KEMRI COMMISSIONS A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN STEM CELL RESEARCH

The Kenya Medical Research Institute commissioned the first- ever, state-of the-art- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory in Sub-Sahara African Region at its Central Laboratory Complex and Headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday, 27th, July 2023.

The new facilities are housed at the newly established, Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Research at KEMRI’s Center for Biotechnology Research & Development (CBRD) and will foster on-going and future cutting-edge research in the revolutionary stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

Government of Kenya, through the National Research Fund (NRF) has funded the facility at Ksh. 77. 2 million (USD 542600) expected to be a game-changer in the disease management especially, the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, road accident injuries, burns, oral, eye and dental diseases.

NRF Chairman of the Board of Directors Prof. Ratemo Michieka officiated in the commissioning ceremony that was also graced by Prof. Dickson Andala, the Chief Executive Officer of NRF, Chairman of the KEMRI Board of Management, Dr. Abdullahi Ali, Ag. Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok and Ag. Director, Research & Development, Prof. Nelly Mugo.

Also present were NRF Board Member, Prof. Robert Gateru, Deputy Director, CBRD, Dr. Luna Kamau, Study PI, Dorcas Wachira and research scientists and teams from NRF and KEMRI. Speaking at the event, Prof. Songok said the first-ever Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine laboratory in the Sub-Saharan African Region will support the development of new technologies for the treatment and prevention of diseases especially Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

“Stem cell research shall enable us to develop new therapies to regenerate and repair tissues that have been damaged or affected by diseases or accidents such as cancer, spinal cord injuries, burns, and diabetes.”

Prof. Songok said at the launch.

On his part, Prof. Andala, the CEO at NRF said that NCDs have proven a big problem for developing and middle-income countries since it threatens their achievement of sustainable development goals and noted that more than 50 percent of inpatients in health facilities and 27 percent of deaths annually are attributed to NCDs, a trend that is worrying and deserves scientists’ effort.

According to the Study PI who is also the Division Head of the Immunology Lab at CBRD, Ms. Wachira, lack of specialized infrastructure and personnel in Kenya has driven most patients with NCDs to seek treatment in other countries including India, USA, South Africa, and Germany among others which is very costly and strains the affected families as well as the country’s economy. The emerging knowledge in stem cell science and regenerative medicine will now be explored to help address the NCDs among other challenges.