Iran Aims to Become Regional Hub for Advanced Cancer Therapies
Dr. Ramin Sarrami Foroushani, Head of the Motamed Cancer Research Center, addressed questions regarding the effectiveness of the center’s activities, noting that some believe that under sanctions, efforts should be limited to addressing only immediate needs and priorities. According to this view, allocating resources to the development of novel cancer therapies may not be justified due to the high costs of research and development.
However, Dr. Sarrami Foroushani expressed a different perspective, stating that Iran has risen to its current level of scientific and technological advancement by overcoming numerous challenges, much like a phoenix rising from adversity. He stressed that the country possesses the capacity to take a leading role in applied technologies not only in the region but also globally.
He further emphasized that acquiring advanced technologies for innovative cancer treatments must be pursued at any cost, even if such efforts are not considered top priorities at present. “These technologies will undoubtedly become essential in the future and will ultimately compensate for their initial costs,” he said.
Referring to the major achievements of the Motamed Cancer Research Center, Dr. Sarrami Foroushani highlighted significant progress in biomedical engineering, cell therapy, gene therapy, tissue engineering, novel therapeutic methods, and medical genetics.
Among the center’s key accomplishments, he cited the development of diagnostic kits for chemotherapy, macrofluidic systems for counting and detecting circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream, and innovative nano-clustering-based techniques for identifying infectious agents as well as cancer-related biomarkers. He noted that all these projects have reached practical outcomes and have been published in leading international scientific and medical journals.
Addressing innovative treatment approaches, he explained that the center has made substantial advances in cell therapy using stem cells for the treatment of chronic diseases, as well as in cellular immunotherapy—employing immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells for various cancers. He reiterated that Iran possesses valuable expertise and technology in gene therapy and virotherapy for cancer treatment.
Dr. Sarrami Foroushani concluded by stating that while the center’s primary focus remains on domestic capabilities, its long-term vision is to become a regional hub, providing advanced cancer treatment services to other countries from within Iran.
