Stem Cell Centre of Excellence Set up by Nims Hyderabad

Summary: NIMS (Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences), Hyderabad, has established a Stem Cell Centre of Excellence to combat metabolic, degenerative, and autoimmune diseases in India.

Today India is in the throes of myriad metabolic, degenerative and autoimmune diseases like cardiovascular disease, stroke, respiratory issues, kidney disease, diabetes and chronic inflammatory illnesses, owing to a hectic lifestyle and environmental factors like pollution.
The financial burden of treating these diseases is causing a significant strain on the pockets of patients and their families.
Ongoing and early clinical studies show that there is a probability that stem cell therapies may help to fill the void in the present healthcare system of India.

The aim

In a bid to promote progressive regenerative medicine, the NIMS (Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences) Hyderabad has formed a Stem Cell Centre for Excellence in its premises. The laboratory has been set up by NIMS in collaboration with a private firm, Tulsi Therapeutics. The centre was inaugurated by the Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha in the presence of the doctors of NIMS and representatives of Tulsi Therapeutics.

Citing an example, he said that just as seeds give rise to trees, so also stem cells are capable of developing into new cells and organs in the human body. This could pave new roads in the treatment of diseases that have limited therapeutic options at present.
Given the present scenario, stem cell therapies are a tad expensive and available in a few selective hospitals, making them unaffordable for everyone, other than the extremely rich population. In an effort to make this stem cell therapy available and more affordable, this centre has been established. This will ensure that those patients who rely on government-run healthcare institutes for treatment can also avail themselves of this line of treatment.