Sri. Abdul Manan ji, Hon’ble Minister for Science and Technology, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh has laid down the foundation stone of Institute for Cord Blood and Stem Cell Bank at Biotech Park, Lucknow (a venture of Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh) on August 6, 2008 under the banner of IQRA Biotech Services.

On the occasion Sri. B.M. Meena, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Dr. M. Siddiqui, Director, CST, U.P; Prof. P.K Seth, CEO, Biotech Park, Prof. Ashok K. Mahapatra, Director, SGPGI; Dr. Ashwini Kumar, Acting Director, IITR; Prof. B.N Dhawan, Former Director, CDRI; Prof. V.P Kamboj, Former Director, CDRI and Chairman, Advisory Committee, Biotech Park and other important dignitaries and media representatives were present and praised the initiative.

This institute will mainly focus on the storage of Umbilical Cord Blood (which is obtained from umbilical cord immediately after delivery). The Umbilical Cord is usually disposed off by most of hospitals and nursing homes. The blood present in the umbilical cord is full of special type of cells called stem cells. The characteristics of these cells is they can be differentiated (developed into desired type of cells like brain cells (Neurons), heart cells (Cardiocytes), bone cells (Osteocytes), liver cells (Hepatocytes), cartilage cells (Chondriocytes) etc.)

The characteristics and tendency of stem cell to develop into desired cell type is called totipotency.The differentiated stem cell of specific type if placed into the relevant organ at the site of disease they adopt the work of tissue as a result the tissue starts functioning back. The institute will be obtaining and differentiating stem cells from umbilical cord blood as well as from the bone marrow of the patients who needs stem cell (known as stem cell therapy).

This institute will provide the much needed facility to the medical sciences in the State, where lakhs of patients suffering from spinal chord injury, nerve injury, non union of bone or fracture, osteomalacia, paraplegia, diabetes, liver cancer, aplastic anaemia, etc. are in the need of stem cell therapy. The institute will focus autologous implantation (the stem cell need by the patients are obtained from the bone marrow or blood of the patients in need).