Close X
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
ADVT 
Newsmakers

Scientist Pradeep Mahajan’s stem-cell research earns him 'Maharashtra Bhushan Award'

Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Mar, 2024 04:41 PM
  • Scientist Pradeep Mahajan’s stem-cell research earns him 'Maharashtra Bhushan Award'

Mumbai, March 1 (IANS) Globally-acclaimed Mumbai scientist Pradeep V. Mahajan’s pioneering work in regenerative medicine and stem-cells has earned him this year’s coveted ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’, officials said.

The Founder-Chairman of StemRX Bioscience Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Chairman-cum-Managing Director of StemRX Hospital & Research Centre in Navi Mumbai, Mahajan is credited with several ground-breaking clinical successes and intellectual contributions that have earned him national and international accolades.

He shot to limelight for his contributions to tackling the Covid-19 crisis in India, treatment of the world’s youngest case of cerebral palsy, and the first instance of an empty nose syndrome in the country, which have pushed forward the boundaries of modern medical science.

Mahajan, 64, developed a unique stem-cell/platelet-based remedy to kill the Coronavirus “naturally, with anti-inflammatory bodies”, which reduced the need for hospitalisation of Covid-19 patients by nearly 75 per cent, lessening the load on the public health sector.

“We found that the lungs are the prime target of Covid-19, causing maximum morbidity, highest stay in/on ICU/ventilators and even deaths. Post-treatment, the patient needed oxygen for months as the lungs developed fibrosis,” Mahajan told IANS.

However, most medicines or vaccines failed to work as they targeted the ‘virus, and not its environment’, and to survive, it kept mutating as pharma companies fumbled for newer remedies, he said.

Mahajan’s protocol was simple - to tackle and strengthen the environment which would kill the Coronavirus naturally – which was first highlighted by IANS (May 10, 2021).

“For this, we acquired blood platelets - considered the first line defence of the lungs, followed by white blood corpuscles and platelets for the next stage of the healing process. Then, we took the platelets from regular blood banks or donors, they were lysed, (to remove its walls to extract the granules), converted into a powder and administered as a mixture through a nebuliser or a rotahaler directly into the lungs - similar to any asthma patients," Mahajan explained.

These pumps (nebuliser-rotahaler) are easily available for Rs 250-1,500 apiece, while the stem-cell concoction used in them is prepared in a special lab machine.

The treatment proved very cost-effective. The patients could also be treated at home during quarantine through their mobile medical teams.

Gradually, Mahajan started producing the special concoction in 3,000 vials per day, which catered to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and other cities.

The stem-cell therapy/lyophilised platelet nebulisation worked complementary to other treatment protocols for mass benefits, he said.

Mahajan is also providing medical assistance through stem-cell therapy to lakhs of soldiers in Kurdistan, wounded during the nine-year long Iraq War, including over 20,000 with permanent war-induced disabilities who are now gradually recovering to lead near-normal lives.

He is also helping build hospitals in Mauritius and Africa, besides delivering lectures in several universities around the world.

Besides Mahajan, the other ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’ winners this year are -- Vijaykumar Yadav, Dharmaveer Bharti, Rana Suryawanshi and Rahul Papal.

MORE Newsmakers ARTICLES

Amjad Bajwa, Cricket BC Former President, awarded with Queen's Jubilee medal

Amjad Bajwa, Cricket BC Former President, awarded with Queen's Jubilee medal
Honourable MP, John Aldag, for Cloverdale-Langley City bestowed Bajwa with the honour.  For the past 3 decades Bajwa has been a tireless champion for the sport of cricket where his service and dedication have been exemplary. 

Amjad Bajwa, Cricket BC Former President, awarded with Queen's Jubilee medal

Inderjit Hundal of PICS awarded with Queen's Jubilee Medal

Inderjit Hundal of PICS awarded with Queen's Jubilee Medal
Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, on behalf of the government of Canada, recognized and thanked Hundal for his service to Surrey residents. Since 1987, PICS has assisted tens of thousands of residents within Surrey as we welcome newcomers and refugees to the community.

Inderjit Hundal of PICS awarded with Queen's Jubilee Medal

Renu Vig is Panjab University's new Vice Chancellor

Renu Vig is Panjab University's new Vice Chancellor
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is also the Chancellor, exercising the powers conferred by Section 10 of the Panjab University Act 1947, appointed Vig to the post for three years. Subsequent to the resignation of Raj Kumar as Vice Chancellor, Vig had been acting Vice-Chancellor since January 16.

Renu Vig is Panjab University's new Vice Chancellor

Indian-origin teen wins $250K US science prize

Indian-origin teen wins $250K US science prize
Neel Moudgal, 17, was announced the winner of the Regeneron Science Talent competition on Tuesday. Ambika Grover, 17, was ranked sixth for an $80,000 award and Siddhu Pachipala, 18, placed ninth for a $50,000 prize. About 2,000 high school students competed in the Science Talent Search with 40 selected for the final round.

Indian-origin teen wins $250K US science prize

Asia's first lady loco pilot commands Solapur-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express

Asia's first lady loco pilot commands Solapur-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express
Asia's first woman loco pilot Surekha Yadav piloted the new Vande Bharat Express from Solapur to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai on Monday. The train departed Solapur at the right time and reached CSMT five minutes before time.

Asia's first lady loco pilot commands Solapur-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express

Indian-American teen in Johns Hopkins' world's 'brightest' list

Indian-American teen in Johns Hopkins' world's 'brightest' list
She has been recognised for her exceptional performance on the SAT, ACT, School and College Ability Test, or similar assessment taken as part of the CTY Talent Search. Her results in the verbal and quantitative sections levelled with the 90th percentile of advanced Grade 8 performance.

Indian-American teen in Johns Hopkins' world's 'brightest' list