Umbilical cord blood stem cells course study for students

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The significance of umbilical cord blood stem cells is known to the scientists worldwide. With the help of these stem cells, doctors nowadays cure many lethal diseases that were once thought to be fatal. The students from Toronto University at DEEP Summer Academy set on a tour to study about facilities of inception of cord blood program in Mississauga a few days ago. This tour was a part of their weekly course. The objective of this course study was to educate students about the stem cells science, their research history and its current status of their research in various clinics and laboratories. In addition, another goal was to let students know about the ethical, social and legal issues associated with the use of the stem cells.

Wendy Welch, a clinical consultant told students how stem cells are extracted from the umbilical cord storage, their collection, processing, storage and also preservation method. The students were told that stem cells are nowadays also extracted from the umbilical cord blood. They have already been used successfully to treat about 75 different types of diseases. In addition, she added that several modern applications are being discovered nowadays and are being included successfully in the clinical trials to cure numerous diseases while many are ready to emerge. Different diseases that are being cured are mostly related to heart, liver, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, injuries to spinal cord and Parkinson’s disease.

This tour was guided by the instructors of DEEP Summer Academy named David Lee and Either Lau who also developed the course. Lee said that such tours are very helpful to educate students about the extraction, collection, the processing and cord blood stem cells storage. This way they also come to know about the various career opportunities for them in this field. Lau further added to this that at present they are trying to study a hot topic which will emerge when these students will join the industry. Such tours would be useful as they will get some facts in advance. Inception is the largest cord blood program of Canada. It is a private cord blood bank which is dedicated to provide preserved baby cord blood for medical therapies during emergency.

The stem cells that are extracted from the cord blood are stored for twenty years or even more than that. Till date, about twenty clients have used such cells which have been stored and for such a long span of time and successfully transplanted. During this time, Welch also shared some real stories with the students. Complications that rose and how they were solved, all such things were discussed. Welch further added that according to several medical trials for patients suffering from type one diabetes show that some children who earlier used insulin of 60 units in a day have lowered their units by five. There are many cases when patients can also manage their level of sugar only through diet and exercise.

Government is nowadays fully aware of the need of development of such banks.  This is why many health ministers are willfully investing heavy amount for the construction of many such units which will be responsible for the storage of cord blood.