IN LABORATORY GENERATION AND MATURATION OF HUMAN MONOCYTE-DERIVED DENDRITIC CELLS FOR CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in the regulation of adaptive immune responses, furthermore they act as a bridge between the innate and the adaptive immune systems they have been ideal candidates for cell-based immunotherapy of cancers and infections in humans. The first reported trial using DCs in 1995, since they have been used in trials all over the world for several of indications, including cancer and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Generally, for in vitro experiments or for DCs vaccination monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) were generated from purified monocytes that isolated from peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation. A variety of methods can be used for enrichment of monocytes for generation of clinical-grade DCs. Herein we summarized up to date understanding of systems and inputs used in procedures to differentiate DCs from blood monocytes in vitro

Novel Diagnostic Approach and Safe Blood Transfusion Practices for Thalassemia: A Vital Role of a Blood Centre in Western India

β-Thalassemia carrier’s frequency is uneven in different districts in Gujarat (0–9.5%). Surat Raktadan Kendra & Research Centre (SRKRC), NABH accredited and regional blood Centre in Surat (Gujarat, India) running since 1976, provides free blood units to more than 350 Thalassemia Major Patients every year. Our DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India) approved Research department has developed Multiplex ARMS-PCR including 4 common mutations which is a fast, reliable, and cost-effective method. Safe blood transfusion is a priority for these patients because of having transfusion-associated infections, formation of alloantibodies against donor’s antigens, developing different grades of Blood Transfusion Reactions (BTR’s), etc. Therefore, different approaches have been implemented as routine practice by our Blood Centre, like the use of saline washed and/or leuco-reduced Red Cell Concentrate for transfusion (reduces the risk of BTR’s), NAT testing for Transfusion Transmitted Infections (reduces window period of TTI’s), antibody screening of patient (if develop in patient) and molecular genotyping of clinically important blood group antigens (Difficult to type these patients serologically due to presence of donors’ red cells). Despite being Blood Centre, contributing to developing novel diagnostic techniques and strictly following all possible transfusion practices, SRKRC greatly helps in ensuring proper diagnosis, lengthening the transfusion period and providing the safest blood to these patients