The Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) has honoured Dr. Stephen Minger, Global Head of Research and Development, Cell Technologies, GE Healthcare Life Sciences for his outstanding contributions in the field of stem cells.
The FABA Special Award was handed over by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, during the International Conference on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine recently held in Hyderabad.
Dr Stephen Minger was chosen as a recipient of FABA Special Award 2012 for his outstanding contributions in the field of stem cells including teaching, research and advocacy.
“Stem cell science has made huge advances and I credit my achievements to the considerable help and support of many dedicated and inspirational scientific colleagues over the years. This is great recognition for them as well,” said Dr. Minger.
Dr Minger joined GE Healthcare in 2009 from Kings College, London, where he was Senior Lecturer and Director of the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory. A leading stem cell scientist and a high-profile advocate for the advancement of stem cell science, Dr Minger is responsible for the development of GE Healthcare Life Sciences’ cell-based technologies for use in drug discovery and pharmaceutical research. He also directs the development of GE Healthcare Lifesciences technologies for the rapidly emerging fields of regenerative medicine and cell therapy.
While in India, Dr Minger met with leading clinicians and policy makers to encourage the development of public cord banking in the country. Cord blood, the blood that remains in the umbilical cord after the birth of a baby, is a rich source of blood-forming stem cells which can be used to treat patients with life threatening blood disorders such as lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia. While it is usually discarded, many countries are now establishing cord blood banks, to help in the treatment of these diseases.
There is a huge potential for India, with almost 25 million births happening here every year. India could potentially use public private partnerships to create a large scale public banking of cord blood cells. If just 1 per cent of mothers of new-borns had the opportunity of donating their baby’s cord blood, it could in the long term help make a huge difference to patient care in India” he added.
“Cellular science is a rapidly emerging and exciting new area of life sciences research and we look forward to partnering with researchers, industry, agencies and Government to help advance the field here in India. We congratulate Dr. Stephen Minger for his dedicated research in this field” said Anurag Gupta, managing director, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, India.
GE Healthcare has an active stem cell research programme under the direction of Dr. Minger. In December 2011 the company announced a pioneering research project with the University of California San Francisco aimed at making better use of cord blood donations. In 2010 the company launched Cytiva cardiomyocytes (human heart cells), stem cell-based assays that are already helping pharmaceutical companies develop safer medicines by identifying much earlier in the discovery process drug candidates that show toxic effects. Also under development are cell-handling and processing technologies that will help enable the new era of regenerative medicine and cell therapy.