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Managing director of the country's umbilical cord blood stem cell, saying that 110,000 specimens have been stored in the blood bank of the umbilical cord blood bank, said: Mazandaran sent 5000 specimens to the stem cell bank.

He states that embryonic, adult, and umbilical cord blood stem cells are of a variety of stem cell types, stating: "Stem cells have two distinct characteristics and differentiation and specializations, and those stem cells that have anomalous properties can open themselves for long periods of time." But other types can be converted into cell types under certain conditions in the body or in the lab, which is a type of differentiation or specialization.

The director of the country's umbilical cord blood stem cell bank added that bone marrow, peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood are sources of hematopoietic stem cells and can be collected immediately after birth.

Zarabi points out that the volume of blood in the umbilical cord and the placenta is about 80 to 200 milliliters, and access to the umbilical cord and the umbilical cord blood is only 5 to 10 minutes long, he said: reducing the risk of transmission of viral infections, the availability of a large number of blood units In the bank, the possibility of transplantation and the reduction in the incidence of pyloric disease against the host, are the characteristics of the umbilical cord blood.

He reminded that the umbilical cord will not harm the baby and mother in the sample.

The director of the bank's umbilical cord blood stem cell bank said about the types of umbilical cord blood bank, saying: The public bank is a sample of others donated by others with goodwill to other patients or research expenditures and stored free of charge in a private or family bank, a sample It is kept for the baby or his family in exchange for a fee.

He added that we have 31 offices in the country and two offices in Erbil, Iraq, and Muscat, Amman, in the umbilical cord stem cell.

Director of the National Cord Blood Bank's Stem Cell Bank, pointing out that we have dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells, which has been completed in recent years, that 5000 samples from Mazandaran have been collected and that this province is one of the few provinces where the center of graft has it.

Referring to the fact that more than 85 percent of the samples of the umbilical cord blood bank are from cesarean births, he reminded: "Today, cell therapy is a supplement to the therapeutic and gradually replaces it."

According to the Public Relations Department of the University of Jihad, Zarabi said that arthritis, skin diseases, MS, paricancon, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, autism, skin rejuvenation, said that with the exception of blood diseases, certain diseases can be treated with stem cells. It can be treated with the help of stem cells.

This year event included foreign scientists and experts coming from countries such as USA, Canada, Japan, Russia, Netherlands, Germany, France and some more. There was also an exhibition held along this 3-day congress in which manufacturing companies and research centers exposed their latest products.

Royan Stem Cell Technology Company (RSCT) not only took part in this scientific event in the form of a delegation of experts but also had its stand in the exhibition providing the visitors and those who are interested in hematopoietic stem cells and other by-products of cord blood with the latest achievements made in this regard.

Such scientific arenas provide all experts and scientists with a fruitful atmosphere through which they can share their viewpoints on some scientific and technological issues and find out more on each other’s experiences.  The experts and scientists of RSCT also could exploit such a useful opportunity setting up some meetings with couple of foreign experts to share their own knowledge and experiences.

In July 27 of 2012, little Matías received a transplant with stem cells from the umbilical cord donated to the public bank of Vidacel.

Currently, the 5 year old is recovering well after his discharge from the hospital.

Twenty four days after the transplant received by Matías Romo, his mother Viviana Torres, his family and his large network of friends were thankful to the “miracle” that allowed Matías to fight against an aggressive acute lymphoblastic leukemia that had him on the verge of death.

“Thanks to God we were able to find a match, not everyone can be that lucky” says Viviana.

 “If Matías would not receive a transplant before 3 months of age, he would have died. But as miracles can happen the donation of this cord blood was a divine gift and helped Matías to survive. I always had hope that I could see him reaching adulthood”.

Originally from Frutillar, they travelled to Santiago with only one goal in mind: to save Matías’ life. During this journey a friend of the family Rodrigo Arismendi was the one who contacted Vidacel allowing little Matías to become the third successful case using transplantation with stem cells from cord blood in Chile.

The medical director of Vidacel, Dr. Alejandro Guiloff highlights: “We can’t say no to life. This is a sign that there is hope for thousands of Matías in the world that are fighting for a cure to diseases where science is studying the use of stem cells. It fills us with joy and satisfaction to see this triumph of life”.

"After going through all that we have lived, a new world opens up for me. Today to conserve the Stem Cells is something that I would recommend with my eyes closed. What seemed like a science fiction movie is what will allow me to see Matías grow".

 The core of this visit focused on holding up mutual educational and research collaboration between Royan Research Institute and Malaysian universities and research centers among which the achievements made by Royan Stem Cell Technology company grabbed their attention in particular so that they demanded for more educational information in regard with other by-products and developments made by Royan Stem Cell Technology Company.
While visiting various departments of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company, the delegation members asked for launching mutual research and educational projects between Royan Stem Cell Technology  Company and Malaysian experts and students who are interested in finding out more about the stem cells derived from cord blood.
 

Dr.Mahmood Reza Ashrafi, in an interview with medical news, said:” The research project investigating the effect of Intrathecal injection of hematopoetic and mesenchymal stem cells derived from cord blood on the functional development of the patients involved with spastic cerebral palsy was performed by Tehran Medical University and in Pediatric Center- Growth and Development Department- since July 2017, following receiving the legal permission from university ethic committee and Presidential Department on Science and Technology Development.

This project is under the way in collaboration among Tehran Medical University, Hormozgan Medical University, State Welfare Organization of Iran, Royan Stem Cell Technology Company and Cell Tech Pharmed Company.

The administrator of this project added:” 108 patients have been selected for this project divided into 3 categories including 36 in each as follows: A) those who receive mono-nuclear cells (MNC) derived from cord blood, B) those who received mesenchymal stem cells derived from cord blood and C) sample group who received no injection. All the injections were performed through intrathecal method and the patients were observed both before and after the injection in the intervals of 1, 3, 6 months and one year.

Dr.Ashrafi also said:“ The injection of cord blood mesenchymal stem cells in cerebral palsy patients has been performed for the first time in country in wide range in this university and despite the positive results received by far, we need to wait for the final results to be revealed at the end of this one-year period (end of November 2018) to be declared by the research team supervised by Dr.Masoud Ghahvehchi Akbari and Dr.Roza Rahimi.    

This expert in pediatric neurology pointed to the strength point of this study such as having sample group and synchronizing the performance and continuing the development of the patients during this period of time which was supported by perpetual follow-up of Dr.Anahita Majma, a pediatrician, who played a key role in this project.

He followed stating that:” Having received CT-Scan, hospitalized and intrathecal injection, the patient got released the day after and fortunately there have been no considerable side effects reported in patients. The final statistical results will be publicized to our medical community in coming months.”

Dr.Ashrafi also stated his sincere gratitude to the collaboration and contribution made by Dr.Zarrabi, Managing Director of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company, Dr.Reza Shervin Badv, Head of Pediatrics Medical Center and Dr Hooman Alizadeh, Head of MRI Department of this center who are all the members of this research project.

What is Sickle Cell Disease? Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, known as hemoglobinopathies, affecting mostly individuals of African or Hispanic descent. Common symptoms of SCD are recurrent debilitating pain, organ damage, and infection.  These symptoms are caused by unhealthy red blood cells that are sickle-shaped, causing them to stick in small blood vessels. Other complications of SCD can include acute chest syndrome and neurologic complications such as stroke.  People affected with SCD have shortened life expectancy, with median lifespan currently in the 40’s in the United States. To learn more about cord blood banking, visit Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation http://at https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/news/youngest-hero-how-newborn-can-change-life-older-sibling-sickle-cell-disease

This event, bringing researchers, scientists and experts of various fields concerned with reproductive Medicine and Stem Cell  together, provides a suitable field of information exchange in regard with the latest achievements made and RSCT enjoyed this opportunity to represents its latest progresses and services provided exploiting the potentials of cord blood stem cells.

There was also an exhibition along with this scientific conference in which Royan Stem Cell Technology Company held its stand providing and publicizing its services to all. Among various products represented through this stand, we can refer to some products and by-products derived from fetus and its related components including: biologic bandage produced from amniotic membrane applied in healing some acute wounds resulted from diabetes, burns type 2 & 3 and those created by pressure.  This product also accelerates the wound improvement in EB patients.

Cryopreserving peripheral blood is among other services provided by RSCT which can be used in treating patients suffering from: multiple Mioma, Hodgkin lymph, non-Hodgkin lymph, Aplastic Anemia, acute lymphoiedic Leukemia and so forth.

Laboratory services such as HLA and Flow Cytometry laboratories are listed among the most professional ones represented by Royan RSCT in wide range and variety.

This 3-day event came along with some cultural programs including Tehran sightseeing such as Milad Tower and a dinner ceremony at an Iranian Traditional restaurant hosted by Royan Stem Cell Technology Company during which all foreign guests could get familiar with some parts of Iran traditions and cuisine as well.

According to the public relation of the company, the prevalence of terminal disease, such as various types of cancers, in recent century, it looked vital to make sort of new and vast investment on recent treatment methods, taking advantage of sources holding stem cells. That is why; Royan Stem Cell Technology Company has just opened new fields of activities concerned with isolating, cryopreserving and storing peripheral blood stem cells and bone marrow.

The preliminary steps for cryopreserving and storing of peripheral blood stem cells are as per the type of the disease and the diagnose method performed by the physician. In case, stem cells donor is derived the patient by himself/herself, it would be autologous transplantation; otherwise, it will be allogeneic one as the stem cells are derived from someone else.

The services to be provided by peripheral cord blood bank are:

• Isolation and storage of peripheral cord blood cells
• Isolation and storage of bone marrow

Applications of Peripheral Blood

Autologous transplantations taking advantage of peripheral blood stem cells is widely applied in curing cancers bearing high dose of chemotherapy treatment. This approach and method is not only applicable for blood cancers but also can it be of great help and use for solid tumors which are sensitive to chemotherapy including breast cancer and pulmonary tiny cancer cells. It has also been revealed that continuous injection of peripheral blood stem cells will enhance the effects of chemotherapy. Besides, autologous transplantation exploiting such cells is used in curing some other kinds of diseases such as Multiple Milluma, Hotchkin Lymph, Non-Hotchkin Lymph, acute Milloid Lucemia,  Neuroblastoma,Generating Tumors, and other types of auto-immune diseases.

Centers Enjoying Peripheral Blood Stem Cells Bank Services

 Right now,  among those centers enjoying and receiving such services provided by Royan, we can point to: transplantation center of Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital, Mahak Charity, Vali-e-Asr Hospital, Pediatrics Hospital, Mofid Hospital and Afzalipoor Hospital in Kerman. However, it should be stated here that representing such services nationwide is possible as well.

The History of Peripheral Blood Isolation and Cryopreservation

In 1979, for the first time peripheral blood stem cells were used to cure acute leukemia granulocyte patients (CGL).These cells were extracted at the preliminary stage of the disease and cryopreserved and were used in high dose along with the patient’s own peripheral blood stem cells (Autologous) when the patient was at its acute and terminal stage. The results revealed that the stem cells, circulating in human blood stream, are capable in proliferating blood producing system and caused this system to revive its function again.

Early in 2008, Royan Research Institute officially launched a project on peripheral blood stem cells cryopreserving to represent its services to the patients suffering from Multiple Milluma, Hotchkin Lymph, Non-Hotchkin Lymph, Aplastic Anemia, C-Form Cell Anemia and other types of auto-immune diseases and now such services are represented by Royan Stem Cell Technology Company.

As per public relation, Royan Stem Cell Technology Company held its stand through this scientific event, introducing and representing its by-products derived from amniotic membrane by which many chronic wounds, such as the diabetic ones, can be healed. This product has also been found of great advantage in treating burn wounds grade 2 &3.

Mrs.Roksana Zavari, an expert in charge of this project, says:” Royan biologic bandage looks like to ordinary ones with biological advantages and can be easily applied like a Band-Aid by everyone.

Considering various applications of this biological product, she referred to Diabetic chronic wounds, burns types 2 & 3 which are caused by pressure and skin development in EB patients.

She also added:” One of the main and vast usages of this product is concerned with eye surgery and cornea. It is also very helpful in blood vessel surgery. This membrane can be very useful orthopedic disorders, tendon inflammation and foot sole.

Mohammad Reza Aref, the Head of Education and Research Commission in Parliament, visited Royan Stem Cell Technology Company, visiting the company stand, sought for treatment research trend and projects in the hand and admired the achievements made by Royan Stem Cell Technology Company by far.

The core purpose of this meeting is to pursue the negotiations and topics already made during the last month trip through which Dr.Morteza Zarrabi, managing director of RSCT in the form of Iranian delegation managed by of Ministry of Iran Health and supervised by the Minster of Iran Health Ministry made.

During this recent gathering, two sides brought the feasibility of launching various scientific projects in the realm of common fields of interests into consideration and focused on putting educational and research projects into effect. The Azerbaijani delegation also made couple of visits of capabilities and potentials of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company in regard with cord blood stem cell cryopreserving process.

Further and following the arrangements made by RSCT and the representative of Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), the Azerbaijani’s delegation held some meetings with their counterparts of ACECR and Royan Research Institute.

On the last day of this trip and after finalizing their meeting with Dr.Vosough, Dr.Tootoonchi and Dr.Zarrabi and other members of Iranian side, two parties, reaching a consensus of the topics discussed,  agreed on signing a Memorandum of Understanding between RSCT and ANAS and hoped to bring all the items debated into fact in near future.

According to public relation, Mr.Mohsen Abd-Ul-Hossein Talami Zalami, Head of Kufa University agreed to hold up a scientific cooperation contract with Royan Research Institute in regard with tissue culture.

In a meeting with Mr.Mozdgir, Manager of Development and Miss. Bahareh Abbass Panah, expert in Quality Control Department, he proposed to sign a contract on running some workshops and training courses and exchanging of information on tissue culture experts and staff.

Adding some more explanations about Kufa University, Dr.Zalemi added a great interest on launching mutual scientific collaboration and research in the realms of both applied and basic research activities on cell biology.

According to public relation, during this trip in which a delegation consisting of Iran Minister of Health, the deputies and some representatives of both government and private sector enterprises made their presence, some meetings were held with Mr.Oktay Shir Aliyof, his excellency of Azerbaijan Minister of Health, the deputies of this ministry, head of parliament health and treatment issue and also ministers of economy and social welfare.

Dr.Zarrabi, managing director of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company and the representative of ACECR was also in this delegation to represent the research, educational and scientific capabilities of this government based entity in the realm of infertility treatment, cord blood stem cells cryopreserving and bio banking. Considering the visit made 3 months ago and bilateral negotiations performed with Azerbaijan Ministry of Health and Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) and Azerbaijan Medical University, this recent one went on evaluating and focusing on the items already agreed on and ended in fruitful results. There is a serious effort on promoting the mutual cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan concerned with health issues to a great extent.

Managing Director of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company has also made separate meeting with Mr.Amiraslanov Ahliman Tapdig Oglu, Head of the Committee of Health of Milli Mejlis Academician, Recipient of the USSR State Prize, to discuss the scientific guidelines and steps to be taken for more collaboration.

Guidelines and approaches toward holding up scientific and executive collaboration between ACECR and ANAS

Through this meeting which included Head of the Committee of Health of Milli Majlisi Academician, Dr.Zarrabi, Managing Director of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company and Dr.Ghasemi, in charge of launching ACECR office in Azerbaijan, the capabilities of ACECR in regard with health, medicine and genetic were discussed. During this meeting Mr.Amiraslanov Ahliman Tapdig Oglu stated how pleased he is of such meetings and added: “Azerbaijan Government has always been interested in holding up mutual cooperation projects with Iran and the president emphasizes this fact as well. Pointing to thisd fact that they have decided to launch a cord blood bank in Baku and preliminary agreements and legal permissions have been issued from Azerbaijan Ministry of Health, he stated that to empower human resources, it is decided to dispatch some staff to some countries to get oriented with this field of medical science and technology and added:” visits have been made from the facilities in different countries including Germany, Turkey, Denmark, and some more. However, we strongly believe that Iran as the neighboring and Muslim country can surely support us to a large extent and in lower costs to set up a cord blood bank here in Baku.

He also expressed the eagerness on signing a Minute of Meeting between ANAS and ACECR so that the experts Azerbaijan Academy hold up visits to the research centers concerned with this field of science and activity and come to our final decision promptly.

Through this meeting, Dr.Zarrabi went on more details explaining Royan Research activities in regard with infertility treatment, cell therapy and cord blood stem cells cryopreserving, pointing to the success rate of infertility treatment success rate which is consistent with international rate. He also expressed the willingness to run scientific collaboration with the academy in near future.

He continued stating the close fruitful relationship existing between this center and hospitals in Iran and said:” Cord Blood cryopreserving is a fast growing industry all over the world and lots of transplantations applying cord blood stem cells have been made throughout the world to treat malignant with blood origin, saving many lives.

Dr.Zarrabi revealed that so far about 100,000 blood units have been banked with us out of which some samples have been released to treat diseases with blood or neurological origins. Bringing such experiences into considerations, we are ready to provide our services in Azerbaijan through Royan Stem Cell Technology Company and Royan Research Institute and ACECR as the top of all.

Dr.Ghassemi, pointing to the ACECR potentials and its serious intention in launching such projects in Azerbaijan stated that:” During last years a center has been purchased and equipped by ACECR and a person has been appointed to this center to follow up required issues. Participating in Azerbaijan oil and gas exhibition in its full extent, ACECR has received honor of the President Elham Aliyov. There have also been made many Minutes of Meetings between Elm-O-Farhang University and Baku Khazar University and lots of meetings have been set up between the managers and experts of educational systems and oil and gas and power plants of both sides. Such meetings have revealed the potentials of ACECR in great details for their Azerbaijan counterparts.

Mr.Orhan Issayov, one of the most famous professors of Azerbaijan, was also present in this meeting. Remarking the successful achievements made by Royan and its departments globally, he emphasized that holding up mutual cooperation and collaboration between two sides will be so constructive and helpful for the development of Azerbaijan. He also expressed that the existence of Royan in a Iran as a Muslim and neighboring country should be considered as a fortune.