"Register of the Population of the Świętokrzyskie Province Assessing the Health Condition with Particular Focus on Cardiovascular Risk to Shape the Health Policy of the Świętokrzyskie Province in the Future Years". (SPARK Project)
Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of deaths in Poland and around the world. The mortality in Poland related to this cause is one of the highest Europe (data from 2011). Research shows that the modern lifestyle plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Risk factors include: age – men above 45 years, women above 55 years, smoking, hypertension, lipid disorders, diabetes, obesity as well as low physical activity. Project SPARK assumes the collection of biological samples in the Biobank as well as the establishment of a database regarding the health condition of a representative group of inhabitants of the Świętokrzyskie Province. The research will cover 9,000 inhabitants of the Świętokrzyskie Province aged 18-75. This will make it possible to create a long-term monitoring system for people with high cardiovascular risk.
Opinion from Bioethics Commission with the Świętokrzyskie Chamber of Physicians no. 7/2013.
"Establishment of a Bank for Stem Cells in the Świetokrzyskie Province as an Opportunity to Implement new Scientific-Research Methods Regarding Medicine and Transplantology".
The project was established as an answer to the Resolution of the European Parliament regarding cord blood. The project's main objective is to provide the inhabitants of the Świętokrzyskie Province with the possibility to collect and store stem cells from cord blood. The establishment of a public bank for stem cells in the Świetokrzyskie Province will increase the competitiveness of regional economy regarding the increase in availability of modern therapeutic solutions (through the transfer of technologies and the creation of optimum conditions for the development of research-scientific works and highly-qualified personnel).
The examined group will consist of female inhabitants of the Świętokrzyskie Province which will give a written consent to collect cord blood during childbirth as well as will declare that they renounce the rights to stem cells isolated from it. The first stage is collecting blood which remains in the fetal part of the placenta and in the umbilical cord after the childbirth. The collection process consists in puncturing the umbilical cord's blood vessel (after cutting off the umbilical cord) and collecting the blood left in the afterbirth to an appropriate sterile collection set. Additionally, the mother's blood and a sample of the cord blood is collected to special test tubes. Then, the entire set is transported to the laboratory (RCNT) where microbiological and serologic analyses are made on the collected biological material.
The next stage is the preparation of the cord blood for the purpose of isolating the leucocytic fraction being the source of stem cells. The entire process is fully automatic which reduces the risk of contamination as well as human error. Then, the sack with the received stem cells, after adding cryoprotectant agents (DMSO), is placed in a special cassette in cryostat I. This is the period of the so-called quarantine which lasts until the serologic and bacteriological results are received. After they are received, the material is transferred to the main cryostat is and stored in vapors of liquid nitrogen (-190ºC) until information about the demand for stem cells with corresponding tissue compliance appears.