Stem cells is no hype but it is a better hope: Experts

One day 2 of Bangalore India Bio (BIB) Indias premier Biotech Show organised by the department of Information Technology, Bio-Technology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka and the Vision Group on Biotechnology, featured another TRACK ON REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, the topic was THE PROMISES AND CHALLENGES OF REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. The session was Chaired by B.N. Manohar Chief Executive Officer, Stempeutics Research Pvt. Ltd. and the Speakers were Prof. Ravi Bellamkonda Associate Vice President for Research, Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in Biomedical Engineering & GCC Distinguished Scholar, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, Dr. N.K. Venkataramana - Director of Advanced Neuro-Science Institute and Vice-Chairman of BGS-Global Hospitals and Dr. Suresh Babu - Application Scientist, Life Science Centre (R&D), Agilent Technologies.

Opening the session B.N. Manohar, said, Today regenerative medicine, stem cells, neurology have tremendous potential. Bio Pharma can change the present US$5bn to US$100billion by 2025. Globally US$150bn revenue is made by Biotechnology industries in which 15% is from Pharma industries. In which India contributes 10% to pharma revenue. Stem cells will become a major benchmark for medical treatment. They can be utilized in many ways, which will be shared by the Panel.

Prof. Ravi Bellamkonda, said, the concept of damaged cells to regenerate the cells in the nerve gap, the polymer drug for the cell therapy to grow organwhich is to be viable but need investments. When the nerve gaps are more than 10mm they dont heal fast on their own, Surgeons use pseudo nerve for nervegrafting. Nerve grafting has many disadvantages like second surgery, rate multiple grafting etc 40% success rate, to overcome this is designing the ideal bridge inthe nerve gaps. We are working in our lab to design a pseudo nerve which has genetic approach which has the capacity for bridging for auto grafting and alsodeveloping a gel. This was developed directly in the tissues but it did not work so we tried to work with the embryonic cells (rat), fiber cells with polymer whichallows the gel formation which allows the nerve growth. The Schwann cells which migrated to the glial cells for the growth of nerve cells. This takes nearly 10years for the treatment so trying to concentrate for the short term a treatment which promotes the nerve bridge. We worked on Peripheral nerve submerges withmacrophage which responds to the M2 phenotype for the auto grafting, the Schwann cells migrates quickly regenerating the cells, the study is still under process.We will be able to provide more jobs as we expand.

Dr. N. K. Venkataramana, in his talk said, Started with advancement in medicine from past 3decades and the UN met medical needs in neurological disorders alone we have more than 15 million people adding on every year and their accounts to 300 million which is a huge burden. For this burden stem cells was a boon in the field. We thought that the fundamental property and its cell repairing capacity can be exploited by the scientists and a way to meet the medical needs. Our main goal is to inject the stem cells into the body, so the natural power of regeneration can be enhanced and supported. All stem cells are not equal, majority of us use adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells for the research. Use of Mesenchymal stem cells a multipotent, hypo neurogenic in large scale production is possible. Bone marrow transplantation was known because of stem cells, till then we never saw. With the advancement we can distinguish the cells and utilize for the purpose. In past 30 years I have never seen a recovery of spinal cord injury but now the stem cells giving hope that even in the case of head injury, Parkinsons disease recovery is possible. Understanding the mechanism of action is difficult, follows few postulates they are activation of stem cells, regeneration of cells, Immunomodulation, secretion of growth factors. Mesenchymal cells are Immunomodulatory, secrete many bio active molecules, which has anti apocratic effect, Immunomodulatory, angiogenesis, antifibrotic effect, these can be exploited in many ways for the medical purpose. Different sources of stem cells give different genetic expressions and can be used for different purpose. Concluding with all this data available today, stem cells is no longer a hype but it is a better hope.

Dr. Suresh Babu, an Application Scientist, extensively with proteins and has presented 25 papers till date said, Proteins can undergo various kinds ofmodifications. This is the reason for the different characterizations of proteins. Thus, for different characterizations, new technology is required. The AgilentToolbox for Biologic Characterization is a product of Agilent Technologies. It is used for Intact mAb (Monoclonal Antibodies) Analysis, i.e. to analyze inactiveantibodies. A new chip known as the HPLC Chip is used, which is used in 4 steps Setup, Insert, Click (on the software) and Spray the sample. The chip hasbeen elemental in deconvulating the MS Spectrum of intact mAbs. To do this, PNGase F treatment is done. The Glycons show a missing peak. To show aclear spectrum, the number of antibodies are reduced. This same process can be done on Fc fragments as well. It has practical significance as well, because only1 nanogram of the sample is required, as opposed to over 200 nanograms in conventional methods.

Another application this technology is used in is Peptide Mapping. The peptides are subjected to the data. 94% Heavy Chains and 84% Light Chains are reported. Peptide mapping can also be done by using U.V rays.

Another new detector has been developed to increase sensitivity. About 10% increase has been reported. Size Exclusion Chromatography(SEC) is performedto show the aggregation of mAb. All the systems devised by Agilent technologies are metal and Iron free so that they do not react with the biomolecules. HeatStress has also been done to degrade the antibodies. Aggregates of the protein molecules have been by pH Stress. A linearity curve was plotted whichshowed the concentration of the sample to be 12.5-2000 micrograms per milliliter. For charged varients, Ion Exchange Chromatography(IEC) is widelyused.he added.

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Stem cells is no hype but it is a better hope: Experts