NIBSC and the Stem Cell Bank
NIBSC is a government-funded organisation involved in quality
assurance and research related to biological medicines. It works
actively within European and International networks to enhance the
safety of biological medicines through the provision of reference
materials for assays, by development of underpinning research on
product safety and quality and finally by batch-release testing of
products.
In September 2002 NIBSC was selected to host the new UK Stem
Cell Bank funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The
UK Stem Cell Bank provides a repository for human stem cell lines
of all types, and has been developed to supply well characterised
cell lines under appropriate and accredited quality systems both
for basic research and for the development of clinical
applications.
The Bank is more than a repository for stem cell lines. It is a
principle of the Bank that its research should not conflict in any
way either with the academic sector, or with commercial companies.
As a governing principle, in order to avoid conflicts of interest,
the Bank does not engage in research into basic stem cell biology
nor undertake near market, commercial research. Research is
restricted to areas relating to improving cell culture,
preservation, cell characterisation and safety testing.
