Natesh Parashurama, MD, PhD, is a former surgeon and current stem cell researcher. Dr. Parashurama is an assistant chemical and biological engineering professor at the University of Buffalo (N.Y.), where he builds 3D internal organs from human stem cells.
Dr. Parashurama discussed the promise of stem cell technology for Stem Cell Awareness Day, Oct. 10.
"Nearly all chronic disease in medicine could be addressed by stem cells," said Dr. Parashurama. "They will change medicine forever." At the University of Buffalo, his lab uses stem cells to build the earliest stages of liver and pancreas tissue with the aim of treating liver disease and diabetes.
Dr. Parashurama is optimistic about stem cells as an alternative to organ transplantation and other surgeries. Orthopedic surgeons could, "use stem cells to build new ligaments in the knee, for example, or to generate new limbs."
Along with a graduate student, Dr. Parashurama started a company called Livandala, which researches the use of human pluripotent stem cells to regrow liver tissue in patients.
"There is no treatment for people with end-stage liver disease, so a transplant is often the only option," said Dr. Parashurama. "But many patients with cirrhosis never get the transplanted organ, either because they are too high-risk or there are not enough donor organs. There are also major economic benefits for using stem cells. Even when someone is lucky enough to get a transplant, the cost is tremendous and is as high as several hundred thousand dollars or more just for the procedure. Stem cell therapy should be about ten times less costly."