About Us

Department of Translational and Regenerative Medicine

The Department of Translational and Regenerative Medicine was started as Stem Cell Research Facility at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh in 2006 with Centre for Excellence grant from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. This facility was started under the able guidance of Prof. Neelam Marwaha and Prof. Vivekanand Jha. Prof. Jha headed the department from October 2011 to March 2013 and thereafter Prof. Neelam Marwaha headed the department from March 2013 to November 2013 with a vision of conducting cutting edge translational research in the institute. The department embodies an advanced laboratory to conduct cutting edge translational research in various facets of modern biological sciences, involving a state- state-of-the-art stem cell research facility with clean rooms for stem cell isolation and propagation, high-end instruments like flow cytometer sorter, confocal and fluorescence microscopes with digital imaging systems and other ancillary equipment. The facility was then made as Department of Translational and Regenerative Medicine in 2014 under the headship of Prof. Sunil. K. Arora from November 2013 to September 2023, and expansion in terms of faculty and office staff materialized during this time. Dr. Aruna Rakha was the first permanent faculty of the department from 2017 and in 2019 Dr. Anupam Mittal and Dr. Gaurav Sharma joined as faculty.

Currently, the department is under the headship of Prof. Reena Das. The vision of the department is to start clinical services and cell therapies like CART therapy, mesenchymal stromal cell based and cell free therapy for various diseased conditions, and exosomes for cardiorenal syndrome. To achieve the same, department is working on the various aspects of cGMP certification through Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). The department is actively working in collaboration with departments of Biophysics, Cardiology, Clinical Hematology and Medical Oncology, Endocrinology, Hepatology, Immunopathology, Internal Medicine, Transfusion Medicine, Nephrology, Orthopedics and Virology for bench to bedside translation. There are inter-institutional collaborations as well with INIs like AIIMS, IITs, IISERs, etc. Presently, department is well funded by various national funding agencies like DBT, DST and ICMR. Several students enrolled for the PhD in the department and a postgraduate course M.Sc. in Stem Cell and Translational Medicine is being conducted in the semester system.

Courses & Training Details

The Department conducts short-term training for students who are pursuing their PG courses in Stem Cell and cell biology-related subjects periodically and extended training courses of up to 6 months duration. Such extended training would provide a platform for candidates from basic science or medical backgrounds to learn the current perspective and basic techniques in isolation, characterization, culture propagation, cryopreservation, and clinical use of stem cells from various resources and explore their therapeutic translation.

Department of Translational and Regenerative Medicine offers the following Courses