Partnership with the Vatican Extended to 2020

One significant outcome of the 2013 Conference was the announcement of the extension of the collaboration
between the Stem for Life Foundation (SFLF) and the Vatican through May 2020. SFLF welcomes this opportunity to further develop this fruitful relationship, which has the potential to help millions around the world, both Catholics and non-Catholics, better understand adult stem cells and the growing impact they are having on patients.

On May 26, 2010, Msgr. Tomasz Trafny, Head of the Science and Faith Department of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture and Executive Director of STOQ International, and Dr. Robin Smith, CEO of NeoStem and President of SFLF, announced what they characterized as the Vatican’s first-ever contractual collaboration with an outside commercial venture to advance adult stem cell research. This initiative partnered the charitable organizations of NeoStem and the Vatican to expand research and raise awareness of adult stem cell therapies.

Accomplishments of this extraordinary collaboration to date are:

• The First and Second International Vatican Adult Stem Cell Conferences, which gathered the foremost experts in adult stem cell research alongside distinguished leaders in the fields of life sciences, medicine, religion, ethics, and public policy.

• A special edition of the Pontifical Council for Culture’s quarterly journal, Cultures and Faith, which published works by many of the speakers of the 2011 Vatican Conference, as well as articles by other leaders in the field of stem cell science.

• The creation of the recently published book about adult stem cells for the public, The Healing Cell: How the Greatest Revolution in Medical History Is Changing Your Life.

• The launch of the Student Cellular Ambassadors Program.