PerkinElmer has established the ViaCord Research Institute™ (VRI™) to focus on investigating potential uses of umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells.
VRI will concentrate on supporting science, technology, and medical treatments using cord blood stem cells in five key areas: cord blood technologies, emerging stem cell therapies, genetic screening, product development and related transplants.
The institute will be led by a team of scientists and physicians including leading experts in the areas of stem cell biology, maternal-fetal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, transplant medicine, and genetics.
Cord blood is a noncontroversial source of stem cells with proven effect in treating more than 70 serious diseases including many cancers and immunodeficiencies, according to the PerkinElmer.