomics and informatics to identify and manipulate the cellular and molecular cues most important for orchestrating repair and cell replacement in the CNS. In August of 2005, our focus continues in novel therapeutic strategies by introducing chip-based implantable interfaces. Although considered to be in the realm of conceptual devices, significant progress is being made in bridging the gap between computer hardware and the biological """"""""wetware"""""""" of the mammalian brain.
