Stem cells are a unique type of cell in the body that is undifferentiated, which means it is capable of developing into different types of cells. This means that, when other cells and even whole tissues in the body are damaged, stem cells can be used to repair those areas. Breakthroughs in stem cell research are happening very often and can significantly improve the quality of life. Now, a company called Stem Cell Innovation is working on a blockchain platform that will make the collective knowledge about stem cells widely accessible. Their first step is creating a collaborative network based on blockchain for all scientists working on the topic, so that they can share their discoveries and ideas, but also receive second opinions and help in their own work.
The second step goes even further: the company aims to collect all patients’ data on their blockchain, controlling who gets to see it, so that patients can connect to any doctor in the world and get help specific to their case. The third and final step of their plan is to create an app that will allow people to sign up for “cord blood banking,” or the process of saving the blood found in the child’s umbilical cord immediately after birth, as this blood contains the best stem cells. The banking process allows for quick collecting and storing of the stem cells found in this blood, which means the child will have them safely frozen in case they need them later in life.
