State-of-the-Art Laboratory for Stem Cell Preservation

Our laboratory uses state-of-the-art equipment designed to process cord blood as quickly as possible. All procedures are performed in a sterile, controlled environment by specially trained staff. Located next to the airport in Dubai Healthcare City, our facility ensures samples can be transported efficiently to or from anywhere in the world.

We use industry-standard systems for cord blood and tissue processing.
Our facility is strategically located near Dubai International Airport, minimizing transportation time for families across the region and globally.
An advanced Facilities Management System continuously monitors laboratory conditions. The lab is equipped with alarms and an uninterruptible power supply to ensure full operational continuity in case of a power outage.
Our lab is licensed by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and accredited by the AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies), ensuring the highest international quality and safety standards.

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Smart Cells International (SCI) Quality Assurance

SmartCells ME Quality AssuranceAt SmartCells ME, we take quality assurance very seriously and maintain a comprehensive and ongoing approach to the validation and auditing of all critical processes and products. Our Quality Management System, which applies to all activities undertaken by SmartCells ME, has been developed to meet the company’s high standards and is compliant with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulations and relevant ISO standards. Where possible, SmartCells ME aligns its practices and procedures with internationally recognised standards that apply to transplantation, including accreditation by the AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies), as well as adherence to the NetCord-FACT International Standards for Cord Blood Collection, Banking, and Release for Administration and the Joint Accreditation Committee of the International Society for Cellular Therapy and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (JACIE).

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The laboratory and quality assurance:

The Laboratory and Quality Assurance:We have a state-of-the-art processing and storage laboratory located in Dubai Healthcare City, monitored 24/7 and operated by trained and experienced technical staff. All samples collected on behalf of clients are fully traceable throughout their journey, including testing, receipt, processing, cryopreservation, storage, and release for treatment if required. Samples are safely stored in vapor phase nitrogen at temperatures so low that all metabolic processes of the cells cease. Remarkably, these cells, if correctly handled, can be thawed and restored so that they can grow and multiply in a patient undergoing transplant treatment.We conduct rigorous validations to confirm that our processing laboratory consistently exceeds the standards set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and follows guidelines comparable to the European Guide to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Annex 1 of Directive 2003/94/EC. This ensures that all samples are processed in ultra-clean conditions.Every cord blood (CB), cord tissue (CT), amnion, and placenta sample is transported to the laboratory as quickly as possible in approved, validated, temperature-monitored transit containers.

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Cord blood:

At Smart Cells ME in Dubai Healthcare City, all cord blood (CB) samples are received, checked, and processed in our advanced laboratory, accredited by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and AABB. Each sample is tested in-house for blood counts and viable CD34+ stem cell levels, ensuring accuracy and safety throughout the process.
We use the SmartMax advanced processing technique, which is designed to maximise stem cell recovery while maintaining a fully closed and sterile system. This technique has been proven to deliver high-quality results with excellent cell viability, often outperforming traditional automated systems.Cord blood samples are cryopreserved using a gradual freezing protocol and stored in vapour-phase nitrogen tanks at -196°C, preserving them for potential future medical use. Our facility is equipped with continuous environmental monitoring, backup systems, and secure sample tracking from collection to release, ensuring complete reliability.To ensure good practice, we validate all our processing and cryopreservation procedures at least twice annually by thawing test aliquots to check cell numbers and viable cell recovery.

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Cord tissue:

Cord Tissue (Wharton’s Jelly), Placenta and Amnion Membrane:
As far as CT samples are concerned, all undergo sterility testing in the same NHS laboratory that we use for CB testing. Following processing, several small test segments are reserved for each sample that we store. Representative batches of these are sent to an independent laboratory for viability testing, which checks for the presence of viable cells in the tissue. These validation tests are run at least twice per year and can also be arranged should a sample be proposed for use.

SCI presented and published details of their approach to validation of CT under varying transit conditions at the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation annual meeting in 2016. (1 and 2)

(1). M.A. Smith et al. The effect of time and temperature during transportation of umbilical cord tissue on viability, functionality and differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells following cryopreservation and thawing. P038; S129 130. http://www.nature.com/articles/bmt201648

(2) View the poster presented here.

Cord Tissue (Wharton’s Jelly), Placenta and Amnion Membrane:As far as the samples are concerned, all undergo sterility testing in our in-house laboratory, which also handles CB testing. Following processing, several small test segments are reserved for each sample that we store. Representative batches of these are sent to an independent laboratory for viability testing, cell culture, and immunophenotyping, which checks the type of stem cells in the tissue. These validation tests are run at least twice per year and can also be arranged should a sample be proposed for use. In addition to Wharton’s Jelly, we also process and store sections of the placenta (including chorionic villi, which are rich in mesenchymal and trophoblast stem cells) and the amnion membrane (a source of epithelial stem cells and regenerative factors). All tissues are cryopreserved in multiple vials to allow for future testing or therapeutic applications under validated storage protocols.SCI presented and published details of their approach to validation of CT under varying transit conditions at the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation annual meeting in 2016 (1, 2).(1) M.A. Smith et al. The effect of time and temperature during transportation of umbilical cord tissue on viability, functionality and differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells following cryopreservation and thawing. P038; S129–130. http://www.nature.com/articles/bmt201648(2) View the poster presented here.