University of Toronto and Kyoto University Joint Stem Cell Research

Canadian and Japanese scientists, from the University of Toronto and Kyoto University signed a joint stem cell research agreement in October 2008. It is hoped that the joint research venture will jump start stem cell research into cystic fibrosis and other conditions, including autism. Dr. William Stanford, associate director of the University of Toronto's Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering hopes that cell-based therapies can be developed more rapidly to address the underlying causes, not just the symptoms, of these disorders. The October agreement called for the Canadian and Japanese scientists to meet every three months to discuss their findings so their initial meetings should commence in early 2009.

autism