'Stem cell studies now moving to clinics'

Marriage of physicians and basic scientists is the need of the hour as Enough pre-clinical data are being generated across research institutes in the country to take up clinical applications of stem cell.

Dr C M Habibullah, director, Centre for Liver Diseases and dean, Deccan College of Medicine at Hyderabad, speaking at the 'Third All India Conference on Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering' here said: "Presently, the research is moving from labs to clinics in India as sufficient pre-clinical data are being generated to take up clinical application."

"These sporadic data comes in from various research centres using stem cells to fight different diseases. With this, there is a need for planned clinical study involving both physicians and basic scientists," he added.

Presently, stem cell research and clinical application is goin on in ophthalmology, liver diseases, dermatology, neural regeneration and cardiology and peripheral vascular diseases.

Guidelines for stem cell research and application is ready and is to come up for public discussions shortly before being enacted as law, said Habibullah.

The conference was informed of the regenerative potential of stem cells and where this potential may be put into use. Investigations are on in the areas of cardio-thoracic surgery where several research groups across the country have carried out trials to test if autologous (where the donor and recipient are same) bone marrow-derived stem cells can regenerate new blood vessels and myocardium, in myocardial infarcts and cardiomyopathy. Enriched stem cells from bone-marrow have been used in all these studies and they have shown improved heart function.

Earlier, inaugurating the seminar, Karnataka minister of health and family welfare R Ashok said that the state was planning to appoint 500 doctors to enlarge the medical facilities in the rural areas.