Our Lab: Where Does Stem Cell Therapy Begin

At Swiss Medica, we not only offer a comprehensive range of treatments during and after stem cell therapy, but we also have our own stem cell laboratory to grow, check, store, and activate stem cells for patients. To ensure the efficacy and safety of our patients, we want to be in complete control of every process.

With an in-house laboratory, stem cells can be processed and prepared for treatment quickly, so there are no issues with transportation, timing, or possible contamination. For these reasons, we will go into more detail about our laboratory’s operations in this article.

How Stem Cells Arrive at Our Laboratory

After the procedure for stem cell therapy is established and the source—donor or own cells—is determined, there are two options for deriving and cultivating them:

1. We use a donor’s stem cells from authorized cell banks. We only use adult stem cells obtained from the umbilical cord or placenta following a healthy childbirth. 
2. We collect blood samples from the patient’s body in sterile environments. For various diseases and conditions, it could be fat tissue, bone marrow, or other sources. 

At the heart of the donor or patient’s cell operation is the cryobank, a repository of frozen cells. Stem cells, carefully collected and preserved in liquid nitrogen, are stored in Dewar flasks even for up to everal years, ready to be thawed and utilized when needed. 

How We Get Patient’s Cells 

In cases where patients’ own cells are required, our stem cell lab employs a specialized team to collect them. These cells can come from a variety of sources, including bone marrow, fat, blood, and the gums.

We have cutting-edge technology in our stem cell research laboratory to ensure that cells are handled and processed optimally. 

Biosafety Cabinet

The procedure for obtaining sterile stem cells begins in a biosafety cabinet. In this section, we separate stem cells from patient samples. 

The cabinet’s inner chamber, known as a laminar flow hood, reduces contamination risk while adhering to strict Grade A standards. An air barrier provides sterility, removing all microbes and bacteria from any equipment used in cell tests and sampling. 

Where Stem Cells Are Stored and Grown

Cryobanks operate around the clock to maintain the temperature and conditions required to keep donor or patient’s cells from activating for an extended period of time. Prior to administration, we must awaken or grow cells. In some cases, we do not need to grow them and can simply activate and use them for administrative purposes.

Nutrient Farm

1. The process of activation begins with retrieving and carefully thawing the frozen cells.
2. Once thawed, the cells are transferred to a nutrient farm, which is a specialized environment. This farm resembles a series of plastic shelves, each with a carefully controlled environment for the cells to multiply and thrive in.
3. Following the growth phase, we subject cells to rigorous testing for sterility and quality. This ensures that only healthy, viable cells are eventually used in treatment. Several key pieces of equipment play critical roles in the process of preparing stem cells for administration:
   – Incubators. These devices create an ideal environment for cells to multiply, simulating the conditions found in the human body, which is constantly warm. In our stem cell lab, we have two incubators: one for initial cell preparation and one for sterile cells.
   – Microbiological analyzers for monitoring microbial growth in cell cultures.
   – Centrifuges. They are used for cell purification, separating cell populations based on density. Chemical reagents are used to carefully release cells from their plastic supports, which are then separated from their growth medium via centrifugation. This process, when repeated several times, eliminates any residual medium and results in a clean, concentrated cell and exosome suspension. 
   – Flow cytometers. They are essential for preparing the therapeutic dose of cells because they provide detailed observation of the cells and ensure their viability.

Before administering cells to the patient, the stem cell research laboratory team carefully counts them and assesses their viability, ensuring that only the most robust cells are selected for therapy. They also check the cell culture several times to ensure that no microorganisms are present that could be harmful to health. 

How We Provide a Clean and Controlled Environment

Throughout the process, cleanliness is essential. It allows us to produce high-quality products that benefit our patients’ health and well-being. We have 2-parts of the laboratory:

• The entrance part is connected to the testing room, where we collect stem cell samples from patients. A UV-equipped airlock at the laboratory entrance serves as a barrier to contaminants, while the biosafety cabinet maintains a sterile environment.
• The biosafety cabinet and other testing equipment are located in the lab’s central area. This is the most sterile environment in which all cells are generated and stored. 

The biosafety cabinet and the entire laboratory are the most sterile areas in our clinic.

Rigorous quality control measures are in place, with 

• phenotyping utilized to assess cell characteristics and ensure their suitability for therapy;
• computer-generated graphs provide vital insights into the cells’ behavior, allowing for continuous monitoring and analysis.  

All equipment in our stem cell lab regularly passes all needed tests:

• Our laboratory obtained Grade A cleanliness level, which means the cleanest environment and surfaces that can be used for sterile operations. 
• To ensure their safety, stem cells from donors and patients are processed in a laminar flow biosafety cabinet before being transferred to the surgery room via a UV disinfectant airlock. 
• Every month, in-house laboratory professionals test the laboratory environment for sterility, and at least quarterly, an independent laboratory does the same.

The stem cell laboratory is committed to continuous improvement and conducts rigorous internal and external quality checks. Monthly sterility audits and quarterly external assessments ensure that the facility is running at peak performance. 

Transforming Cells, Transforming Lives

The stem cell laboratory is more than just a processing center; it is also a hub for scientific innovation. The team here does not just clean and prepare cells. They transform the cells into either mesenchymal stem cells or neural stem cells. We also polarize macrophages to the M2 type to provide anti-inflammatory properties and enhance the effectiveness of the therapies.

We invite you to take a tour of our laboratory. You will witness every step of working with stem cell products.

The lab’s strength lies in its highly skilled team and its commitment to using advanced techniques to push the boundaries of regenerative medicine. They meticulously follow the same strict procedures as those used in established cell banks, ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety.

Contact us

We use advanced technology and strict procedures to ensure the purity and effectiveness of our stem cell products. Contact us for a free consultation and discover how we prioritize your safety.

Dr. Aleksandra Fetyukhina, MD

Medical Advisor, Swiss Medica doctor

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