Stem cell research pact on animals inked

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University (TANUVAS) and Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday, to establish a collaborative research centre for stem cell based treatment to animals. The centre would research on the clinical application of the new cell-based therapy for several critical surgical conditions.

The MoU was signed between Dr P Thangaraju, Vice Chancellor, TANUVAS, and Dr Samuel Abraham, Director, NCRM, in the presence of Kazuo Minagawa, Consul General of Japan, in Chennai.

On the scope of the agreement, “This MoU is the first such initiative in the country to provide stem cell based treatment to animals. To start with, diseases like spinal cord injury in animals will be given stem cell treatment. Later, the scope of research will be expanded to other diseases, based on the evidences available.” After signing the Memorandum of Understanding, both these institutes will work jointly to establish some possible therapeutic modalities, especially for the crippling surgical conditions.

This new clinical protocol will be extended in the first phase for the dogs with spinal cord injury and for horses with tendon and ligament injuries.

“Apart from establishing current good manufacturing procedure (cGMP) facility for stem cell processing, we are also looking at clinical application of stem cells in animals, “ said Dr Samuel Abraham.“The NCRM is likely to get the technology on Induced Pluripotent Stem cells (iPS) by early next year from Kyoto University, Japan, and we propose to work together with TANUVAS,” Abraham added.