DUBAI, July 9 (Bernama) -- The Dubai Centre for Umbilical Cord Blood has provided stem cells for 34 patients with thalassaemia and other blood diseases since it was opened in June last year, Emirates news agency, WAM, reported.
The centre's director of laboratories, Dr Asma Al Asad, said the institution, which is considered the first of its kind in the region, has stored 800 units of umbilical cord blood in its first year of operation. She said the centre helps in the treatment of various blood diseases, cancers, thalassaemia and anaemia.
Dr Al Asad said the aim of the centre is to treat thousands of patients from UAE and abroad, through providing healing stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
Apart from the storing of umbilical cord blood, the centre has examined tissue similarities for more than 100 samples, she said.
Stem cells are stored from three categories: donors for themselves, donors for purposes of scientific research and donors for patients in general, Dr Al Asad said.
The centre has joined the International Organisation for Umbilical Cord Blood, a nonprofit United States governmental organisation considered a pioneer in the field of stem cell treatments.
The Dubai centre is the first in the Arab World to be made a member.
-- BERNAMA
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