Pune scientists develop new method to store bone marrow

The achievement, being described as one of the most outstanding accomplishments in the field of cell science, is expected to revolutionise the treatment for various types of cancer, as it has paved the way for the Indian medical fraternity to establish a bone marrow bank in the country.According to Lalita Limaye, scientist at the Centre and the main person behind this work, nearly all the major tests forcryopreservation have been successfully completed and the technique is now ready for the clinical trials. One of the leading medical institutes in India is learnt to have shown interest to volunteer for this pathbreaking scientific endeavour. The cell samples for the project were supplied to the Centre by Sassoon Hospital in Pune and individual medical practitioners.

The technique has come as a great respite for millions of cancer patients in the country who can now hope for bone marrow cell transplants, as cryopreserved cells can now be transplanted with the help of simple intra-venous procedure. While the standardisation of cryopreservation by NCCS has brightened the prospects of bone marrow cell transplants in India, it has also made it possible to establish the first ever bone marrow bank in the country. Says G C Mishra, director NCCS, “With the help of this technique, different types of haematopoietic cells can be cryopreseved in a bone marrow bank, which can then function like an ordinary blood bankand supply the samples on demand.”

Explaining the features of establishing a bone marrow bank, Limaye says, “People in the high risk groups – those having a family history of leukaemia or who work in atomic energy plants – considering that they might develop cancer in long term, could donate samples of their bone marrow cells. These could be cryopreserved in the banks and made available for their own use in future if the need be.”