When a person evaluates a stem cell therapy, the underlying question is not just “Does this work?” but “Whose hands am I going to be in?” In regenerative medicine, the answer starts long before the application: it starts in the lab. Lumm Lab is the on-site laboratory of Lumm Medicalwhere we grow and monitor Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-WJ) in the same building where the medical specialist performs the procedure.
The fact that the laboratory and the procedure room are just a few meters away is not a logistical detail: it is what allows preserving the viability and therapeutic potency of the cells at the most important moment, the application. Lumm Lab is managed by professionals with PhDs and between 15 and 30 years of experience in cell culture, and operates under quality controls aligned with international standards. This is the difference between applying cells and applying cells over which you have total control.
What is an on-site laboratory and why does it matter?
An on-site laboratory is a laboratory that operates within the same institution where the therapy is applied, not at an external site that ships the cell material. Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells are living organisms: they must be handled under strict conditions of cleanliness and disinfection, because any contaminant can compromise their quality and patient safety.
Wharton’s jelly is the umbilical cord tissue from which we extract the cells. At Lumm we only work with donated umbilical cords, which places the cellular origin in an ethically unobjectionable terrain and free of embryonic cells.
When the lab is in the same location as the procedure room, cells are not transported, do not wait and do not lose viability along the way. Such end-to-end control is the basis of safe therapy.
What makes Lumm Lab special?
Lumm Lab combines a strictly controlled environment, high-tech equipment, location adjacent to the procedure room and a highly qualified team. These four elements work together to ensure that each batch of cells reaches the patient in the best possible condition.
Strictly controlled environment
The laboratory air passes through a filtration process that removes virtually all particles and microorganisms. Temperature and humidity are kept permanently stable. This minimizes the risk of growth of bacteria, fungi or other contaminants that can affect cell quality.
2. High-tech equipment
We have laminar flow cabinets -which create a sterile air space-, CO₂ incubators, microscopes, centrifuges and liquid nitrogen tanks, among others. Each piece of equipment fulfills a specific function to manipulate and store cells under optimal conditions.
3. The laboratory, next to the procedure room.
The cells are processed in the laboratory and applied minutes later in the procedure room, all within the same institution. By not being transported from one place to another, risks of contamination and loss of viability are avoided. Under these conditions we can better preserve cell viability at the time of application.
4. Highly qualified personnel
Our laboratory team brings together 15 to 30 years of experience in cell culture and high level academic training, with PhDs. The quality of a laboratory depends as much on its infrastructure as on the hands that operate it.
How do we verify that the cells are of high quality?
Before any batch of cells is delivered to the specialist physician, we subject it to a battery of tests to confirm its identity, functionality and safety. If a batch does not meet a single criterion, it is not used. These are the seven controls we apply:
Together, these controls represent more than fifteen safety tests per batch and allow full traceability: from the donated cord to the syringe, we know exactly what is applied and why it meets the criteria.
The great advantage of an on-site laboratory
The advantage of having the laboratory in the same physical space where the physician performs the procedure is straightforward: the cells are prepared immediately prior to application, which helps preserve their viability and therapeutic potency.
When all phases of therapy occur in the same place, with high quality infrastructure and specialized personnel, the probability of treatment success is increased.
Put another way: an on-site laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment and a highly qualified team allows us to offer the patient a better experience and a higher standard of quality in their stem cell therapy. It’s not magic or a promise of results: it’s science with end-to-end control.
Who are the people behind Lumm Lab?
Lumm Lab is led by Dr. Luz Marina RestrepoScientific Director and founder of Lumm Medical, a pioneer of regenerative medicine in Latin America with three decades of experience in cell culture and doctoral training. She is accompanied by a laboratory team with PhDs and experience ranging from 15 to 30 years in cell culture.
This level of expertise is what underpins Lumm’s policy of not treating any pathology without proven scientific support. Rigorousness is not a barrier: it is the guarantee that every patient receives a therapy backed by evidence.
In charge of the day-to-day running of the laboratory is Dr. Manuela Velásquez, PhD, Laboratory Coordinator and specialist in Immunology and Cell Translation. With a Master’s degree and PhD in Immunology from the University of Antioquia and twelve years of experience in advanced cell culture and molecular biology, she is the one who leads the biotechnological processes in situ: validation of air, equipment and cell viability under international standards. In his own words, his focus is “to ensure that each culture protocol meets the scientific rigor needed to turn laboratory science into a safe clinical solution for the patient”. It is precisely his work that underpins the authenticity and superior viability of each batch of mesenchymal stem cells.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lumm Lab?
Lumm Lab is Lumm Medical’s on-site laboratory, located in the same institution where the therapies are applied. There, Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells are cultured, monitored and prepared under international quality and safety standards.
Why is it important for the laboratory to be at the same location as the application?
Because the cells are not transported: they are prepared and applied minutes later, in the same building. This avoids risks of contamination and loss of viability, and helps preserve the therapeutic potency of the cells at the time of application.
Where do the stem cells used by Lumm come from?
They come from Wharton’s jelly, an umbilical cord tissue, always obtained from donated umbilical cords. No embryonic cells are used.
How do I know the cells are safe?
Each lot undergoes more than fifteen safety and quality tests – authenticity, surface markers, karyotyping, absence of contaminants and viability, among others – before being approved for application. If a lot does not meet a criterion, it is not used.
What level of cell viability does Lumm handle?
The viability of the cells we deliver to the medical specialist exceeds 70%, in line with international standards for stem cell therapy.
Who runs the laboratory?
Dr. Luz Marina Restrepo, Scientific Director and founder of Lumm Medical, with 30 years of experience and doctoral training, together with a laboratory team with PhDs and between 15 and 30 years of experience in cell culture.
Are you considering stem cell therapy and want to understand if it’s right for you? Schedule an exploratory call with our team and get your questions answered by those who know the science inside out. If you prefer to learn more first, download our free guide to regenerative medicine.
