A new breeding ground

Mud-wrestling over stem cells in the US could open new research doors for
Indian scientists

B V MAHALAKSHMI
Posted online: Monday, August 07, 2006 at 0004 hours IST

 Stem cell research, a promising field of medical research, is under siege,
exclaim scientists. Seething with anger over US President George Bush's
decision to veto a Bill allowing federal funding for new embryonic stem cell
research, they say that the blocking of federal funds is bound to slow down
the global effort that could have led to cures for serious illnesses such as
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes.
While Bush summed up his opposition to the bill on ethical grounds, protests
from the Indian scientific community have been on predictable lines. Even as
Indian scientists deliberate on whether research will take a hit or not,
many are hoping to use the opportunity and tap the stem cell research door
without fuelling the fire and causing emotional heat.

From the national stem cell centre at AIIMS to Reliance Life Sciences (which
plans to introduce therapies for skin care and ophthalmology segments), LV
Prasad Eye Institute and various other universities, medical research in
stem cells has been rapidly gaining momentum. Besides, several US companies
have been seeking to enter into alliances with Indian life sciences firms,
to speed up research here in their quest to develop therapies for a range of
diseases.
A section of Indian scientists believe that India could well replicate its
IT success in the biotech sector - analysts peg a $10 billion market
opportunity by 2010 for stem cell technologies. Clearly, it's advantage
India given its extensive research base and lesser religious sentiments.
With well-established laws and policy, it's time for Indian scientists,
insurance companies, venture capitalists to tap the opportunity.
Embryonic stem cell research and development is still at the laboratory
level in the country, says D Balasubramanian, chairman, stem cell task force
at the department of biotechnology, New Delhi. Major research is being
undertaken in four laboratories - National Brain Research Centre, Manesar,
NCBS, Bangalore, Reliance Lifesciences, Mumbai and Manipal Hospital in
Karnataka. Also, the first exclusive stem cell transplant centre is coming
up at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, Chennai. Saneron, a biotech R&D and
spin out from the University of South Florida, US, and GE Healthcare are
also working for manufacturing patented stem cell suspension by 2007-08.
"In the new guidelines for stem cell research put forth by Indian Council of
Medical Research, we do accept embryonic stem cell research. A clause,
however, has been incorporated so as not to make embryos purely for
research," says Balasubramanian. On the US veto, he says, "the objection is
ill-advised as most of the clinics have plenty of embryos which are unused
embryos. As for India, there will not be any impact on research as we do not
have any controversies and the political lobby."
ICMR has put in place specific recommendations with respect to the issues of
regulation of adult, embryonic, mature or umbilical cord stem cell research
in the country. The stem cell task force has sought Rs 100 crore in the
government's XI Plan for funding stem cell research in the country.
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) director Lalji Singh
says that stem cell research has to be conducted cautiously and
scientifically. India needs strict regulation and enforcement for guiding
the research. "With the mushrooming of IVF clinics and cord blood banks
without any registrations, a regulatory framework is the need of the hour,"
he says. CCMB is working on pancreatic cells, bone marrow, muscle cells and
tissue engineering as part of a consortium of six national laboratories.
Chennai-based Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre has initiated stem
cell research to harvest and culture stem cells. "The mandate is to seek
solutions for diabetes like transplantation of pancreas or Islets of
Langerhans which produce insulin," says V Mohan, chairman, Dr Mohan's
Diabetes Specialties Centre. The Hyderabad-based LV Prasad Eye Institute
(LVPEI) is using stem cells to treat eye disorders, co-culture central
limbal cells peripheral conjunctival cells. On the threshold of phenomenal
progress, it's time to keep the momentum going.

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