1) Maintenance of the highest international quality standards in cells and tissues banking in Ukraine

One of the key tasks of the Association of Cryobanks is to provide high quality services of the banking of human tissues and cells in Ukraine by biobanks-members of the Association. In 2014, the co-founder and member of the Association of Cryobanks – Institute of Cell Therapy was the first and as of 2015 remains the only cord blood bank in Ukraine, who received an international quality certificate ISO 9001: 2008.

2) Implementation of the clinical trials for the Coordination Center for Transplantation of Organs, Tissues and Cells of Ministry of Health of Ukraine

Since its launching, one of the most important goals of the Association of Сryobanks is  introduction of the safe and effective innovative methods of stem cells-based treatment into medical practice, what is preceded by a long process of clinical trials. Among the members of the Association of Сryobanks the right to conduct clinical trials using stem cells possess the National Institute of Surgery and Transplantation n.a. A.A.Shalimov of NAMS of Ukraine, the Institute of Emergency and Reconstructive Surgery n.a. VK Gusak of NAMS of Ukraine, the Institute of Cell Therapy. During 2015 the Institute of Cell Therapy was performing clinical trials on the treatment of diabetes, cardiomyopathy, cirrhosis, viral hepatitis with the use of stem cells.

3) Institute of Pathology of Spine and Joints n.a. Prof. MI Sitenko of NAMS of Ukraine became an academic member of the Association of Сryobanks

Institute of Pathology of Spine and Joints n.a. Prof. MI Sitenko of NAMS of Ukraine became an academic member of the Association of Cryobanks. Founded in 1907, the Institute of Pathology of Spine and Joints n.a. Prof. MI Sitenko of NAMS of Ukraine for more than 100 years of its history has passed a way from a small highly specialized hospital to one of the most important medical institutions in Ukraine, which is an academic scientific and organizational center of the country in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. Membership of the Institute of Pathology of Spine and Joints n.a. Prof. MI Sitenko of NAMS of Ukraine in the Association Cryobanks contributes to the development of cell technologies in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system in Ukraine.

4) Publication of the scientific journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology”, which is in the list of scientific specialized editions of Ukraine

In 2013, the Institute of Cell Therapy with the support of the Association of Cryobanks founded a unique for Ukraine scientific and practical journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology”, which covers the latest scientific and clinical advances in the field of transplantation of human cells and tissues, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The editorial board of the journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology” includes leading industry experts from Ukraine, UK, USA, Belarus, the Russian Federation, the Netherlands. Also, in addition to national scientists, the authors from the US, Singapore, Poland, Russian Federation, South Korea and others published their findings in the journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology”.

5) Acceptance of the journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology” to the sciometric database – Medical Journal Links

 Founded by the Institute of Cell Therapy and the Association of Cryobanks a scientific journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology” is included in the list of scientific specialized editions of Ukraine and indexed in several international scientometric databases (Index Copernicus, Open Academic Journals Index, Ulrichs Web, CiteFactor, International Scientific Indexing, NCBI , National Library of Medicine, Google Academy). In 2015, the journal “Cell and Organ Transplantology”  was accepted to one more sciometric database – Medical Journal Links. The presence of the journal in the Medical Journal Links allows to calculate the most relevant impact factor of the publications.

6) Participation of member institutions of the Association of Cryobanks in the most important international conferences

 In recent years, Ukrainian scientists have achieved some success in scientific research in the field of stem cell and molecular biology: the works of our compatriots are increasingly published in leading international journals and Ukrainian researchers are increasingly, as lecturers and speakers invited to important international scientific events. 24-27 June 2015, Stockholm (Sweden) hosted the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), where Ukraine was represented by the Director of the Institute of Cell Therapy Cryobank GS Lobintseva, PhD, winner of the State Prize of Ukraine and a deputy director of the cryobank VA Shabliy, Ph.D.  The inclusion of 3 reports of the scientists of the Institute of Cell Therapy to the scientific program of such a such a high level conference proves once again that our researchers in the field of cell technologies keep pace with the global science.

7) Publication of the article of the team of Ukrainian scientists in the prestigious international journal BioMed Research International

In 2015, the scientific paper of the scientists of the Institute of Cell Therapy, dedicated to the study of hematopoietic progenitor cells of the placenta, umbilical cord blood and fetal liver (Comparative Analysis of the Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells from Placenta, Cord Blood, and Fetal Liver, Based on Their Immunophenotype by the authors M. Kuchma, V. Kyryk, H. Svitina, Y. Shabliy,  L. Luлash, G. Lobintseva, V. Shabliy) was published in the prestigious international journal BioMed Research International. Journal BioMed Research International was founded in 2001, and its impact factor to date is 1.5. Journal is indexed in the most significant scientometric databases, in particular Scopus and Pubmed. Taking into account that the journal BioMed Research International publishes no more than 40% of submitted papers, a positive review and publication of the article of Ukrainian scientists in this journal confirms the high level and significance of their research.

8) Training of the Chief of the Foreign Affairs Department of the  Association of Cryobanks at the Universities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam (The Netherlands)

 In 2015, the Chief of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Association and the scientific adviser of the Institute of Cell Therapy, CM Nasadyuk, MD, PhD, a physician-immunologist successfully passed a qualificational competition and became one of 41 participants of the international scientific course on modeling of the inflammatory bowel disease at the University of Amsterdam and the University “Erasmus” in Rotterdam (The Netherlands). The program of the event included mastering the methodics and obtaining practical skills in the cultivation of intestinal fibroblasts, growing organoids from mesenchymal stem cells, and others. New knowledge and experience obtained by our scientist is already being used in current research.

9) Educational and social initiatives of the Association of Cryobanks

 During 2015 the Association of Cryobanks, aimed at prevention of a number of serious diseases and increase of awareness of Ukrainian doctors about modern methods of treatment using cell technologies joined the initiatives of international medical organizations on conduction of special awareness days in Ukraine, f.i. Stem Cell Awareness Day (October 14), the World Diabetes Day (14 November), World Heart Day (29 September), the World IBD Day (19 May), the World Day for Prevention of Congenital Malformations (March 3). Also, the Association of Cryobanks supported the international initiatives concerning the cord blood awarenes month (July) in Ukraine.

10) The provision of scientific advice to the researchers, as well as information support to customers of biotech companies

 During 3 years of the Association activities, we regularly have to handle with numerous requests received from both customers of  sector services (parents-to-be considering preservation of umbilical cord blood etc), patients interested in regenerative medicine, researchers, as well as invitations to cooperation, organization of  seminars, round tables and conferences. Association of Cryobanks puts all efforts to provide the most comprehensive, objective and timely information to all persons who apply to us.