28 June 2014. The CIHR Training Program in Regenerative Medicine (TPRM), affiliated with the University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, and McMaster University in Canada, has started accepting applications from interested scholars who wish to enroll in the 7th batch of the training program to start in September 2014 at NCRM, Chennai, India.

Regenerative Medicine is an evolving branch of medicine which has great hopes to provide solutions to incurable diseases using stem cells, progenitor cells and adult cells with regenerative capability. This being a unique branch of medicine with constant need for upgrading and interaction with basic sciences and translational studies, the TPRM provides a platform for basic scientists and clinicians through web-based training. Taking place at the Chennai based NCRM; lectures are transmitted via webcast from the University of Toronto campus under the CIHR Training Program in Regenerative Medicine (TPRM).　This program has a series of approximately 30 lectures covering primary organ failures, sources of cells for probable treatment, steps to ensure safety, requirement of ethical guidelines, translational studies and future prospects in clinical application and further research. Enrollment is open until July 15th, 2014 for students, scholars of PhD and faculty of biology, biotechnology, medicine, veterinary sciences, and dentistry.

This partnership began in 2008 and NCRM is the first in the country to offer an international level comprehensive training in regenerative medicine.  This was based on a Memorandum of Understanding which was signed between Dr. Samuel JK Abraham, (Director, NCRM) and Dr. Gary Levy (Director, University of Toronto Transplant Institute).

Participants upon successful completion and obtaining adequate credits in the exams conducted will receive a certificate from the TPRM.  Students who wish to apply must be fluent in English and ensure 100% attendance in person at NCRM campus, Chennai. 

The CIHR Training Program in Regenerative Medicine (TPRM) is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funded strategic training program that was established in 2002. The vision of the TPRM is to develop and implement an educational curriculum in the innovative science of regenerative medicine, which will provide research trainees with the knowledge and skills to compete globally in both academia and industry. The TPRM will produce the next generation of scientists and highly qualified personnel to meet the needs of Canada and the international community’s healthcare and industry sectors; it will instill in trainees an interdisciplinary and team-based approach to the understanding and treatment of organ failure; and will develop and offer an innovative curriculum to support the development of well-rounded health researchers and personnel. 

NCRM is an Indo-Japanese academic institute and probably the first one of this kind in India and has been chosen to be a partner to TPRM, based on their academic & research credentials especially the affiliation for a PhD in Regenerative Medicine with Acharya Nagarjuna University and the affiliation for a M.Sc (Regenerative Medicine) programme with the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. The previous six batches had a maximum of 10 scholars in each batch with equal participation from basic science researchers and clinicians, who upon completion have started several research projects.

Those who are interested to participate in the 7th batch of TPRM and those who can attend all the lectures in NCRM campus in Chennai may send their CV to ta.tprm@nichimail.jp before 15th July , 2014.