Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students.
There have been significant achievements in research at IMU as indicated by the increasing amount of external funds obtained, and number of publications and postgraduate students produced since it started its research activities in the year 2000. However, it is a great challenge indeed to ensure sustainability of our research, which is currently heavily dependent on internal funding. There is a need to realign our strategies to further enhance our competitiveness in securing external funding for research. In line with this, the Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) was officially established on 18 September 2012. The Institute will serve as a platform to support all research activities at IMU. There are four Centres of Excellence based on the identified thrust areas under
IRDI, namely 1) Centre for Bioactive Molecules and Drug Discovery; 2) Centre for Environmental and
Population Health; 3) Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, and 4) Centre for Health Professional Education Research. Major findings based on research in these four thrust areas are reviewed in this paper. With the strategic planning and establishment of IRDI, it is our aspiration to bring research at IMU to a higher level.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR) raises ethical issues. In the process of research, embryos may be destroyed and, to some, such an act entails the 'killing of human life'. Past studies have sought the views of scientists and the general public on the ethics of ESCR. This study, however, explores multi-faith ethical viewpoints, in particular, those of Buddhists, Hindus and Catholics in Malaysia, on ESCR. Responses were gathered via semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Three main ethical quandaries emerged from the data: (1) sanctity of life, (2) do no harm, and (3) 'intention' of the research. Concerns regarding the sanctity of life are directed at particular research protocols which interfere with religious notions of human ensoulment and early consciousness. The principle of 'do no harm' which is closely related to ahimsa prohibits all acts of violence. Responses obtained indicate that respondents either discourage research that inflicts harm on living entities or allow ESCR with reservations. 'Intention' of the research seems to be an interesting and viable rationale that would permit ESCR for the Buddhists and Hindus. Research that is intended for the purpose of alleviating human suffering is seen as being ethical. This study also notes that Catholics oppose ESCR on the basis of the inviolability of human life.
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein 9 or CRISPR/Cas9 system is one of the hottest topics discussed lately due to its robustness and effectiveness in genome editing. The technology has been widely used in life science research including microbial, plant, animal, and human cell studies. Combined with the pluripotency of stem cells, the technology represents a powerful tool to generate various cell types for disease modeling, drug screening, toxicology, and targeted therapies. Generally, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been applied in genetic modification of pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, after which the cells are differentiated into specific cell types and used for functional analysis or even clinical transplantation. Recent advancement in CRISPR/Cas9 technology has widened the scope of stem cell research and its therapeutic application. This review provides an overview of the current application and the prospect of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, particularly in stem cell research and therapy.
The sources of embryos for Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR) include surplus embryos from infertility treatments, and research embryos which are created solely for an ESCR purpose. The latter raises more ethical concerns. In a multi-religious country like Malaysia, ethical discussions on the permissibility of ESCR with regard to the use surplus and research embryos are diversified. Malaysia has formulated guidelines influenced by the national fatwa ruling which allows the use of surplus embryos in ESCR. Input from other main religions is yet to be documented. In light of this, this study addresses (i) the ethical viewpoints of Buddhist, Hindu and Catholic leaders on the permissibility of using surplus and research embryos; and (ii) the moral standpoints of religious leaders towards attaining a consensus on the practice of ESCR in Malaysia. Responses from the religious leaders were obtained via semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The findings show that generally the Buddhist and Hindu leaders approve the use of surplus embryos. Their responses on the creation of research embryos for ESCR are varied. Meanwhile, the Catholic leaders distinctively objected to ESCR regardless of the embryo sources, referring to it as the destruction of life. Taking into account the diverse views, this study explores the response of the religious leaders for a general consensus wherever possible. The ethical discourse surrounding ESCR in a multi-religious setting offers new perspective, which needs to be explored in a broader global community.
One of the goals of medicine is to improve well-being, in line with the principle of beneficence (do no harm). Likewise, scientists claim that the goal of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is to find treatments for diseases. In hESC research, stem cells are harvested from a 5-day-old embryo. Surplus embryos from infertility treatments or embryos created for the sole purpose of harvesting stem cells are used in the research, and in the process the embryos get destroyed. The use of human embryos for research purpose raises ethical concern. In this context, the religious leaders play the role to be the moral compass and "reality check" to engage with the public. In Malaysia, the Ministry of Health has outlined the Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Therapy, reflecting on Islamic principles. Since there has not been much focus on the viewpoints of other faiths in Malaysia, this study attempts to (i) explore the ethical guiding principles deliberated by religious leaders from the Buddhist, Hindu and Catholic traditions and (ii) identify if there is a common ground between the mainstream religious views and principles of medical ethics, in relation to hESC research. Eleven religious leaders representing the Buddhist, Hindu and Catholic traditions were interviewed. Interestingly, though reasoning of religious leaders came from different angles, their underlying concerns revolve around the values of "do no harm" and "intention to save lives". These values are also the key principles in medical ethics. The findings are applied to answer the question as to whether religious and medical guiding principles can co-exist and complement in ethical decision-making, without compromising the values.
Chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) have potential applications in stem cell research. In this study, ex vivo cytotoxicity of CSNPs on mouse bone marrow-derived (MBMCs) hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) was determined. MBMCs were exposed to CSNPs of different particle sizes at various concentrations for up to 72 h. Cytotoxicity effect of CSNPs on MBMCs was determined using MTT, Live/Dead Viability/Cytotoxicity assays and flow cytometry analysis of surface antigens on HSCs (Sca-1(+)), myeloid-committed progenitors (CD11b(+), Gr-1(+)), and lymphoid-committed progenitors (CD45(+), CD3e(+)). At 24 h incubation, MBMCs' viability was not affected by CSNPs. At 48 and 72 h, significant reduction was detected at higher CSNPs concentrations. Small CSNPs (200 nm) significantly reduced MBMCs' viability while medium-sized particle (∼400 nm) selectively promoted MBMCs growth. Surface antigen assessment demonstrated lineage-dependent effect. Significant decrease in Sca-1(+) cells percentage was observed for medium-sized particle at the lowest CSNPs concentration. Meanwhile, reduction of CD11b(+) and Gr-1(+) cells percentage was detected at high and intermediate concentrations of medium-sized and large CSNPs. Percentage of CD45(+) and CD3e(+) cells along with ROS levels were not significantly affected by CSNPs. In conclusion, medium-sized and large CSNPs were relatively non-toxic at lower concentrations. However, further investigations are necessary for therapeutic applications.
Amniotic fluid (AF) is now known to harbor highly potent stem cells, making it an excellent source for cell therapy. However, most of the stem cells isolated are from AF of mid-term pregnancies in which the collection procedure involves an invasive technique termed amniocentesis. This has limited the access in getting the fluid as the technique imposes certain level of risks to the mother as well as to the fetus. Alternatively, getting AF from full-term pregnancies or during deliveries would be a better resolution. Unfortunately, very few studies have isolated stem cells from AF at this stage of gestation, the fluid that is merely discarded. The question remains whether full-term AF harbors stem cells of similar potency as of the stem cells of mid-term AF. Here, we aim to review the prospect of having this type of stem cells by first looking at the origin and contents of AF particularly during different gestation period. We will then discuss the possibility that the AF, at full term, contains a population of highly potent stem cells. These stem cells are distinct from, and probably more potent than the AF mesenchymal stem cells (AF-MSCs) isolated from full-term AF. By comparing the studies on stem cells isolated from mid-term versus full-term AF from various species, we intend to address the prospect of having highly potent amniotic fluid stem cells from AF of full-term pregnancies in human and animals.
Pluripotent stem cells possess the unique property of differentiating into all other cell types of the human body. Further, the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in 2006 has opened up new avenues in clinical medicine. In simple language, iPSCs are nothing but somatic cells reprogrammed genetically to exhibit pluripotent characteristics. This process utilizes retroviruses/lentiviruses/adenovirus/plasmids to incorporate candidate genes into somatic cells isolated from any part of the human body. It is also possible to develop disease-specific iPSCs which are most likely to revolutionize research in respect to the pathophysiology of most debilitating diseases, as these can be mimicked ex vivo in the laboratory. These models can also be used to study the safety and efficacy of known drugs or potential drug candidates for a particular diseased condition, limiting the need for animal studies and considerably reducing the time and money required to develop new drugs. Recently, functional neurons, cardiomyocytes, pancreatic islet cells, hepatocytes and retinal cells have been derived from human iPSCs, thus re-confirming the pluripotency and differentiation capacity of these cells. These findings further open up the possibility of using iPSCs in cell replacement therapy for various degenerative disorders. In this review we highlight the development of iPSCs by different methods, their biological characteristics and their prospective applications in regenerative medicine and drug screening. We further discuss some practical limitations pertaining to this technology and how they can be averted for the betterment of human life.
The advancement in human stem cell research has promised a viable alternative treatment for a range of ‘incurable diseases’ such as neurological diseases. To date, several studies have documented substantial evidences on the therapeutic properties of stem cells in promoting repair in different diseases including common neurological disorders i.e. ischaemic stroke and spinal cord injury. However, the progress of stem cell research has been surrounded by ethical issues which largely due to the usage of human embryos as one of the sources. These embryonic stem cells which originally derived from human embryo of aborted foetus or already existing human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) lines, has sparked an intense moral and religious argument among people of various faith, including Muslim community. From the therapeutic point of view, amongst the currently available stem cells, hESCs show the greatest potential for the broadest range of cell replacement therapies and are regarded as the most commercially viable. This review focuses on the major ethical issues, particularly to Muslim community, related to human embryonic stem cells research with special emphasis on the moral status of the embryo and the beginning of life according to the Islamic ethics and rulings. In this paper, we also discuss some ethical positions towards embryonic stem cell research in the Islamic world, including official regulations existing in some Muslim countries. We examine the justification and the necessity on the usage of hESCs following the newly discovered Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSCs) in the laboratory. In addition, we supplement the discussions with the general views and positions from the other two Abrahamic religions i.e. Christianity and Judaism.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in advanced countries. Stem cell transplantation has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for acute and chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. The current status of stem cell therapies for patients with myocardial infarction is discussed from a bioengineering and biomaterial perspective in this review. We describe (a) the current status of clinical trials of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) compared with clinical trials of human adult or fetal stem cells, (b) the gap between fundamental research and application of human stem cells, (c) the use of biomaterials in clinical and pre-clinical studies of stem cells, and finally (d) trends in bioengineering to promote stem cell therapies for patients with myocardial infarction. We explain why the number of clinical trials using hPSCs is so limited compared with clinical trials using human adult and fetal stem cells such as bone marrow-derived stem cells.