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STEM CELL
RESEARCH
Contemporary
medical research has discovered the possibilities of growing human
tissue from stem cells. These are cells donated from adult embryo tissue
that have the capacity to reproduce itself and to produce replacement
tissue and organs for use by recipients. This relatively new technology
holds potentials for the cure of diseases like HIV-AIDS, heart diseases,
diabetes, cancers, sickle cell diseases and disease of the nervous
system like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, stroke and spinal cord
injuries. Some of these diseases are pandemic while others are more
prevalent in our part of the world. Even those thought to be more
peculiar to the western world are beginning to show up in Africa in
higher numbers and Nigeria in particular due to changing lifestyle and
diet.
An
important component of stem cell research is harvesting and storage of
stem cells of cord blood of the newborn baby. If stored, this may be
used in future to grow required tissue for use by donor or other
individuals. Presently, the issue of rejection, which is minimal in this
case, limits the use of adult organ transplants. The technology for this
can be acquired and utilized as part of the medium terms objectives for
this project. This is also has the great potential of funds generation
on its own that can make the entire project self sustaining. Presently,
there is no cord blood bank/registry in any part of Africa. This aspect
of stem cell research is completely free of ethical controversies.
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What's New
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