Iran sets up primate lab to advance stem cell research for Parkinson’s

TEHRAN, Iran (MNTV) — Iran has established a national research laboratory on primates as part of efforts to develop advanced therapies, including stem cell-based treatments for neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, an official said, according to Tasnim.

Attaollah Poorabbasi, secretary of the Cognitive Sciences and Technologies Headquarters under Iran’s Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, said the initiative supports cell-therapy research in cooperation with Tehran’s Royan Institute.

Poorabbasi said researchers at the institute have used a stem cell-based approach to treat Parkinson’s disease, with initial results described as highly satisfactory. He stressed that such technologies cannot be tested directly on humans at early stages and must first undergo extensive animal studies.

Primates play a critical role in this phase, he said, noting that the first stage of cell injections has already been carried out on primates. If the results prove successful, the research could move to human trials.

He cautioned that the therapy is not expected to become a routine treatment in the near term, but said the findings point to a promising future for treating neurological disorders in Iran.

Poorabbasi said achieving positive results at the laboratory level demonstrates Iran’s growing technical expertise, adding that only a limited number of countries — including Japan, the United States and several European nations — operate primate research laboratories.