"Earlier (in 2007), MSC was derived from adipose tissue, a stem cell, which formed into T-regs in the body, reducing chances of rejection of kidney transplantation," Dr Vanikar said, adding that the present research has gone ahead in generating T-regs in laboratories and totally reducing the dependence on immunosuppression medications.

Vanikar said that scientists across the world have been working on "transplantation tolerance" and researchers here were pioneers in achieving the feat. "The feat has been acknowledged in writing in 40 journals and more than 100 patients, who underwent kidney transplantations, and are living normal life without any dependence on immunosuppressants," Vanikar said. For this, Shruti Dave, working as a junior research fellow under Vanikar and Prof H L Trivedi at the department of Pathology, IKDRC-ITS, was conferred the most outstanding young researcher in Nephrology award for her work on generation of regulatory-cells from adipose tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The award, constituting a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, a citation and a gold medallion, was given by TANKER Foundation and Kerala Kidney Research Foundation in Chennai on January 25.