Family Bank: MyCells

About

MyCells is one of the biggest cord blood banks in Greece. It is based in Thessaloniki, Greece and the samples are processed and stored at our private laboratories. MyCells is committed to providing top quality cord blood banking (Certified by ISO 9001, Accredited by ISO 15189). MyCells is among the founding members of the Association of Hellenic Cord Blood Banks, EETOA.

Labs and Locations

MyCells operates their own laboratory at privately owned facilities located:
49, I.Polemi str, Thessaloniki, GR 54248 Greece.
The laboratory processes cord blood collections seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Business Experience

MyCells has marketed cord blood banking and operated their own lab since 2007, under the Greek name of "MOSCHEYMA ZOIS", which translates as “Graft Of Life”.  In early 2013, the bank merged with "LIAISON", another Greek cord blood bank, also based in Thessaloniki, which ran a very similar course and operated in a very similar manner.  The location of the laboratory remained the same (at I.Polemi str) and the premises underwent a major refurbishment and now contains a fully-functional Grade C Clean Room, as well as all the equipment for processing, analyzing and cryopreserving cord blood units in duplicates and triplicates. 

Moreover, the bank now processes cord tissue and cryopreserves their cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The bank has trained staff that answers telephones, gives information and aids parents in their search for cord blood and tissue banking.
 

Collection Kit

Supplies are provided for gravity collection into a cord blood bag.
Brand name bag : JMS
Type of anti-coagulant used : CPD (22ml)
Bag is connected with two collection needles
The bag is sterile inside & outside, maintained in a double bag, i.e suitable for C-sections and it is specifically made for cord blood collection and not whole blood.

Transportation container

MyCells provides a special container that has thermal insulation and gel packs. All the containers include a temperature logger to monitor the temperature changes during transportation. Parents should store the container at room temperature and arrange for shipping directly to the laboratory for processing.

Shipping Info

Shipping is included in the base price within the home country, but it may cost extra if from abroad. Shipping arrangements are made by the bank in consultation with the parents and the shipping cost is included in the total cost.

Standard shipping is by our employees and company cars or by a well-known Greek courier service named "GENIKH TACHYDROMIKH".  Cord blood and tissue units are received 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Processing Method

MyCells is the only private cord blood bank in Greece that uses the automated Sepax cell separation after the addition of HES. Sepax (made by Biosafe) is a fully-automated, mobile, closed capability system for the efficient and consistent processing of umbilical cord blood.

•   A closed system that reduces opportunities for contamination
•   A standardized process removing the human error
•   Higher cell counts after processing

Components Stored

Parents are provided with a certificate describing test results (cell counts for both WBC and viable CD34+ cells, as well as for sterility)

Stored : Buffy coat holding white cells and stem cells and some red blood cells and plasma, as they are automatically processed by SEPAX, in a total volume of 25ml, cord blood plasma in two 2.0ml vials, plus two testing aliquots in 1.0 ml vials

Storage Method

Final storage is in one blood bag that is separated in two segments (80%/20%).  At least 3 small testing segments are attached to the bag for quality control. The bag is kept inside a metal cassette. There are also two 1.0ml aliquots in internal-threaded vials, cryopreserved separately.

Freezing is achieved gradually until -120 degrees Celsius by the use of the programmable LN2 freezer SYLAB Icecube.  After the gradual freezing, bags and vials are stored in appropriately labeled and numbered racks and canisters, inside LN2 storage tanks that use the vapour phase of LN2.

Licensing & Accreditation

Certified by ISO 9001
Accredited by ISO 15189
Follows the latest AABB guidelines
Follows the latest Fact/NETCORD guidelines

Clinical Experience

Over the years MyCells has had numerous collaborations with private companies and universities for research purposes.

Insurance

Storage fees paid in advance are held in an account specific for this purpose. Our clients are covered by engraftment insurance, provided by MyCells through "Ethniki Asfalistiki" one of the biggest insurance providers in Greece.

MyCells is a founding member of the Association of Hellenic Cord Blood Banks, EETOA. Member banks are legally bound to insure that all frozen inventory is preserved, at no additional cost to parents, in the event that any network bank ceases operation.  Each network member makes an annual deposit to a common bank account, an amount in Euros that is relative to the amount of inventory the bank has in storage.

Prices

MyCells receives a one-time fee for the collection, laboratory procedures and storage of the cord blood unit for 20 years. There are no recurring or annual fees.

Additional Services

•  Storage of umbilical cord tissue, aka Wharton's Jelly 
(MyCells minces the entire length of cord that is collected into small pieces, cultures cells, and stores a cellular product)
•  Storage of stem cells from baby teeth
•  Storage of stem cells from adipose tissue

Prices with Additional Services

The company offers discounted packages for combined services.