I’ll once again be attending this year’s NIH course at CHOC. For scientists interested in all types of stem cell research, here are the details:

The following information is for the NIH-sponsored Human Embryonic Stem
Cell Culture Training Course to be held at the Children’s Hospital of
Orange County (CHOC), in Orange, California, March 4-13, 2008. Please
post/forward to all interested colleagues, staff, and students.

This Human Embryonic Stem Cell Culture Training Course brings together
some of the leading experts on embryonic stem cell technology, and
through comparative approaches, train students in the successful culture,
maintenance, and manipulation of embryonic stem cells.

The on-line application can be found on the National Human Neural Stem
Cell Resource web site – www.nhnscr.org – simply by following the link
on the left side-bar.  A full description of the course as well as the
faculty and facilities can also be found on this site.

The tuition for the course has been set at $1,500. This covers all
supplies and materials for the course.  There are additional costs for
meals, housing, and transportation between the hotel and the teaching
facility and these will be described in the registrations materials sent to
accepted applicants. It is expected that these costs will range between
$2,250 and $3,000, depending negotiated rates. In addition, students
are responsible for travel costs between the hotel and their homes/home
institutions.

The on-line application deadline is January 11, 2008, but applications
submitted after that time will be considered if space is still
available.

Prospective students will be notified of their acceptance/rejection
after January 18, 2008.  There is room for 12 students for this course.
  Prospective students should also indicate in an accompanying e-mail if
they wish to be considered for the next course.

Full tuition deposits for accepted students are due by February 8,
2008.

Please note the following:

1) Limited scholarship support is available for under-represented
minorities who meet US citizenship requirements. To apply, contact the
course director.

2) Applicants need not be Principal Investigators or Program Directors
but, if not, the applicant must provide written confirmation from their
Principal Investigator or Program Director that they will use the
skills that they have learned at the course upon return to their home
laboratory.

3) Applicants (or their Principal Investigators or Program Directors)
must provide written evidence that they already have human embryonic
stem cells or written evidence of intent to procure human embryonic stem
cells.