Devendra K. Agrawal – författare

Stem Cells and COVID-19 presents up-to-date knowledge on the effect of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection in its diagnosis, treatment and prevention. In addition, the book critically discusses challenges, highlighting outstanding questions and future perspectives. Written by global experts in the field for both pre-clinical and clinical practitioners, this comprehensive book delves into how stem cells have a strong potential in developing better diagnostic, treatment and preventive strategies in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Both hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells are critical to better understand the response of immune system to coronavirus infection in both healthy and co-morbid conditions in the development of effective vaccines and immunotherapies.

Environmental conditions and processes are one of the major pillars on which the human well-being rests. It is the core responsibility of the society to preserve and enhance better conditions for the human well-being. Indeed, there are several evolving unmet needs in public health. Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and a surge in the incidence of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CAD), chronic respiratory diseases, and metabolic diseases have been impediments to sustainable well-being.

Many factors are critical in the global surge in the rate and incidence of cardiovascular diseases. These include the shift from acute to chronic conditions, the shift from single risk factor vs. multiple influences, aging population, global health disparities, exposure to lower harmful influences over a longer period, etc. However, the epigenetic factors due to unhealthy environment play a most significant role in the underlying pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, this has been ignored for a long time and realized lately to expand and disseminate knowledge to general population, expand research activities to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms, and develop better preventive and treatment strategies.

The most significant environmental impoverishment in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases include different genetical, chemical, physical, and biological influences, but not limited to, socio-economic status and lack of nutrients, nutritional aspects including habits, diets and additives, inhaled and ingested pollutants, exhaust gas and gasoline products, tobacco smoke, water pollution, alcohol consumption, soil and mineral pollution, solvents, pesticides, microplastics, non-critical usage of drugs, climate change, extreme atmospheric conditions, extremes in noise and temperature, electromagnetic influences, microwaves and radiation, outdoor light pollution, mental stressors, lack of or over exercise, microbiota and microbiological agents like SARS CoV-2 virus, etc.   

Flow cytometry is a state-of-the-art technology that is widely used in biological research and clinical diagnostics. It is a high-throughput platform that allows the quantification, differentiation, and functional study of cells or cell like particles in suspension. Various cell components can be targeted with fluorescently labelled antibodies or fluorescent dyes to allow measurement and analysis of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of individual cells within homogenous or heterogeneous populations.

Since its commercialization more than five decades ago, flow cytometry has advanced and become an very important analytical tool in translational research. With the advancement of instrument technology, an increasing number of fluorescent dyes, and an expanding range of monoclonal antibodies, the applications of flow cytometry in applied research continue to grow.

The use of multiparametric flow cytometry in translational research provides the ability to rapidly identify different cell populations and to simultaneously measure multiple parameters of single cells for efficiently assessing immune status, decrease/increase of specific immune cell populations, cell activation status, etc. of different cells in preclinical and clinical studies.

The primary goal of any research work is to take research results from the "bench to-bed and back". The use of flow cytometry in applied research advances the development of new diagnostic tests or drugs for cancer treatment, immune monitoring, etc. that help in patient care.

Today, every biological scientist needs to have basic knowledge of flow cytometry in order to utilise this technology properly in their own research and to understand other’s research work. The present book has been designed to give the knowledge of flow cytometry and its applications to the researchers and teachers. It will allow the readers to utilize the technology in an appropriate way in their research work. This book has describing various applications of flow cytometry like cell health monitoring, immunophenotyping, cell sorting, stem cell characterization, micro-vesicle analysis etc.