Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine

Nichi-In* Centre for Regenerative Medicine (*Nichi = Japan, In = India in Japanese), abbreviated as NCRM is an Indo-Japan joint venture institute. NCRM has the uniqueness of Japanese [...] edge technological strength and core Indian Clinical & Research Skills to treat a wide spectrum of Diseases.

NCRM is India’s biggest regenerative medicine institute developing protocols in regenerative medicine, with main focus on Stem cells, Progenitor cells and autologous adult cells with regenerative capability. Overall aim is to take them to clinical application to serve the society, with maintaining the highest ethical and scientific values of international standards.

History

Nichi-In Consortium- Tokyo, Japan is a Private-Public Joint venture which was startedin 1998. Nichi-In Bio Sciences, the holding company of NCRM was started on May 2000 in Chennai, India whose Management is done by Hope Foundation, a Public Charity Trust. NCRM’s own Stem Cell Processing Facility was started in September 2005; Collaborative Research had started in 2002. But the actual ground work on core strength areas had started in 1988 in Japan.

Major Area of Interest

NCRM’s main focus is on Cell Based Therapies and taking them further to Clinical Application following all Scientific and Ethical Standards prevailing at the time of execution with importance to diseases that are locally prevalent and diseases that do not have any option of treatment.

NCRM works on all three areas of the field viz.,

  • Basic Research
  • Translational Studies
  • Clinical Studies
  • Biomimetics

All studies of NCRM are scrutinized by Instuitional Ethical committee
IEC & Institunal committee for stem cell research and therapy (IC-SCRT).

Cell processing unit

NCRM has two class 10000 clean room facilities for stem cell processing which has all high-end instruments with 24 hours power backup. NCRM scientists follow strict clean room protocols and practiced as per cGMP, cGTP and cGLP which are of international standards.

Core strength

NCRM’s strength is in the usage of appropriate material for culturing specific kind of stem cells and uses approximately 240 different Bio-Materials such as Hydrogels, Polymers, Nano Materials, and Nano Surface Coating Technology.

NCRM Potential

Research focus: NCRM has been focused on using non-biological synthetic materials such as polymers, hydrogels, nano shells, nano particles, nano composite films and sheets to expand the cells of required nature without using animal proteins. Expanding stem cells undifferentiated manner with highest quality control.

NCRM is into research using diversified kind of Stem cells. NCRM is constantly updating research activities in its unique way and in accordance to the new innovations and findings from every other part of the world.

Stem Cell Therapies (Clinical studies):

As per Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines NCRM doing stem cell therapy as Experimental Therapy for:

1. Spinal Cord Injury

2. Liver Cirrhosis

3. Ischemic Heart Disease

4. Peripheral Vascular Disease

5. Oral Sub-Mucosal Fibrosis

NCRM and Ethics

NCRM offers Stem Cell Isolation, Expansion and storage service for a fee to Hospitals. The hospital conducts the Study after Ethical Committee IEC & Institutional Committee for Stem Cell Research and therapy IC-SCRT Approval. All studies of NCRM are scrutinized by institutional (IEC) & (IC-SCRT). Clinical studies are done as per ICMR guidelines as an Experimental Therapy.

Future Plans of NCRM

I. Ex vivo Expansion of Hematopoietic Stem Cells without biological contamination for Application in:

• Hematological malignancies

• Alzheimer’s Disease

• Parkinson’s Disease

• Ischemic Heart Disease

II. Stem Cells as Vector for Gene Therapy.

III. Zero Gravity cell culture to study the effects of an environment sans gravity in the aging process of cells.

IV. NCRM is planning for a Corneal Endothelial Stem Cell BANK (CESBANK), which probably could be the World’s FIRST such Initiative.

V. Autologous Tissue specific stem cell expansion and storage for clinical applications.

Academic activities

  • PhD - NCRM is offering a unique PhD on Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine. Degrees will be awarded by Acharya Nagarjuna University, AP.(12)
  • TPRM - NCRM is collaborated with University of Toronto to provide a ‘Training program in Regenerative Medicine’ through web cast in NCRM (3).
  • Journal founded by NCRM:Journal of stem cell and Regenerative medicine’ an exclusive online journal with free access to entire contents. (4).

Fujio Cup Quiz (FCQ)

First Fujio Quiz 2006 Winners receiving the prestigious Fujio Cup

For the First Time in India, NCRM stated FCQ in 2006 An Ever-rotating Cup established in the name of Renowned Japanese Physician Dr Fujio Takayama MD PhD in 2006 for Medicine & Biotech Students which is conducted as a part of NCRM’s Anniversary every year (5).

Achievements of NCRM

  • The First Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment in India {6)
  • The First Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetic Ischemic Foot in India (7)
  • The First Successful Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury in India (8)
  • Have two Publications ([http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18724830)] (9)and more than 10 Clinical Presentations in International Meetings.
  • Seven Collaborations in India for both Research & Clinical Applications
  • Two Patents on Stem Cells / Regenerative Medicine (Applied)
  • The holding company has been listed as one among the 107 Companies in the world and one among the 2 in India with very good potentials in Regenerative Medicine, by Research and Markets Inc., (10)

References