JEDDAH— King Abdulaziz University launched the second edition of the Stem Cell Scientific Forum, which was organized by the King Fahd Center for Medical Research, in Jeddah on Wednesday, under the patronage of Dr. Tareef Alaama, President of the University.
The forum included three scientific sessions that discussed advanced applications of stem cells in ophthalmology, the storage of HLA-dependent induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in Saudi Arabia, and progress in embryonic research on spinal muscular atrophy.
Professor Saleh Al-Kareem, head of the Stem Cell Unit, said the forum aims to raise awareness and register volunteers interested in donating stem cells.
“The process involves collecting information for future contact in case of compatibility with patients suffering from serious conditions such as blood cancers, immune disorders, and genetic diseases. “Donating stem cells offers hope to save the life of a patient in urgent need, and there are no risks to the donor, as modern technologies used today to collect stem cells are entirely safe,” Al-Kareem emphasized.
He confirmed that the university’s Stem Cell Research Unit has made significant strides in developing specialized expertise across various stem cell fields. It was the first institution in the Kingdom to establish a human mesenchymal stem cell line from the placenta of Saudi women, securing intellectual property rights from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property under the name ‘Cell Line SKGh’.
He added: The unit has played, and continues to play, a pivotal role in creating suitable conditions for stem cell cultivation at the King Fahd Medical Research Center and supervises master’s and doctoral theses for the Departments of Biology and Biochemistry at the Faculty of Science and other faculties.
Al-Kareem stated, “Graduates from King Abdulaziz University have emerged as scientific leaders. Several international PhD graduates from our university are now working at prominent institutions such as MIT, the University of New Mexico in the US, and Shantou University in China.
"Additionally, some of our PhD graduates from the Faculty of Science are now professors at Saudi universities specializing in stem cell research."
He said: the unit offers opportunities for research and training in the latest stem cell fields, including embryonic stem cells, cancer stem cells, exosomes, and therapeutic applications at both the cellular implantation stage and the animal model stage.” — SG
