Eminent Ireland-based gastroenterologist Prof. Dilip Mahapatra is exploring the possibility of the establishment of a Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Odisha which can go a long way in making available advanced treatment to patients in a number of diseases including cancer.

Prof. Mahapatra, presently Director of the Lugh Medical Centre at Dundalk, Ireland and Vice-Chancellor of Ballsbridge University College at London, on Wednesday called on Prof. Manojranjan Nayak, President of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) here, to discuss the possibility of collaborating with the university to set up the centre at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, SOA’s faculty of medicine, at Bhubaneswar.

“We had a preliminary discussion about the feasibility of such a project. They already have a small unit for regenerative medicine which has scope for expansion,” Prof. Mahapatra, also an expert on pulmonary medicine and presently on a visit to Odisha said.

Regenerative medicine is the branch of medicine that explores methods to re-grow, repair or replace damaged or diseased cells, organs or tissues. It includes the generation and use of therapeutic stem cells, tissue engineering and the production of artificial organs.

Prof. Mahapatra, who is also an expert on pulmonary medicine and runs a Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Ireland, said stem cells were not only used to treat cancer but they could be utilized to heal cases relating to burning injuries, address retinal problems and for orthopaedic treatment like a knee cartilage tear.”

“It has immense possibilities,” he said.

“It would be nice to collaborate with a premier healthcare institute like IMS and SUM Hospital and the authorities are very positive about this possibility,” Prof. Mahapatra said adding “since I am from Odisha, I want to contribute something to the people of the state.”

SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, an eminent neurosurgeon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda and Pro-Vice-Chancellor cum Registrar Prof. Bibhuti Bhushan Pradhan was present during the discussion.