Company
Company Profile
Netcells Cryogenics is a privately owned South African stem cell bank, which was set-up by Netcare Limited (www.netcare.co.za), the largest hospital group in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Netcells has a partnership with Smart Cells International (www.smartcells.com), the longest established stem cell bank in the United Kingdom. The technologies employed by Netcells and Smart Cells are identical and in the unlikely event that Netcells ceases to exist for whatever reason, Smart Cells will ensure the future storage of Netcells’ stem cells.
Netcells Laboratory
Netcells has a state-of-the-art laboratory with a Class 100,000 Clean Room processing facility, situated in Midrand, Gauteng.
Netcells laboratory is Netcord FACT (USA) compliant and currently undergoing accreditation with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).
Netcells processed and stored it first cord blood sample on 21 December 2006 and has stored over 2,500 samples. We have successfully thawed 10 samples with excellent viability results.
Netcells also processes peripheral blood stem cells for leading South African Haematologists and Oncologists and has to-date successfully transplanted over 150 cancer patients.
Netcells laboratory has developed its own specialised in house Flow Cytometry testing, to count the number of stem cells collected and to ensure that they are in fact viable for storage. We have strict limits in place for storage and will advise you whether the cells have been successfully stored or whether it is advisable not to store. In case of the latter, you will not be liable to pay the Processing and Storage Fee.
Our premises are situated in a secure area, with security guards, which are camera monitored and alarm protected. We have back-up processing equipment, should any of our equipment malfunction. Our storage tanks are alarm activated via sms, should the liquid nitrogen levels ever get low. We also have uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and a back-up generator in the event of a power failure. All stem cell units are bar-coded to ensure traceability at all times.
We operate on a totally transparent basis and you are therefore more than welcome to come and visit our laboratory at anytime and see our operations for yourself.
Directors & Management
DR RYAN NOACH (35)
MBBCh (Wits), Dip PEC (SA)
Commercial Director |
|
|
| |
|
|
Ryan Noach is a Medical Doctor who graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1997. Most of his post graduate clinical training was spent in emergency medicine including trauma, critical care, orthopaedics and paediatrics. Ryan was one of the founding members of STAR, an emergency medical helicopter service. He joined Netcare 911 as its Medical Director and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer during October 2003.
Ryan then moved into the broader Netcare Group as Group Services Director in 2005 and then as Group Chief Operating Officer in 2006. During his tenure at Netcare, Ryan represented Netcare in its partnership with Netcells and the consequent launch thereof. Ryan left Netcare in January 2008 and remains passionate about Netcells, the future of stem cells in medicine and excellence in customer service.
|
|
|
|
DR YVONNE HOLT (36)
MBBCh (Wits)
Medical Director |
|
|
| |
|
|
Dr Yvonne Holt graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand 1997 with a Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBBCH Wits). Dr Holt worked in the departments of Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology for 4 years after graduation, as a Medical Officer. She obtain a Diploma in Child Health (DCH) during this time.
Her interest in the fields of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and stem cell technology brought her to a new career path in 2006 when she joined the dynamic team at Netcells Cryogenics as Medical Director. In this capacity, Dr Holt is responsible for the medical development of the stem cell program at Netcells and highlighting the benefits of this new technology.
|
|
|
|
KIM HULETT (41)
BSC (CompSci), HDip Acc, CA(SA)
Managing Director |
|
|
| |
|
|
Kim has a Bachelor of Science Degree (Rhodes University) and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1994, after completing her articles with Price Waterhouse in Johannesburg.
Kim has considerable experience in Corporate Finance, specialising in new business start-ups and BEE transactions. She founded Netcells together with Netcare Limited.
|
|
|
|
DR STEPHEN MEDDOWS-TAYLOR (39)
PhD (Wits)
Laboratory Manager
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Stephen Meddows-Taylor graduated from the University of Natal in 1992 with a BSc (Hons) in Microbiology before returning to Johannesburg and joining the National Institute for Communicable Diseases as a research scientist. While at the Institute, he obtained MSc and PhD degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand based on research projects he was conducting on paediatric HIV infection and immune responses and factors influencing mother-to-child HIV transmission. He has published a substantial amount of his research data in local and international scientific journals and has presented research findings at a number of scientific conferences.
Stephen has considerable experience in flow cytometry and the isolation and cryopreservation of cord blood and peripheral blood cells, and joined the Netcells team as Laboratory Manager in March 2009.
|
|
|
|