DOHA: The Arab region lacks a clear strategy for research and development (R&D), according to a healthcare expert.
In the Arab region, research is mostly done at an individual level and not at institutional level, Dr Ahmed Alaskar, Executive Director, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), said yesterday.
In a presentation at the Middle East Stem Cell Symposium, Dr Alaskar said Turkey and Iran lead in research in the region, followed by Egypt and Jordan.
The two-day symposium is being held at Crowne Plaza under the theme ‘Opportunities and challenges in stem cell research and therapy development’ in collaboration between BD Biosciences, Sidra Medical and Research Centre, and KAIMRC.
The symposium brings highly recognised speakers from Northern America, Europe and the Middle East and provides a platform for scientists involved in stem cell research to share their vision, exchange ideas and expertise, foster communications and facilitate collaborations among individuals and institutes in the region.
Experts from Sidra Medical and Research Centre highlighted the institute’s mandate to develop personalised medicines. In his presentation titled ‘An overview of stem research’, Dr Sergio Rutella, Executive Director, Clinical Research, Sidra, said their research also focus on immune modelling interventions and individualisation in cancer therapy.
A stem cell is an immature cell that has the potential to become specialised into different types of cells throughout the body.
Stem cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition.
Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use. Research is underway to develop sources for stem cells, and to apply stem cell treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and conditions, diabetes, heart disease and other conditions.
Experts at the symposium stressed the need to pay attention to environment issues which effect human health.
“Effects of the environment on health are critically important,” said Dr Graham Parker, from Division of Paediatric Neurology, Wayne State University, Michigan, US, in his presentation on ‘Stem cell research — A worldwide Endeavour.’
He said the world has been waiting with increasing impatience for long-promised developments of regenerative medicines.
“To this end we must move from laboratory phenomena and discovery to scientific rigor and then responsible and properly designed clinical trial testing,” said Dr Parker.
The symposium also featured presentations on ‘Call based treatment for regenerative therapy might be the future of multiple degenerative disease’, and ‘Promises and perils with stem cell therapies’.
The Peninsula
