India, Britain to collaborate on stem cell research
February 22, 2006
India and Britain are likely to collaborate soon on stem cell research and clinical trials for finding cures to various illnesses, British Science and Technology Minister Lord David Sainsbury said during his visit to India.
"Britain has just formulated a 10-year plan for stem cell research and how we can develop it into clinical treatment," Sainsbury told reporters during an interactive meeting.
"We desire that both countries should link up in research and development and set up stem cell banks and collaborate for access to cell lines in the bank. This needs (the sorting out of) regulation issues."
"We are waiting for India to sort out regulation and ethical issues on stem cells and cell lines. The British stem cell bank is waiting for the (Indian) Department of Biotechnology to set up a stem cell bank here and we will be willing to help with that."
Officials said there was growing interest in Britain about research being conducted at Indian institutions as well as collaborating on commercialization of innovations and new technologies. This is led to a large number of Indian companies, including start up ventures, establishing a presence in Britain. There are nearly 500 Indian companies with a base in Britain, two-thirds of them in the ICT and software fields.
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