Congress Programme

Day 1

6 August 2026 (Thursday)

Time Programme
8:00 – 8:30 am Registration
8:30 – 9:00 am Opening Ceremony: Welcome Address by Guest of Honour
9:00 – 10:00 am Keynote Lecture - Mesenchymal Stem / Stromal Cells: From Scientific Discovery to Clinical Translation
Prof Dr John Rasko AO (Peking University & Macau University of Science and Technology)
10:00 – 10:45 am Photography Session and Tea Break
Symposium 1: Biology of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
10:45 – 11:15 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs): Historical Overview and ISCT Minimal Defining Criteria
Dr Vijayendran Govindasamy (CryoCord)
11:15 – 11:45 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs): Comparative Evaluation of Bone Marrow, Umbilical Cord, Adipose, and iPSC-Derived Sources
Prof Dr Jonathan Loh Yuin-Han (National University of Singapore)
11:45 – 12:15 pm Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Mechanisms of Action
Prof Dr Chin Sze-Piaw (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
12:15 – 12:45 pm Poster Viewing and Booth Visit
12:45 – 2:00 pm Lunch break / Lunch Symposium
2:00 – 2:45 pm Plenary Lecture 1: Immune Dynamics in Tissue Regeneration and Repair
Prof Dr Shi YuFang (Soochow University)
Symposium 2: Approved Clinical Applications of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
2:45 – 3:05 pm Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Inflammatory Disorders
Dr Tan Sen-Mui (Subang Jaya Medical Centre)
3:05 – 3:25 pm Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Osteoarthritis and Spinal Cord Injury
Dato' Dr Lee Joon-Kiong (Beacon Hospital)
3:25 – 4:00 pm Tea Break and Poster Viewing / Booth Visit
4:00 – 4:20 pm Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Fistula
Prof Dato' Dr April Camilia Roslani (Universiti Malaya)
4:20 – 4:40 pm Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Critical Limb Ischaemia
TBC
4:40 pm Poster Viewing / Booth Visit
End of Day 1

Day 2

7 August 2026 (Friday)

Time Programme
8:30 – 9:15 am Plenary Lecture 2: Engineering "SMART" Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: MSC 2.0
Assoc Prof Dr Teoh Hoon-Koon (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
9:15 – 10:00 am Plenary Lecture 3: Providing Cell-Based Therapy in a Hospital Setting
Prof Dr Fu Kun (Qingdao Yinghai Hospital)
10:00 – 10:30 am Tea Break and Poster Viewing / Booth Visit
Symposium 3: Emerging Applications of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
10:30 – 10:50 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Perinatal Disorders
Prof Dr Tan Geok-Chin (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM)
10:50 – 11:10 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Prof Datin Dr Norlinah Mohd Ibrahim (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM)
11:10 – 11:30 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Aesthetics
TBC
11:30 – 11:50 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Eye Disorders
Dr Then Kong-Yong (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
11:50 – 2:00 pm Lunch Break / Lunch Symposium
2:00 – 3:00 pm Current Clinical Trial Report:
Stroke Trial Assoc Prof Dr Wan Nafisah Wah Yahya (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM)
Wound Healing Trial Prof Dr S. Fadilah Abdul Wahid (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM)
Symposium 4: Regulatory, Ethics and Patient Safety
3:00 – 3:30 pm 2026 Global Regulatory Landscape
Prof Dr John Rasko AO (Peking University & Macau University of Science of Technology)
3:30 – 4:00 pm Tea Break and Poster Viewing / Booth Visit
4:00 – 4:30 pm 2026 Regulatory Landscape in Malaysia
TBC
4:30 – 5:00 pm 2026 Regulatory Landscape in India
TBC
5:00 – 5:30 pm 2026 Regulatory Landscape in China
Prof Dr Fu Kun (Qingdao Yinghai Hospital)
7:00 pm Congress Dinner (A separate subscription is required. Further details will be announced later)
End of Day 2

Day 3

8 August 2026 (Saturday)

Time Programme
Symposium 5: The Rise of Cell-free Therapies - Extracellular Particles
8:30 – 9:30 am Plenary Lecture 4: Discovery and Evolution of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Extracellular Particles
Assoc Research Prof Dr Lim Sai-Kiang (National University of Singapore)
9:30 – 9:50 am Therapeutic Development of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Extracellular Particles
Assoc Prof Dr Foo Jhi-Biau (Taylors University)
9:50 – 10:10 am Challenges in Clinical Translation of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Extracellular Particles
Assoc Prof Dr Law Jia-Xian (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)
10:10 – 10:40 am Tea Break and Poster Viewing / Booth Visit
Symposium 6: Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: From Bench to Bedside
(Chairperson: Emeritus Prof. Dato' Dr Cheong Soon-Keng)
10:40 – 11:00 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Rediscovery in Malaysia
Assoc Prof Dr Rachel Mok Pooi-Ling (Universiti Putra Malaysia)
11:00 – 11:20 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Production and Commercialisation
Dr Then Kong-Yong (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
11:20 – 11:40 am Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Clinical Trials to Market Authorisation
Prof Dr Chin Sze-Piaw (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
11:40 – 12:10 pm Panel Discussion on Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: From Bench to Bedside
Moderator: Emeritus Prof Dato' Dr Cheong Soon-Keng
Panel: Prof Dr Chin Sze-Piaw, Dr Then Kong-Yong, Assoc Prof Dr Rachel Mok Pooi-Ling
12:10 – 1:30 pm Lunch Congress Debate: Cell based Immunotherapy for Autoimmune Disorders: MSCs vs CAR-T
Chairperson: Prof Dr Chin Sze-Piaw (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
MSCs Prof Dr Gan Gin-Gin (Universiti Malaya)
CAR-T Prof Dr S. Fadilah Abdul Wahid (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM)
1:30 – 2:00 pm Closing Ceremony and Presentation of Best Poster Award
2:00 – 5:30 pm Visit to Cell Processing Centre in Bio-X Centre, Cyberjaya (Separate registration on Day 1 is required)
End of Congress