Stem cell provision through the national institute increased sharply in 2024

According to a report, the National Stem Cell Bank provided 133 stem cells last year, nearly doubling from 68 in 2023.

The National Stem Cell Bank said Friday that it provided 133 stem cells to 49 research organizations and business corporations last year. This is about 1.8 times more than the average of the last five years, the bank noted, showing that research using stem cells is actively conducted in Korea.

Stem cells can differentiate into various types of cells that make up the human body and are a key resource for identifying the causes of rare and incurable diseases and developing new treatments. They are also used in various advanced regenerative medical technologies, such as cell-based artificial blood, bio-artificial organs, and gene therapy.

Last year, the National Stem Cell Bank provided 36 stem cells (74 percent) to universities, 10 (20 percent) to companies, and three (6 percent) to research institutes.

The National Stem Cell Bank provides quality-verified stem cells to stem cell researchers. This year, four new lines of disease-derived and fluorescently expressed stem cells will be available. Disease-derived stem cells (muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, Rett syndrome, and others) can be used to analyze the cause of disease and develop customized treatments.

“We will do our best to develop and provide resources in line with the needs of researchers, including clinical-grade stem cells so that the National Stem Cell Bank can help domestic stem cell research and practicalize regenerative medicine,” said Park Hyun-young, the director general of the National Institutes of Health that oversees the stem cell bank.