Cure to Cancer possible by exploiting immune system –Expert
NCRM NICHE 2010 presents exciting results for treatment for stroke
Japanese and NCRM scientists to work on antibodies and NK cells

Chennai, Oct 09. The most promising treatment cancer is feasible if we exploit the potentials of our body’s own immune system, said the world renowned expert in antibody research Prof. Kurosawa of Fujita Health University, Japan. Delivering his lecture in the Fifth Anniversary- International Stem Cell meeting by Chennai based Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), an Indo-Japan joint venture Institute, his team’s findings come as a shot in the arm for cancer specialists and patients

The cancer cells when develop in our body, they are sensed by the immune cells based on their non-self (foreign body) nature. This foreign body nature is represented by some specific proteins in the cancer cells called antigens and each type of cancer may express different type(s) of such antigens. If we develop antibodies or antagonists which can suppress or help destroy these antigens, then the control or destruction of cancer is easier. Till date several antibody based drugs have been approved in the west and Prof. Kurosawa’s team has developed more than fifty such antibodies against human cancers. He also added that when the antibody based approach is combined with the cell based immunotherapies such as Autologous Immune Enhancement Therapy (www.immunotreatment.org), the efficiency of destroying the cancer cells will be more significant. This is something like first indentifying and targeting the anti-social elements (cancer cells) and then specifically destroying them using the commando squad(NK cells and Lymphocytes) he explained in a simple manner

Another exciting finding on the treatment of Cerebrovascular stroke otherwise called as “Brain Attack” using autologous bone marrow stem cells was presented by Dr.Satoshi Kuroda of Hokkaido University. Dr Kuroda’s team has proven that appropriate culture methodologies when combined with right kind of scaffolds, then the neural repair by stem cells is given a boost as per their study published in Journal of Neurosurgery (June 2010)

Dr.Manikandhan of the recently formed India’s FIRST consortium on Dental Stem cell research, application and banking based at NCRM presented their findings of collection, transportation and expansion of dental pulp derived stem cells, the first such experience in India during the symposium. Dr. Krishnamohan of Institute of Child Health said the enteric neuronal cells could be cultured jointly with NCRM and has a great potential for treating Hirschsprung's disease patients

The scholars of the Training Programme in Regenerative Medicine (TPRM) an affiliate of Toronto University, Mac Master University and Ottawa University which is conducted at NCRM (Only centre in India for the TPRM) were awarded the Diplomas by Prof. Kurosawa during the valedictory session

Director of NCRM Dr Abraham, in his speech highlighted the achievements of NCRM including India’s First Patent on polymer based Corneal Stem Culture with Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai and successful cell based immune treatment of several cancer patients, using their own immune cells with excellent results

The consul general of Japan at Chennai Mr. Kazuo Minagawa congratulated NCRM which is the ONLY Japanese collaborating organization in India in this field and also this meeting which is the only one of its kind in this field conducted every year since 2006. He distributed the prizes to winners of the Fujio Cup Quiz, an all India quiz competition on stem cells conducted for the 5th time consecutively named after the renowned Japanese Physician Dr Fujio Takayama. The first prize and the prestigious ever-rotating Fujio cup went to the team from Christian Medical College, Vellore