A Sydney-based Indian-origin researcher has been conferred with the prestigious NRI of the Year Award 2018 for his pioneering research in stem cell technology.
Dr Kuldeep Singh Sidhu - an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the UNSW is one of only 22 winners to receive the honours at an awards ceremony in Mumbai recently.
"I am incredibly humbled by the award given to me," Dr Sidhu told SBS Punjabi.
The awards recognise the outstanding achievements of the Non-resident Indians in the fields of philanthropy, art & culture, academics and entrepreneurship- for which over 11 thousand entrants from all over the world sent nominations.
Stem cell technology
There are two types of stem cells in the human body. One is called embryo stem cells and other grown-up stem cells.
When a human body is formed the first time from the embryo, it only contains 30-40 stem cells called embryonic stem cells. And as we grow further, these cells get multiplied and eventually a full-grown human body would see around 230 different types of cells.
Dr Sidhu says, "This rapid growth of cells in a human body tells about the magnanimity of and importance of Stem Cells. The role of stem cells in the human body is to produce the most critical component- tissues in the body".
"The other main role of adult stem cells is reparative- in case of a disease- that happens to any organ of our body, it has an inherent ability to repair itself."
Dr Sidhu further explains, "The strength of stem cells in our body varies considerably. Some are a quiet type of stem cells and others are a bit too active - the ones that help in generating blood cells in our body are active ones".
"But on the other hand, the stem cells found in heart or brain are not very active as compared to those found in bone marrow. But in all cases, there is a built-in mechanism that makes your body repair itself with use of these stem cells," he says.
Chair of stem cell biology and director stem cells lab, UNSW Source: Dr Kuldip Sidhu
Dr Sidhu says with more research in the field of stem cells, the life expectancy of human beings has immensely increased. He says the medicinal treatment that considers the symptom of any disease is not a cure but a temporary fix.
"There is a third pillar of treatment that is called stem cells based therapy, and this is going to further revolutionise the treatment of human decease as it looks at the cure and not only temporary treatment," he says.
Dr Sidhu further explains: "There are strong and weak stem cells in our body. And in the case of diabetic patients, the stem cells try to fight diabetes but are not able to do so and get damaged themselves. However, if we treat diabetes with help of Stem Cell treatment, the required Beta Cells can be produced outside in a lab and then injected inside the body to fight the disease. In other words, the damaged cells in the pancreas can be completely replaced by the good ones."
"This is the type of research that I and my team are currently working on in UNSW. In the rest of world, there are about 5000 trials carried out using stem cells for the cure of different disease. And in another 5 to 10 years, we will be at a substantial stage of fully developed Stem Cells therapy ’, says Dr Kuldip Sidhu.
Receiving NRI Award from India Source: Dr Kuldip Sidhu
