SPEAKERS

Chris Duma, MD

Newport Beach, CA

Neurosurgery

Chris Duma, MD began exploring stem cell research in 1993 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. A board certified neurosurgeon, Dr. Duma is Southern California’s leading and most experienced neurosurgeons, advancing gamma knife radiosurgery and intraventricular implantation of autologous stem cells.

Clinical Report On the Administration of SVF via Ommaya Reservoir for Advanced Neurological Diseases

Joseph Purita, MD

Boca Raton, FL

Orthopedic Surgery

Joseph Purita, M.D. is a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and stem cell pioneer, using cutting edge technology in regenerative medicine in conjunction with stem cell platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to treat orthopedic injuries and relieve pain. He is also a pioneer in the use of the laser in orthopedic surgery. In 2012, Purita gained international attention when he treated New York Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon’s ligament damage with stem cells, restoring the athlete’s injured shoulder and career. Purita has since treated an array of professional athletes with career-threatening injuries. Dr. Purita is the director of the Institute of Regenerative and Molecular Orthopedics in Boca Raton, Florida, specializing in the use of stem cells and PRP injections for sports medicine and treatment other musculoskeletal conditions. The Institute has treated some of the most prominent professional athletes from all major sports in both the U.S.. and abroad. He is an instructor and proctor of surgeons in the use of lasers in arthroscopic and orthopedic surgery at a variety of area hospitals/ Dr. Purita is a Fellow, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons; Fellow, American College of Surgeons; member, American Medical Association; member, Southern Medical Association; member, Palm Beach Medical Society; member, Broward County Medical Society; member, Palm Beach Orthopedic Society, and member, Florida Medical Association. His certifications include the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; American College of Orthopaedic Surgery; American Board of Pain Management, and the American Board of Regenerative Medicine.

Elliot Lander, MD

Rancho Mirage, CA

Urology

After 20 years of practice in urology and repeatedly being named one of the five “top docs” in Palm Springs, Dr. Lander co-founded the Cell Surgical Network in 2010 and has become a leader in field of regenerative medicine, teaching other physicians and even speaking in front of the FDA in 2016, where he advocated for patients’ rights to their bodies and physicians’ rights to practice cell surgery. Along with Dr. Berman and the Cell Surgical Network, Dr. Lander has published the largest safety data paper on the deployment of stromal vascular fraction, including intravenous deployment.

The Deployment of SVF in Urology

Kotaro Yoshimura, MD

Tochigi, Japan

Plastic Surgery

Kotaro Yoshimura. M.D is a professor and chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at Jichi Medical University, Japan. He received his medical degree and a doctorate from the University of Tokyo. After returning from research work at the University of Michigan, he worked for the University of Tokyo and directed his laboratory. His research interests cover skin/hair/scar biology, wound healing/angiogenesis, adipose stem cells, and regenerative medicine. He published more than 150 full articles published in Medline-indexed journals as well as several textbook chapters. He received a number of awards including the 38th Maliniac Lecturer in 2016 by American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Prof. Yoshimura is currently a co-editor of the Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery (JPSHS) and Vice President of the International Society of Plastic Regenerative Surgeons (ISPRES).

Stem Cell Science, Replication, Deployment for Cosmetics to Therapeutics

Jeffrey Weiss, MD

Margate, FL

Ophthalmology Retinal Surgery

Jeffrey N. Weiss, M.D., is the former Chief of Retinal Surgery at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Faculty member of Harvard Medical School, and Visiting Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of more than 100 publications, including 10 books, and holds more than 20 U.S. and foreign patents. Dr. Weiss performed the first retinal stem cell surgery in 2010 and is the Principal Investigator of The Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Studies I/II, the largest retinal and optic nerve stem cell studies in the world, The Neurologic Stem Cell Treatment Study, The Stem Cell Spinal Cord Injury Exoskeleton and Virtual Reality Treatment Study, and The Alzheimer’s, Cognitive Impairment and Autism Treatment Study.

Tom Grogan, MD

Los Angeles, CA

Orthopedic Surgery

Tom Grogan MD, one of West Los Angeles’ leading orthopedic surgeons, his practice caters to the city’s youngest and oldest patients. A member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Dr. Grogan was the first orthopedic surgeon to join the Cell Surgical Network and has played an instrumental role in the network.

Stromal Vascular Fraction in Orthopedic Surgery

Kristen Comella, PhD

Sunrise, FL

Chief Science Officer, US Stem Cell

Dr. Kristin Comella, USRM’s Chief Science Officer, has an extensive background in the study and implementation of stem cell therapy. As a student focusing on the mechanics and systems of the body in order to achieve optimal health, her more than 20+ years experience has given her notable training with experts in the stem cell arena. Her graduate studies and PhD course work at Ohio State University provided her the opportunity to work with Dr. Jeffery Chalmers to focus on the use of nano-particles magnets to isolate and separate cells. She then delved more deeply into biomedical engineering at the Cleveland Clinic and Osiris Therapeutics — a small start-up in Maryland — mentored company founded by the ‘father of Mesenchymal Stem Cells,’ Dr. Arnie Caplan. Her work at Osiris led in 2002 to one of the first IND approvals of stem cells in orthopedics from the FDA, and was the beginning of her zeroing in on stem cells and their application for healing.

Summary of Peer-Reviewed Publications Using Stromal Vascular Fraction

Mark Berman, MD

Beverly Hills, CA

ENT/Cosmetic Surgery

After nearly 30 years in a successful practice as a cosmetic surgeon, where he was the President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Berman discovered the magic of fat and the power of stem cells. In 2010, he co-founded the Cell Surgical Network and has worked to bring cell surgical technology all over the world. Dr. Berman, along with Dr. Elliot Lander and the Cell Surgical Network, have published the largest safety data paper on the deployment of stromal vascular fraction, including intravenous deployment.

TBD

Harry Adelson, ND

Park City, UT

Naturopathic Medicine

Dr. Adelson was one of the very early adopters of stem cell therapy for the treatment of chronic spine pain. He has performed over 5,000 stem cell procedures and has injected stem cells into over 700 intervertebral discs, placing him solidly among the most experienced in the world with the use of stem cells for the treatment of chronic spine pain. This talk will condense 17 years of regenerative injection therapy practice and nine years of full-time stem cell practice into 30 minutes. The focus will be on translating clinical picture into clinical decision-making, demystification of pain generators, and simple algorithms Dr. Adelson has developed for the treatment of pain of the spine using stem cell therapy.

Walter O’Brien, MD

Los Angeles, CA

Orthopedic Surgeon

Medical research, both basic science and clinical studies, have been a passion for Dr. O’Brien. This has led to numerous publications, awards, and invitations to lecture internationally. His basic science research involves biomechanics of the knee and studying the functional anatomy of knee ligaments developing surgical techniques to restore injured ligaments. Clinical studies verified his basic science research results as it applies to actual surgical procedures for knee reconstruction. His clinical studies also involve the long-term effects of various types of meniscal surgical procedures. Dr. O’Brien has published research work and scientific articles in the following peer-reviewed orthopedic journals: American Journal of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, Operative Techniques in Orthopaedics, Techniques in Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic Transactions, and Transactions of the Orthopaedic Research Society. In addition, he has authored two chapters in a medical textbook about knee surgery: The Crucial Ligaments, Second Edition, JA Feagin (editor).

Stromal Vascular Fraction in Orthopedic Surgery

John Feller, MD

Indian Wells, CA

Radiology

Dr. Feller completed his undergraduate training in metallurgical engineering and materials science at the University of Notre Dame graduating cum laude (1978-1982). He then attended the Ohio State University School of Medicine graduating summa cum laude (1983-1987). Dr. Feller subsequently completed four years of postgraduate medical training at Stanford University School of Medicine, culminating in board certification in Diagnostic Radiology (1987-1991). Following fellowship training in orthopedic and body MRI (1992), Dr. Feller served in the US Air Force as Chief of MRI at David Grant USAF Medical Center; a position he maintained for four years (1992-1996). Dr. Feller is currently the Medical Director and Founding Partner of Desert Medical Imaging in California, and Chief of Radiology as well as a Partner in American Medical Center in China. He was the MRI Consulting Radiologist for Desert Orthopedic Center from 1998 to 2010. He maintained an academic affiliation with Stanford University where he was an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Radiology (1991-2006), and is now an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Radiology at Loma Linda University. Dr. Feller was awarded the Volunteer Clinical Faculty Teacher of the Year in 1992-1993 from Stanford University Medical Center Department of Radiology. Dr. Feller has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and is an editor of the textbook Shoulder Magnetic Resonance Imaging. He has given over 300 invited lectures worldwide on orthopedic, prostate and body MR imaging.

Image Guidance for Cell Deployment

Heeyoung Lee, MD

Seoul, Korea

Plastic Surgery

Hee Young Lee MD a successful plastic surgeon from South Korea, Dr. Lee is one of the world’s leaders in advancing stem cell technology. Often referred to as “the Tony Stark of Stem Cells,” Dr. Lee is the founder of Medikan Int. and is the innovator of many crucial technologies that allow physicians to practice cell surgery.

The Advancement of Regenerative Therapies, Cell Expansion Techniques

Fouad Ghaly, MD

Torrance, CA

Regenerative Medicine Specialist

Dr. Ghaly is one of the most influential physicians working in regenerative medicine therapies. He has participated in numerous regenerative medicine conferences all over the world. He has also collaborated with a distinguished, international group of leading physicians, researchers, and scientists on various projects. These projects include presentations on regenerative medicine, platelet-rich plasma therapy, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, tissue-specific stem cell research and enhanced external counterpulsation. Dr. Ghaly created the Ghaly Center for Regenerative Medicine in 1995 to focus his attention on this relatively new field. He incorporates innovative scientific research, alternative therapies, state-of- the-art technology, and conventional medicine to create customized treatment plans. He’s passionate about educating and guiding each patient.

Clinical Report of Stromal Vascular Fraction for Bell’s Palsy

Oleg Kopyov, MD, PhD

Oxnard, CA

Neurosurgery

Oleg Kopyov, MD, PhD- the Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice president of Celavie Biosciences has been researching advanced stem cell treatments for over 25 years. He has decades of experience developing neurosurgical treatments for brain diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, epilepsy, and spinal cord trauma. Dr. Kopyov’s hypotheses originated with the theory that undifferentiated stem cells are able to react to the micro-environment into which they are injected and mature into multiple cell types dictated by their new surroundings.

Stem cells for the neurodegenerative disorders: to predifferentiate or not predifferentiate before transplantation?

Ahmed Al Qahtani, PhD

Dubai, UAE

Immunology

Ahmed Al-Qahtani, PhD, is a leader in anti-aging and skin care whose research into growth factors places him at the cutting edge of aesthetics. He has studied at the University of California, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the University of San Francisco, and is currently an assistant professor at the College of Medicine at United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain. As president and founder of AQ Skin Solutions, he has introduced some of the most innovative skin care products in the world. Dr. Ahmed Al-Qahtani began his career researching medical applications of growth factors for healing wounded tissue and burns. As a researcher in immunology, he developed a process for producing the highest quality growth factors utilizing a specialized cell line that was later named after him by the ATCC. Dr. Al-Qahtani has numerous scientific publications and patents on growth factor technology.

The Role of Exosomes and Growth Factors in Hair and Skin Rejuvenation

Nathan Bryan, PhD

Houston, TX

Professor of Molecular Medicine, Nitric Oxide

Dr. Nathan Bryan, HumanN Co-Founder and Nitric Oxide Scientist, was recruited by the Nobel Laureate, Dr. Ferid Murad to work in the N-O Discovery Program at the University of Texas. It was through this program that Dr. Bryan discovered a safe and natural way to produce Nitric Oxide gas, enabling the body to restore its N-O function. Wanting to bring this technology to the masses, he co-founded Neogenis Laboratories, now HumanN, in 2009. Dr. Bryan is a recognized world authority in Nitric Oxide research. He is credited with a multitude of significant discoveries in Nitric Oxide function and metabolism, and has published extensively in peer-reviewed scientific journals in the field. He’s been awarded, or has pending, nine patents related to Nitric Oxide. He lectures frequently on Nitric Oxide, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Nitric Oxide Society. Dr. Bryan earned his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and his Doctoral degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, where he was the recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research. He continued his postdoctoral research as a Kirschstein Fellow at Boston University School of Medicine in the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute. From there, he continued in academia as a member of faculty in several Texas universities. When not conducting critical research or making significant discoveries for N-O, you can find him at Baylor College of Medicine in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics where he is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor.

Nitric Oxide: the Holy Grail in Regenerative Medicine

Joy Kong, MD

Los Angeles, CA

Neurology

Joy Kong, M.D. is the founder of Chara Biologics, a company dedicated to providing cutting-edge regenerative medicine products in the US and the global market. Dr. Kong is an anti-aging and regenerative medicine specialist, and the president of Thea Center for Regenerative Medicine in Los Angeles, California. Graduated as a valedictorian from San Francisco State University, Dr. Kong completed her medical training at UCLA School of Medicine, and is a triple board-certified physician (American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, American Board of Addiction Medicine, and American Board Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine). Dr. Kong has lectured internationally on stem cells, exchanged ideas with top stem cell scientists from around the globe, and worked closely with various cell laboratories in this country. She is on the relentless search for the best regenerative medicine products on the market, and one of Chara Biologics’ missions is to be a contributing force in bringing the practice of medicine to the 21st century.

Elena Rusyn, MD, PhD

Los Angeles, CA

Immunology

Dr. Elena is Board Certified in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and has more than 9 years of experience in bio-identical hormone replacement and the med-spa field and over 15 years of medical and clinical research training. She is medical office consultant, educator, researcher, lecturer and author of several publications. Dr. Elena is professionally trained as Allergist and Clinical Immunologist with subspecialty in Cardiology. She has an M.D. from the prestigious National Medical University in Kiev, Ukraine and completed residency training in Allergy and Immunology. After moving to the United States, she continued her studies at Harvard Medical School, Gray Cancer Institute (London, UK) and at Duke University Medical Center. Elena developed a true passion for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. She has worked around the globe as a women’s health and hormone specialist. Elena has spent a considerable amount of time developing an expertise in the areas of hormonal balance, weight loss, nutrition, lipid and free radicals research, antioxidants, stem cell research, along with neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders. Dr. Elena’s work has been published in renowned peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Cell Biology, Oncogene, Cancer Research, Cell Host and Microbe, Nutrition and Cancer, Pediatric Research and the Journal of Immunology and Allergy.

Ilene Ruhoy, MD, PhD

Seattle, WA

Neurologist

Dr. Ilene Ruhoy, MD, PhD is a board-certified neurologist who currently practices integrative neurology and is a health and wellness expert. She is the Founder and Medical Director at the Center for Healing Neurology and the Attending Neurologist at the University of Washington Seattle Children’s Hospital. She graduated from the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine and received her PhD in Environmental Toxicology from the University of Nevada. Dr. Ruhoy has completed fellowships in Children’s Neurology at Seattle Children’s Hospital, Neuromuscular Training at the University of Washington, and Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. She also is a Certified Medical Acupuncturist by the Helms Medical Institute. In addition to consultant work for various natural and organic companies, Dr. Ruhoy is part of the MindBodyGreen Collective and is co-editor of Integrative Neurology, a textbook of the Andrew Weil Integrative Medicine Series scheduled to be published by Oxford Press in Fall of 2019

Joseph Cleaver , MD

Dallas, Texas

Peptides

Joseph Cleaver, MD, is an internationally recognized expert in longevity medicine and regenerative and minimally invasive aesthetics. Dr. Cleaver is board certified in antiaging and regenerative medicine and a fellow of the American Board of Anti- Aging and Regenerative Medicine (ABAARM) and the Metabolic Medical Institute. As a faculty member at A4M and MMI he lectures and trains both nationally and internationally in longevity and regenerative medicine and aesthetics. As a member of the Scientific Advisory Board and Board of Directors at the International Peptide Society, Dr. Cleaver lectures on the use of peptides in aesthetics and hair restoration and actively trains medical professionals in the peptide certification program. He is actively involved in the research and development in the use of peptides in aesthetics and hair restoration. He is a master trainer at TRAIN NOW MD, a highly sought after hands on clinical training program in the field of regenerative and cosmetic medicine. With 10 years experience in regenerative aesthetics, his areas of training expertise focus, peptides and the use of PRP, PRF, and biologics for sexual performance, hair restoration, collagen rejuvenation and regenerative skin techniques. He also specializes in basic and advanced PDO THREADS for facial rejuvenation and body contouring techniques. Board certified in internal medicine and a rheumatologist he has extensive experience in the medical ortho-biologic treatment of sports injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. He holds the position of adjunct clinical professor at George Washington School of Medicine teaches in the Masters Program in Integrative Medicine.

Kristine Brecht, MD

Seattle, WA

Cosmetic Surgery

Kristine Brecht, MD is CEO and President of “Stem Cell Rejuvenation”, “Aesthetic Rejuvenation” and “Adult and Pediatric Medicine”, in private practice for 15 years in Seattle, Wa. Having a diverse educational experience in both the medical and surgical fields, Dr Brecht has been offering adipose derived Stem Cell Deployment for patients for several years. It is our ethical duty as physicians to educate patients on the medical treatments available to them. Believing in the power of regenerative medicine, adipose derived stem cell for medical optimization has shown far superior outcomes in Dr Brecht’s patients compared with just conventional medicine alone.