Panchwati Tower on Harmu Road in Ranchi where the stem cell bank is expected to come up. (Hardeep Singh)

In what may be a game-changer for healthcare in Jharkhand, a group of doctors from Ranchi have teamed up with a Mumbai-based pioneering research firm to plan the first stem cell bank of eastern India in the state capital.

Stem cells are undifferentiated biological cells that can differentiate into specialised cells and divide to produce more stem cells. They can be transplanted routinely to treat a variety of blood and bone marrow diseases, including cancer and immune disorders, while extensive research is underway on their potential to cure neurological and muscular problems.

In short, a stem cell bank in Ranchi will allow residents to store their embryonic or adult stem cells, which can be accessed anytime to treat ailing blood relatives.

Dr Deepak Verma, a senior orthopaedic consultant in the city specialising in difficult trauma surgery, said if everything went according to plan, the stem cell bank was expected to debut at Panchwati Tower on Harmu Road in another three to six months.

Dr Verma, along with pathologist Dr Sangita Agrawal and orthopaedic surgeon Dr S.N. Yadav, will form the core team of the Rs 6.5-crore facility, which will be set up in association with stem cell banking company ReeLabs, Mumbai.

"Ranchi will boast the fifth stem cell bank in India after Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad. It will be first such facility in eastern India. We plan to establish a stem cell treatment centre and a cancer immunotherapy centre to turn Ranchi into a healthcare destination," Dr Verma told this newspaper on Sunday.

While the bank will sprawl over an area of 5,000sqft, another 6,000sqft will be reserved for the therapy centres.

Elaborating on the banking system, the doctor said stem cells would be stored in cryogenic vials at minus 176 degrees and liquid nitrogen would be used to acquire the very low temperatures.

"People wishing to use the stem bank service will have to open an account. The bank will then collect stem cells from different sources such as placenta, amniotic sac, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood and cord tissue, menstrual blood, dental pulp, bone marrow and peripheral blood," Dr Verma said.

To deposit the stem cells, one may have to pay Rs 45,000 to Rs 2 lakh, depending on the package chosen.

"Those who will deposit stem cells can access the same for blood relatives suffering from 110 listed diseases that cannot be treated using conservative medicines," the doctor said, adding that stem cell therapy could help in cases of leukemia, thalassemia, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes and cirrhosis of liver, among others.

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Bank on stem cells, gift a life - Calcutta Telegraph