Rediscovering
a Lost Science?
A
Brief Overview On Stem Cell Research in India
By: Vinod Scaria, Editor: E-Journal of Human Cloning.
E-mail: vinodscaria@yahoo.co.in
Post your comments at http://groups.msn.com/humancloning
It is perhaps not just
about creating ‘spare parts’ for Human beings. Stem cell
research has grown at a breathtaking pace that any philosopher
worth his salt would not attempt to predict the Future. When
ethical jingoism predominates the scenario in the west , it is
interesting to note that many eastern countries have made rapid
strides to reap maximum benefits out of this interesting science.
India, already widely acclaimed as the IT[Information technology]
superpower, is all set to exploit the benefits of BT [Bio
Technology] .This article is an overview of the Stem Cell research
in this part of the world.
A lost science?
In Adi parva , one of the chapters of
Mahabharata, it is said that Kauravas were created from pinda [ a
ball of flesh] which Gandhari delivered after two years of
pregnancy. It was then handed over to the sage Dwapayan , which
was then divided into one hundred parts and treated with herbs and
ghee. The pieces were then covered with cloth and kept in a
chamber to cool for two years; out of which the Kauravas were
born.” There cannot be any other explanation for this….”
Says Dr Matapurkar of the Delhi Maulana Azad Medical College.
The ancient sages of India must have perfected the art of
regenerating entire human beings from cells. In fact Mahabharata
clearly describes the various stages of processing pieces of
flesh, which is infact closely comparable to modern techniques of
harvesting and processing embryonic stem cells.[sans the
sophistication!] . Perhaps stem cell research was altogether a
lost science of ancient India.
The rediscovery:
Stem cell research in India made it to the headlines when
the US department of health disclosed its interest in funding stem
cell research in two Indian Centres-the Reliance Life Sciences[RLS}
and the National Centre for Biological sciences[NCBS].
The Reliance life Sciences[RLS] ; backed by the industry
major Reliance Ltd ranks third among the top-10 institutes
worldwide working on stem cells, as stated by NIH of the US and
that too came just when the RLS was just 8months old!.The center
is headed by Dr Firuza Parikh , the creator of the first
ICSI[Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection]child in India.
The National center for biological sciences had been
working on stem cells for quite long.[since 1999] and has three
documented stem cell lines.
Another major institute involved in stem cell research in
India is the L.V.Prasad Eye Institute, based at Hyderabad. The
Institute caught the headlines recently when its doctors succeeded
in transplanting a stem cell derived cornea to a patient who had
lost his cornea- a treatment option available only in the US at
that time.
The Maulana Azad Medical college, Delhi is yet another
major institution involved in stem cell research.; and studies
here are led by Dr Balakrishna Matapurkar, one of the pioneers of
stem cell research in India.
The
Indian BT Boom:
Recently the Ruby Hall Medical Research
Centre, a subsidiary of Pune-based Ruby Hall Clinic, and
Denmark-based biotechnology company Mesibo are soon to form a
49:51 joint venture with an aim to establish India’s largest
cord blood storage facility at Pune. This is apart from other
Pharma majors in the country setting up their own stem cell and BT
research centres all over the country.
These measures got a pat on the back when NIH announced its
interest in funding research in stem cells in the country.
Ethics: the Indian Perspective:
When ethical jingoism dominated the scenario in the west,
eastern countries like India and Singapore were taking rapid
strides to reap the benefits of this science to the maximum
possible extent.
Unlike the public opinion in the west, which is
against researches in this field, the public opinion in many
eastern countries including India is far more supportive. This may
be partly due to the scientific temper inculcated by the epics,
and innumerous religious texts which are in fact acclaimed
worldwide for their scientific value.
This openness is reflected in the Indian Department of
Biotechnology [DBT]’s statement that India is open to stem Cell
research ; and it promptly made regulatory provisions to control
unethical practices, and in fact pioneered in bringing up a widely
acceptable legal framework for research.
Conclusions:
India has emerged as one of the
major countries involved in Stem cell research. A country which
succeeded in becoming an
IT superpower is also trying to replicate its success in BT. Apart
from the pride and prestige earned by researchers in the country,
the researches in BT are adding more horsepower to the booming
economy of the country. India having an enviable combination of
manpower and infrastructure, is also involved in co-operations
with other countries thus promoting the free flow of information
gained through research and their utilisation in the betterment of
Human lives.
…
