Gov. Jim Doyle announced Wednesday Madison will play host to the World Stem Cell Summit this September at the Alliant Energy Center. The event will be coordinated by UW-Madison research organizations.

Bernard Siegel, executive director of the Genetics Policy Institute, the principal organizer of the event, said planning is well under way. He said he anticipates around 1,000 visitors to attend, along with speakers and exhibiters from all over the world.

According to Siegel, the summit will have many opportunities for attendees to speak with experts in the areas of stem-cell research. Spiegel said much of the program is related to public policy and advocacy.

Edward Fallone, president of Wisconsin Stem Cell Now, Inc. said the goal of the summit is to bring together leading researchers, business leaders and public policy officials and inform them of new developments in stem-cell research. Fallone said Wisconsin Stem Cell Now will address stem cell policy issues at the summit.

“What we’d like to do is participate in that discussion and do a presentation on some of the policy issues, some that are unique to Wisconsin and the situation here and some that are more national,” Fallone said.

He said having the summit in Wisconsin secures the state’s role in leading stem-cell research.

WiCell, a UW-Madison research institute on stem cells, and the University of Wisconsin Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center are hosting the event. WiCell Operations Director Susan Carlson said the summit intends to focus on policy and advocacy.

“The summit is for business people, patient advocates, patients, policy makers and similar groups who are working in areas around stem cells but not directly with the technology,” Carlson said.

University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist James Thomson will speak at the event. 2008 marks the 10-year anniversary of Thomson’s success in isolation and culture of human embryonic stem cells. Both Carlson and Fallone said they expect Thomson’s work to be one of the main topics discussed.