Indonesian Student Wins Patent for Non-animal (Xeno-Free) Stem Cell Research in UK

Author: Dhita Ariiqoh Putri
October 8, 2024

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Indonesian PhD student Rizal Azis has been granted a patent by the UK government for his research into non-animal (xeno-free) stem cell breeding. Rizal has been conducting the research with his supervisor, Professor Nick Hanan, since 2020. The research can be used to produce immune cells, specifically macrophages, dendritic cells, heart cells, lung cells, and liver cells, to model diseases.

The patent is beneficial to the stem cell research community. Scientists can produce different types of cells at will using only one media formulation. The new method offers improved safety, consistency, and efficiency in cell production, making it valuable for clinical applications.

After obtaining the patent, Rizal produced induced stem cells from Indonesian thalassaemia patients and normal patients. These induced stem cells were successful and were named RI (Republic of Indonesia) cells.

Rizal's success in bringing innovation to the world of stem cell treatment has attracted the interest of 7 international biotechnology companies in the UK, Canada, and Germany to buy the patent rights of the product so that it can be widely produced.