Stem cell researchers to devise treatments for faster bone healing

Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa
Published: Monday September 25, 2006

Singapore- Stem cell researchers in Singapore have linked up with a New Zealand company to devise treatments for faster healing of damaged bones, skin and organs, two research bodies said Tuesday. The Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) will provide New Zealand-based Industrial Research Ltd (IRL) with animal-based carbohydrate molecules to encourage stem-cell growth.

IRL then plans to produce synthetic versions of the molecules for IMCB to use in research and clinical testing.

"Applying the synthetic molecules to bone will hopefully speed up stem-cell growth and heal the bone more rapidly," Dr Simon Cool, IMCB's principal investigator, told The Straits Times.

Stem cells can develop into any kind of tissue cell. Researchers hope any treatments they come up with can be used to fix damaged skin and organs.

Producing the molecules synthetically will save time, give clinicians "tighter control" and help researchers bypass the "minefield of administrative hurdles" they have to negotiate in order to use animal products in human clinical trials, Cool was quoted as saying.

Cool expressed confidence about the potential of the research. "We are just scratching the surface," he said.

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