A technician from the biotech company EdiGene processes cell samples at the company's lab in Beijing. China published the world's first international standard on stem cell research on Saturday, signaling that the country has become a global leader in this cutting-edge field that could revolutionize medicine, experts said.
ISO 24603 lists the different requirements and regulations for cultivating and using human and mouse pluripotent stem cells. It is the first stem cell related standard for the International Organization for Standardization.
It has injected positive energy into China's science, technology and innovation in life and health sciences. The deputy director of the Department of Basic Research at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Zhang Jian, is a deputy director of basic research.
Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to differentiate into any cell types that make up the body. They are usually found during the earliest stages of cell division after fertilization.
According to the Mayo Clinic, scientists are trying to exploit the regenerative potential of stem cells to treat many challenging medical conditions, such as spinal cord injuries, leukemia, Type 1 diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, burns, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
It can be controversial because stem cell therapy is poorly regulated, with unscrupulous providers hyping the technology and drawing patients seeking cures to illegal and potentially harmful treatments.
Chen Yeguang, the president of the Chinese Society for Cell Biology, said stem cell and regenerative medicine is a rapidly developing field, and it is important to establish ground rules for research and industry.
ISO 24603 will play an important role in setting standards for the whole industry and public health, he said.
George Dagher, the convener of the ISO TC 276 WG 2 committee, said that ISO 24603 is based on expert consensus from ISO countries and is a necessary step for expanding stem cell research.
The International Organization for Standardization, founded in 1947, developed and published standards in many technical fields. Its headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland, and it has 167 member states as of this year.
Ji Weizhi, a noted biologist and academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that China spearheading and publishing the new international standard showed that the country has become one of the world's leading players in the field, especially in basic sciences and some technologies.
An academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wang Songling, called the new standard a milestone and said it represented China's contribution to global stem cell research.
Zheng Jian, deputy director of the Department of Basic Research at the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that the standard not only provides crucial instructions to guide and support the development of the stem cell industry, but also shows China's increased international recognition in stem cell research.
He said that it has injected positive energy into China's science, technology, and innovation in life and health sciences.