The Hindu : Karnataka News : K.M.Cherian to assist Manipal Heart Foundation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 16, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

K.M.Cherian to assist Manipal Heart Foundation

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MAY 15. The Manipal Heart Foundation here has joined hands with K.M. Cherian, noted cardio-thoracic surgeon and Chairman, International Centre for Cardio-thoracic and Vascular Diseases, Chennai, to carry out stem cell research related to cardiac ailments. Research on "genetically engineered valves" will also be initiated through this collaboration.

Dr. Cherian told presspersons on Friday that stem cells in a living organism maintained and repaired the tissue in which they were found. He said that through research, it might be possible to strengthen the heart muscles in patients with chronic heart disease by using stem cells that had been cultured.

Stem cells are those with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and give rise to specialised cells. Under certain conditions, they can be induced to become cells with special functions such as the beating cells of the heart muscle.

Dr. Cherian said the technology could also be used for heart transplantation.

On the genetically engineered valve programme, Dr. Cherian said the research would focus on creating valves, through genetic engineering, in patients who needed valve replacement. They included children with congenital heart diseases. "We will use pig valves, which are very similar to human valves, in the genetic engineering programme. Through the expertise available at the Manipal Heart Foundation, which has a homograft bank (to preserve human tissues), these valves will be cryopreserved (frozen to a certain temperature) and used as a scaffold for creating the patient's own valve," he said.

Dr. Cherian will visit the Manipal Heart Foundation thrice a month.

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