‘Need for clinical research on stem cells’

The third biennial national conference on ‘Current Advances in Stem Cell-based Regenerative and Cellular Medicine’ was held at Deralakatte on Saturday.

The conference was organised jointly by the Nitte University Centre for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Department of Dermatology, K S Hegde Medical Academy, and A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte (Deemed to be University) in association with International Cartilage Regeneration and Joint Preservation Society (ICRS), Switzerland.

Nitte (Deemed to be University) Chancellor N Vinaya Hegde said that revolutionary changes are taking place in the field of medical sciences using the latest technology. “Youth should engage in research activities and contribute to the development of the society,” he stressed.

Latest findings

The conference covered the latest findings from the field of stem cell biology and cell-based therapies with a special focus on treating orthopaedic, dental and dermatological disorders.

“Efforts are on to advance the understanding of the fundamentals of stem cell biology and also to enable the therapeutic applications in the areas, such as orthopaedics, haematology, dermatology and also in dentistry,” Vinaya Hegde said.

The chancellor emphasised the growing prominence of research in medical education and called upon the students and faculty to utilise the opportunities in stem cell applications to treat various diseases and disorders. Hegde also stressed on the need for clinical research on stem cells for their efficient usage in human medicine.

Role of stem cells

Mats Brittberg, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, explained the role of stem cells in personalised medicine. He later released the conference proceedings.

Dr A Ananthram Shetty, Canterbury Christchurch University, Kent, chair of Orthopaedic Surgery and director of Research, said that stem cells and cell-based therapies play a vital role in modern health care due to their enormous potential in treating a wide range of degenerative diseases.