The outbreak of the coronavirus has brought international and domestic researchers together to fight this disease with the help of science and technology. Among them, stem cells and regenerative medicine are one of the areas that have great potential for producing vaccines and cell-based products against this disease.
Amir Ali Hamidieh, Secretary of the Stem Cell Science and Technology Development Headquarters of the Scientific Vice-Minister, said about the activities in this field: Academic researchers and knowledge-based companies have started activities in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, which include various fields.
Hamidieh continued: A research team is working on mesenchymal stem cells to treat coronavirus. University professors and two knowledge-based companies have come together in this team to use mesenchymal cells extracted from 4 different sources to treat patients. The results of this research will be known in the next few months.
He considered the treatment of coronavirus with a specific type of immune cells (natural killer cells NK Cell) as another research in which university professors and knowledge-based organizations are collaborating.
The Secretary of the Stem Cell Science and Technology Development Headquarters of the Scientific Vice-Chancellor also announced research on the coronavirus vaccine and said: A group of researchers are seeking to create a vaccine using intracellular manipulation. However, creating a vaccine is a complex and time-consuming process. Activities in this field have begun. Of course, research is also being conducted in the field of producing antiviral drugs.
Hamidieh pointed to one of the important actions of knowledge-based organizations in the field of laboratory equipment for treating patients with coronavirus and said: A knowledge-based company has succeeded in designing and manufacturing non-invasive mechanical ventilation devices (ventilators). These devices are more practical and cheaper. The Medical Equipment Department is currently examining the device.