Stem cell transplantation to treat 40 critical diseases

'In the near future, we will use stem cell transplant technology to treat blood cancer. Then there is step by step research and application of treatment of 40 other dangerous diseases that the world has succeeded with stem cell transplantation '- Deputy Head of Science Department, Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung, who chaired a in two umbilical cord blood bank projects serving stem cell transplantation in Vietnam, for the Youth of the Weekend to know.

Mr. Hung added:

Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung
(Photo: TTO)

- Our bank aims only at the goal of storing umbilical cord blood stem cells and umbilical cord stem cells, from the association of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Mekophar Pharmaceutical Company. This July, the bank officially opened and our initial plan was to store 5,000 samples of umbilical stem cells, umbilical cord membranes / year, and possibly more in the following years.

* Why just choose to store umbilical cord blood stem cells, umbilical cord membranes, but not peripheral blood stem cells like some medical facilities in Vietnam did, sir?

- I can say this is an ideal source of stem cells. The advantage of this source of stem cells is that it is easy to harvest, does not affect the health of mother and child (usually after giving birth, in Vietnam, the umbilical cord is often removed but in fact, this is a precious gift that nature has given giving people); Stem cells from the umbilical cord are 'young' cells, capable of reproducing well. Usually cultured for one week, from one umbilical cord can produce 7 billion cells, enough to treat patients; whereas if cultured from peripheral blood stem cells, it is very difficult to have these cells. A special feature is that the stem cells from the umbilical cord are easily accepted by the body, avoiding the elimination.

* In July, one of the two umbilical cord stem cells and the umbilical cord membrane will be born. What is the purpose of keeping, sir?

- First of all, keep it to treat people who have stored cord blood stem cells and their relatives if they need it. In foreign countries, those who have stored stem cells will have to pay thousands of dollars, but in Vietnam the fees may be very small. These stem cell samples can also be shared for people with other diseases if they have an appropriate biochemical index (in 2006, five cancer patients were treated with stem cell transplants stored in the disease. Hematology and Blood Transfusion Institute HCMC). Another important goal is storage for drug testing, cosmetic testing . This has many countries in the world application. Stem cells from stalks and umbilical cord membranes may be used for treatment for three generations (people with stored stem cells or their brothers, parents and grandparents). In Japan and South Korea, this cell is primarily used to treat grandparents.

* He is talking about stem cell transplantation technology to treat diseases. Can I use this technology to treat what diseases and how to apply in Vietnam?

- The world has cured about 40 dangerous diseases by stem cell transplant from umbilical cord: cancers, paralysis from trauma, stroke, cardiovascular, diabetes . In Vietnam, Hematology and Transmission Hospital blood from Ho Chi Minh City, Institute 108, Hue Central Hospital successfully used stem cell transplantation to treat patients with leukemia. First of all, we will continue this work and proceed to research and apply treatment for diseases that the world has succeeded.

Collection, culture and treatment with stem cells at HCMC Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital

Many countries around the world have gone a long way, but more slowly than never, and so we have joined the private sector (Mekophar Company) to facilitate investment resources and mechanisms. However, we alone can hardly speed up the application of technology. The direction of the project is that after collecting and storing stem cells from umbilical cord, we will differentiate stem cells into many types of cells such as heart, pancreas, bone, and nerve . Specialized hospitals The industry must cooperate with us in the use of differentiated stem cells for transplantation and treatment for the respective patients.

* The speed of application of stem cell transplantation techniques over the past ten years in Vietnam is very slow (only 10 years of treatment for 60 patients). What makes him think that it is possible to really apply umbilical cord stem cell transplant technology, umbilical cord membrane treatment in Vietnam?

- My method is to have a scientific topic, from which to find techniques and equipment to serve the technique. This is the method I learned from Prof. Ho Dac Di during his days as a secretary. Currently some of my students who live and work abroad have found technology and transferred to us all from the process of collecting and storing stem cells from umbilical cord and umbilical cord, then will is a method of differentiating into different types of cells. They were my students before, but now they are better than me in this area and I go to them again. If there is a device, I think that differentiating stem cells into different types of cells is not difficult, we will do it.

Doctor Huynh Nghia (Ho Chi Minh City Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital - the unit that will launch a large stem cell bank in September 2007): In the past ten years, we have had stem cell transplantation treated for about 50 people, while the specific needs of the southern provinces have 700 people needing grafting for treatment.From 2006 up to now, the speed of technical implementation has been faster: in 2006, a transplant was made each month and in 2007, there will be 20 cases of transplantation.

There are three reasons for slow implementation of stem cell technology in Vietnam.It is a substandard facility;Health insurance has not been fully paid and human resources are insufficient.We now have a stem cell 'bank', storing 1,800 samples of umbilical cord blood, 1,200 samples of which meet international standards and are ready to use for transplanting if there are appropriate patients (in 2006 there were five diseases). multiplication is made from samples stored in the bank).In September 2007, we will officially open a new bank with the ability to store 7,000 samples of stem cells in the future.

In Vietnam, there are many research units applying stem cell technology.Hematology and blood transfusion hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Medical University, Ministry of Science and Technology . study to use stem cell transplant technology to treat diseases for humans.University of Natural Sciences, Biotechnology Institute studies both ways of developing livestock breeds and treating diseases.In particular, the Institute of Biotechnology has successfully duplicated embryos of some animals such as rats, buffaloes, cows, cows, pigs, monkeys, saola, in which the cloning of cows and pigs is completed. Full at hand.These successes open the way to treating diseases of different species, including small pigs with the size of organs suitable for humans and clean the endogenous virus line.The Institute of Biotechnology has also succeeded in cultivating umbilical stem cells.The University of Natural Sciences is studying stem cell technology to create catfish, pangasius clean .

Dr. Phan Toan Thang, formerly of Vietnam National Burn Institute and now living and working in Singapore, is the first in the world to successfully study the process of culturing umbilical cord stem cells.Currently Prof. Thang has differentiated stem cells from umbilical cord membrane into fat, cartilage, skin, and nerve cells . In which differentiated skin cells have been used to cultivate artificial skin, very useful in treatment of burns, especially deep, wide, long-lasting burns.Burns and ulcers treated by PGS method Wins evenly from the 20th day of treatment.

Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung is implementing the above stem cell banking project.In addition, there are a series of Vietnamese scientists living and working abroad successfully in stem cell transplantation for disease treatment.In Japan, a Vietnamese-based scientist succeeded in cloning mice;In Singapore, a young Vietnamese ophthalmologist has succeeded in stem cell transplantation to treat corneal lesions .