Vietnam: Stem cell bank is about to go into operation

Vietnam . In 2008, you can send the umbilical cord of your children in a stem cell bank. From these umbilical cord stalks, stem cells can be isolated to treat a variety of diseases for the child.

' Race ' set up stem cell bank

'I am fortunate to interact with pioneering scientists in this area. One of them was Dr. Phan Toan Thang (overseas Vietnamese in Singapore, the first to discover that the cord blood membrane can isolate many stem cells). We have established a relationship and signed a technology transfer contract with Dr. Phan Toan Thang about umbilical cord stem cells ".

Stem cell research in molecular biology laboratory - Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Sciences (Photo: V. Giang)

Pharmacist Dang Thi Kim Lan, Deputy General Director of Mekophar Pharmaceutical Chemical Joint Stock Company was excited to talk about the stem cell bank that the company plans to put into operation next year - 2008. She explained In addition, previously, the umbilical cord when giving birth was medical waste, but now, it has great potential for medicine and economic value.

When the stem cell bank is born, the child's umbilical cord can be stored here. If unfortunate, at risk of disease, the child will have the opportunity to cure with its own stem cells isolated from the umbilical cord membrane. In addition, from that stem cell can also be used to treat the relatives of children or those with the same biological index of the stem cell.

According to pharmacist Kim Lan, although she jumped in, she still felt passionate when she ventured to invest in stem cell banking.

She said, "Business performance, or business prospects do not predict and do not know" win "or" lose. "But knowing one thing is certain, not winning economically is also winning mentally because Contributing to the world know Vietnam also has development steps in the field of stem cells ".

Mekophar has invested 10 billion dong to procure equipment for the stem cell bank in preparation for operation. Here will be deposited on the cord lining of the newborn cord.

Choosing the method of cooperation with a developed country on research and stem cell trading is also the direction of Ngoc Tam Joint Stock Company.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, former director of Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital and founder of Ngoc Tam Company, said Ngoc Tam Company has cooperated to build a stem cell bank from umbilical cord with Cryo Cord organization. (Malaysia) because this is a professional unit and has a lot of experience in stem cell research and business.

There are currently 4 stem cell banks established.That is the stem cell bank of the Mekophar Joint Stock Company, Ngoc Tam Joint Stock Company;Military Hospital 103;Blood Transfusion & Hematology Hospital Ho Chi Minh City.

In addition to storing the umbilical cord membranes of babies according to family needs, cord blood banks receive reserves of donated umbilical cord membranes, for the purpose of providing those who need it, with the same biological index. of this stem cell, especially in charitable purposes.

The storage fee of umbilical stem cells in countries around the world is accepted by many people. Although they are quite high as in the US is 4,000 USD, Asian countries are about 2,000 USD (for storage period of 15-20 years.

In Malaysia, when sending umbilical stem cells to the bank, customers have to pay 1,000 USD, then pay 100 USD each year. According to Dr. Ngoc Phuong, this is the lowest cost, banks in Vietnam may follow this price.

Although building the same umbilical stem cell bank, the ability of each bank will be reflected in both business and research. This is a special thing of the stem cell bank - Dr. Phuong said.

Stem cell bank: Going before the law .

According to experts, it can be thought that building stem cell banks is a ' save ' meaning in health care and protection. People in many countries around the world are more aware of ' prevention ' than cure. With the development of science in the field of stem cell research, there are many incurable diseases that will be treated with stem cell therapy. It is also possible to apply stem cells in cosmetic surgery.

Breeding mice to study stem cells.Photo taken at the Laboratory - Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Sciences (Photo: V.Giang)

However, according to MS-BS Ho Manh Tuong, General Secretary of the Society of Reproductive and Infertility Endocrinology, the application potential of stem cells is very large but the applicability in practice is still limited. Especially the full and clear rules of the stem cell law.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong said, somewhat reluctant to establish a stem cell bank when there are no adequate legal provisions.

However, as in many other countries, stem cell banks have to follow strict, strict rules such as not serving the purpose of going against human progress, not manipulating human embryos ( Human embryos are also considered human), BS. Ngoc Phuong said.

Therefore, according to Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, the medical problem is taken into consideration in the field of research as well as stem cell business. We do not have a formal law because in many cases, there must be specific behavior and actions to have a law based on behavioral norms and social ethics. Therefore, each person, each group in this field needs to know their limits in the profession, that limit is based on moral and social norms.

Dr. Tuong said, 'Limiting or setting rules to regulate stem cell-related behavior . It is too early to set out at the moment'. According to him, the stem cell bank is only to store stem cells and hopefully can be used in the future. From storage to research and development and application implementation is a long and difficult path .

Stem cell bank

Animal cell bank to provide homogeneous cell sources.Banks of cells are divided into 2 categories: master cell bank (MCB) and working cell bank (working cell bank - WCB).MCB only preserves, stores first-line cells, does not use production or trade.These cells are used to then create WCB banks, provided to customers.

The cells must be frozen at -196 ^° C (liquid nitrogen) to be stored, stored, the cooling rate ranges from -1 ^o C to -3 ^o C for 1 minute, and when it needs to be frozen Quickly by warming 37 ^° C in 3-5 minutes.

Worldwide, the stem cell bank was officially opened in 2004 in the UK.In early 2006, Singapore launched a similar stem cell bank.

The task of stem cell banking is to preserve, describe and characterize the control of stem cell lines for quality, the support of biological ethics and ultimately to the treatment.

In principle, stem cell banks store stem cell lines originally taken from embryonic, fetal and adult tissues.An application to keep the stem cell lines or access to the stem cell lines being stored, must be reviewed and approved by the senior supervisory committee.

In Vietnam, in order to prepare for stem cell banks to come into operation, Mekophar has one person to study for a doctorate in immunology, two for microbiology engineers in Singapore, a developed country for public cell technology.Ngoc Tam Company has sent 5 people to Malaysia for professional training related to learning more from research, business and even administrative work in running a stem cell bank.

(According to MSc Phan Kim Ngoc - Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Sciences)

Vinh Giang