Introduction of Tzu Chi Cell Therapy Center (CTC) and perspectives

“Center of Stem Cell & Precision Medicine” also called as “Cell Therapy Center, CTC”is established on January 1st, 2019, in Hualien Tzu Chi Medical Center to be responsible for all the stem cell and cellular therapy issues as well as genetic diagnosis development. The infrastructure of CTC includes the original Buddhist Tzu Chi Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Donor Registry, Cord Blood Bank, Gene and Stem Cell Manufacturing Center (Cell Factory), Department of Immunotherapy, Department of Cell Therapy, and Administrative Supportive Unit. Our aim is to promote health, life and to deliver thought of great love, starting from Eastern Taiwan, to the whole Taiwan and further to serve to the international society.

 

Aim of our service

Cell therapy is one kind of high-tech therapy. In the past, there were three fundamental bases in traditional medicine including pharmaceutics, biological agents, and medical equipment. Now, cell therapy is representing the fourth fundamental basis. As comparing to traditional medicine, newly developed cell therapy is more like that of “additive therapy”to add new cells to the diseased body.

• For example, Department of Cell Therapy of our CTC is to design self-cells to renew and regenerate cells for brain stroke and degenerative joint disorders.
• In another example, Department of Immunotherapy of our CTC is to prepare autologous immune cells, activated and expanded, to help control difficult cancers.
• The original Buddhist Tzu Chi Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Donor Registry & Cord Blood Bank continues to maintain high quality of service to provide unrelated hematopoietic stem cells to the whole world for transplantation to treat various hematological disorders.
• Meanwhile, Gene and Stem Cell Manufacturing Center (Cell Factory) of our CTC is established to generate different kinds of autologous stem cells and immune cells under the standard of Good Tissue Practicing (GTP) to provide safe, and high quality of cell products.