Future of medicine is ‘regenerative’

Becoming a reputed doctor is the prime goal of every medical aspirant. All these students work hard and burn the midnight oil to qualify the toughest exams conducted in India. Earlier, students had only a countable number of specialisations and branches in medical science to set their career path on. However, the advancements and invasion of IT in medicine has opened up numerous roles and specialisations today.

One of them is Regenerative Aesthetic Medicine. Offering a lucrative career opportunity, this field is emerging as a hot-selling and most demanding course for doctors. Over the past decade, aesthetic medicine has gained an individual status separate from skin medicine or dermatology and offers career opportunities not just to doctors and aesthetic physicians but also to non-medicine trained staff.

Students with degree like MBBS and above, BDS, BAMS, MTech, PhD, MSc can apply for the course. The modules include Orthobiologics, Aesthetics for Face and Genital, PRP Therapy, Bone Marrow Stem Cells, Adipose Derived Stem Cells and Metabolic Medicine.

Often touted as a magic bullet for various clinical applications, stem cell therapy also known as regenerative medicines is medically defined as the capability of renewing tissue for the lifetime of an organism. In fact, it has emerged as the latest method to help the body repair and regenerate ageing cells, tissues, and organs. As a result, it not only aids in recreating youth by improving or rehashing the appearance but also helps in repairing, dysfunctional or injured tissues using stem cell therapy.

Hence, the technology is viewed as an effective treatment for conditions such as neurological conditions, orthopaedics, chronic kidney diseases, COPD and other lung diseases, liver diseases, cardiology, autoimmune disorders, ophthalmolic diseases, infertility and cosmetic procedures. Also, it has been identified as a potential treatment for ailments like Type 1 diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and a variety of cancerous conditions.

According to industry reports, the nascent stem cell therapy market in India was valued at Rs 100 crore in 2013, and is estimated to reach Rs 200 crore in 2018, owing to the growing number of stem cell banks and stem cell depositors.

Further, liberalisation of stem cell research and government support have emerged as the strong driving forces behind its success and development.

As of now, India has established itself as a major player in biotechnology across the Asia Pacific region, sharing space with giants like Japan and South Korea. Bengaluru, in particular, is a major hub in work related to stem cells. Experts also estimate India to be investing more than Rs 1,000 crore in stem cell research. Hence, with the rise in popularity, the need of the hour demands guided quality, skill and trained manpower.

Although there are institutes that offer courses in biotechnology, there is a lack of institutions offering concentrated training and education on stem cell therapy. This is where CIRAM, through its state-of-the-art education in next-generation therapies, training in translational research and in advanced cellular and personalised therapeutic medicines, has carved its name as the first private stem cell training institute in India.

Lucrative career

In recent times, regenerative medicine is among the latest branches of translational pharmaceutical. And, one of the major factors contributing to the growth of this branch is the rapidly rising ageing population. As a result of the demographic shift, researchers have identified an increase in the number of aged people spending on therapeutics and medicinal services.

Since regenerative aesthetic medicine has been identified as a potential technology to cure conditions such as heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, etc, it offers umpteen career opportunities.

Students pursuing courses in the field can opt for mainstream specialisation such as in cardiology or neurology, with additional skills of using ‘in-demand’ technology to offer their patients more refined and effective treatment.

Further, doctors and medical students graduating in dermatology can enhance their dermato-surgical skills with the knowledge of regenerative medicines. Although cosmetology and aesthetics are thriving as a high-income generating career option, students with knowledge of regenerative medicine can also work in consonance with a multi-disciplinary team to help victims of burn and accidents.

Apart from these, students and aspirants can also choose careers in high rewarding roles in quality, research and development, production, clinical research, supply chain and human resources, finance and administrative functions.

(The writer is founder of CosmoStem Institute of Regenerative Aesthetic Medicine - CIRAM)