AIIMS Bathinda became 2nd AIIMS for successfully conducting preliminary test on Stem Cell Therapy: A landmark achievement
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ September 14,2024
AIIMS, Bathinda has achieved major milestone in the field of stem cell therapy and second AIIMS only beside Delhi to do so. They successfully established primary Stem cell culture facility, more over very 1st AIIMS which proceed a step ahead by doing Pharmacological Preconditioning of Stem Cell and establishing invitro Ischemic-Reperfusion injury model of heart for validation before transplantation, which is in a way quite tedious and cumbersome task.
Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Additional Professor, Biochemistry has added this feather to the crown of AIIMS, Bathinda. He humbly dedicated work of him to the leadership of institute, Director, Prof D K Singh. He is also thankful for the support and encouragement of Dr Akhilesh Pathak (Dean) and Dr Rajiv Kumar (Medical Superintendent).
His actual workforce on ground was his Research Scholar, Varsha and well assisted by other scientific lab members. Being a new AIIMS, it took his PhD scholar, more than a year or so to procure numerous items, equipment needed and to establish BSL-2 stem cell facility to get things moving.
Additionally, above all the most challenging task was standardization of protocols.Dr Sanjay ideas and work was supported by grant from reputed organization for research fundings “Department of Science & Technology” (DST) and their wing “Science and Engineering Research Board” (SERB) under Core Research Grant (CRG) scheme, Govt of India. He said he owe to Govt of India vision in this aspect.
Dr Sanjay’s Stem Cell lab here at AIIMS Bathinda has successfully Isolated and Cultured Stem Cells from Wharton jelly Umbilical cord/Adipose tissue collected from patients. His Lab further moved a step ahead wherein, not only Stem Cells were Isolated and Cultured but also successfully undergone Pharmacological Preconditioning and by doing that his objective was to evoke various Survival Pathways of Stem Cells so that they may survive in extreme conditions once transplanted. An invitro model of Ischemic-Reperfusion injury has also been established for further validation and to thoroughly check the sturdiness of stem cell before transplantation. Dr Sanjay is very much hopeful that his preconditioned stem cell will survive after transplantation and will proliferate and differentiate into respective tissue in their niche, which in current scenario is major bottle neck in implementation of this field of Regenerative Medicine for replacing fibrotic tissues etc.
As per WHO, Ischemic heart disease and stroke are the world’s biggest killers, accounting for combined approximately 17.4 million deaths and has increased in India by 32% of all global death. Stem cells have an inherent property to proliferate and differentiate into a variety of cells thus have significant importance in cell-based therapy.
Stem cell therapy is highly effective and convenient instead of undergoing options like surgeries and organ transplantation as it provides minimal post-procedural recovery time, no communicable disease transmission, least side effects, immunomodulatory functions etc. However, while working at University of Cincinnati (USA), his lab found that, a significant number of cells (more than 95%) die once transplanted into ischemic myocardium or other tissues because of the ischemic condition and unfavourable environment, posing the biggest threat to the therapy.
AIIMS Bathinda became 2nd AIIMS for successfully conducting preliminary test on Stem Cell Therapy: A landmark achievement. Dr Sanjay took up this challenge working in this direction and desire to increase the survival of transplanted stem cell. Meanwhile they are also trying to elucidated novel molecular mechanism of stem cell protection over a prolonged period. Dr Sanjay lab outcome might be a step to reduce suffering in human heart disease, additionally will be useful for premier institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER etc. which are actively engaged in transplanting stem cell for organ failure and tissue injuries and may thoroughly shift the paradigm of regenerative medicine.
