A group of local researchers says it has developed a technology that can effectively treat wounds by promptly transferring mesenchymal stem cells to injured parts.
 
The National Research Foundation of Korea said Wednesday that a team led by Dr. Oh Doo-byoung of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology and Sungkyunkwan University Professor Lim Yong-taek developed the gene delivery technology.
 
Oh said mesenchymal stem cells are being actively studied as cell therapy products since they can be extracted from the bone marrow, fat and blood without raising ethical problems.
 
Oh anticipated that the stem cells could be developed into cell therapy products used to effectively regenerate impaired tissues.
 
The latest research got the support of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning provided for projects on advancing biotechnology and medical technology.
 
The research results were posted in the online edition of “Biomaterials” journal last Saturday.