Singapore cord blood bank
Encyclopedia
The Singapore Cord Blood Bank (Abbreviation
: SCBB) is Singapore
’s only public cord blood bank
that collects, processes and stores donated umbilical cord blood for use in stem cell transplants. Its cord blood units may be searched for use by qualifying transplant centers around the world.
is the blood that circulates through the umbilical cord
from the foetus to the placenta. After delivery, the placenta is almost always thrown away. Yet this humble umbilical cord has become a life saving and precious commodity, because cord blood is rich in blood stem cells.
Blood stem cells are young or immature cells that can transform into other forms of essential blood cell types, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The use of blood stem cells has emerged as a potentially curative option for the treatment of several diseases, including blood cancers (such as leukemia
and lymphoma
), and severe anaemia (such as myelodysplastic syndrome
, thalassemia major and severe aplastic anaemia).
Singaporean patients who needed stem cell transplants were then facing difficulties in obtaining Human Leukocyte Antigen
(HLA) matched stem cell units because of the relative scarcity of stem cell donors that matched Singapore’s main ethnic profiles i.e. Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities. SCBB was conceived as a solution to this problem. Donation of cord blood by Singaporeans would significantly increase the probability of obtaining matched cord blood units for the treatment of Singaporean patients.
Having joined the WMDA and NMDP network in 2006 and 2007 respectively, have allowed patients of Asian descent all over the world to search SCBB's inventory for a matching cord blood unit as well.
. It has a not-for-profit charter and is governed by a non-executive board of directors. Chaired by Prof Tan Ser Kiat the board's members include Dr Kwa Soon Bee, Prof Chee Yam Cheng, Dr Tan Hiang Khoon, Mr Gregory Vijayendran, Mrs Ruth Wong and Mr Markham Shaw.
and National University Hospital
, as well as all 9 of the private obstetric hospitals in Singapore, East Shore Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Thomson Medical Centre and Raffles Hospital.
is the first registered cord blood bank in India as well as South East Asia.
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
: SCBB) is Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
’s only public cord blood bank
Cord blood bank
A cord blood bank is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use. Both private and public cord blood banks have developed since the mid- to late-1990s in response to the potential for cord blood transplants in treating diseases of the blood and immune systems.Public banks accept...
that collects, processes and stores donated umbilical cord blood for use in stem cell transplants. Its cord blood units may be searched for use by qualifying transplant centers around the world.
Public Cord Blood Banking
As a public cord blood bank, SCBB does not charge cord blood donors for its services. However, as the cord blood is donated altruistically, the donor relinquishes any claims to it after donation. This contrasts with a private cord blood bank where donors pay a fee for the cord blood banking services, but retain ownership over the use of their cord blood.Cord blood and its uses
Cord bloodCord blood
Umbilical cord blood is blood that remains in the placenta and in the attached umbilical cord after childbirth. Cord blood is collected because it contains stem cells which can be used to treat hematopoietic and genetic disorders.-Collection:...
is the blood that circulates through the umbilical cord
Umbilical cord
In placental mammals, the umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the developing embryo or fetus to the placenta...
from the foetus to the placenta. After delivery, the placenta is almost always thrown away. Yet this humble umbilical cord has become a life saving and precious commodity, because cord blood is rich in blood stem cells.
Blood stem cells are young or immature cells that can transform into other forms of essential blood cell types, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The use of blood stem cells has emerged as a potentially curative option for the treatment of several diseases, including blood cancers (such as leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
and lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
), and severe anaemia (such as myelodysplastic syndrome
Myelodysplastic syndrome
The myelodysplastic syndromes are a diverse collection of hematological medical conditions that involve ineffective production of the myeloid class of blood cells....
, thalassemia major and severe aplastic anaemia).
History
Officially opened in September 2005 by Health Minister Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, Singapore Cord Blood Bank was established in response to demands from Haematologists and Paediatricians in Singapore.Singaporean patients who needed stem cell transplants were then facing difficulties in obtaining Human Leukocyte Antigen
Human leukocyte antigen
The human leukocyte antigen system is the name of the major histocompatibility complex in humans. The super locus contains a large number of genes related to immune system function in humans. This group of genes resides on chromosome 6, and encodes cell-surface antigen-presenting proteins and...
(HLA) matched stem cell units because of the relative scarcity of stem cell donors that matched Singapore’s main ethnic profiles i.e. Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities. SCBB was conceived as a solution to this problem. Donation of cord blood by Singaporeans would significantly increase the probability of obtaining matched cord blood units for the treatment of Singaporean patients.
Having joined the WMDA and NMDP network in 2006 and 2007 respectively, have allowed patients of Asian descent all over the world to search SCBB's inventory for a matching cord blood unit as well.
Mission
The expressed mission of the SCBB is to provide placental cord blood units of high safety and quality, through the practice of internationally accredited techniques of collection, processing, banking and disposition, in order to support cord blood transplantations and related research in Singapore and around the world.Corporate Governance
SCBB is registered in Singapore as a company limited by guaranteeCompany limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
. It has a not-for-profit charter and is governed by a non-executive board of directors. Chaired by Prof Tan Ser Kiat the board's members include Dr Kwa Soon Bee, Prof Chee Yam Cheng, Dr Tan Hiang Khoon, Mr Gregory Vijayendran, Mrs Ruth Wong and Mr Markham Shaw.
Management
Chief Executive Officer, Steven J Sobak, leads the management team of SCBB, having taken over the reins from founding Executive Director Dr Fidah Alsagoff in early 2007. The Medical Director is Dr William Hwang and the Operations Director who takes care of the daily operations is Dr Philip Masters.Collection Centres
SCBB currently collects cord blood from three public hospitals, namely KK Women's and Children’s Hospital, Singapore General HospitalSingapore General Hospital
The Singapore General Hospital is the largest and oldest hospital in Singapore, of which the foundation of its first building was laid in 1821....
and National University Hospital
National University Hospital
The National University Hospital , established in 1985, is Singapore's only university hospital. It serves as a tertiary hospital as well as a clinical training centre and a research centre for the medical and dental faculties of the National University of Singapore...
, as well as all 9 of the private obstetric hospitals in Singapore, East Shore Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Thomson Medical Centre and Raffles Hospital.
Other Cord Blood Banks
RelicordRelicord
Relicord is an initiative by the Reliance Industries in the field of biotechnological advancement. It is established as a part of the subsidiary of Reliance Industries, Reliance Life Sciences. ReliCord is the first to have a registered cord blood bank and repository in India as well as the entire...
is the first registered cord blood bank in India as well as South East Asia.