Journal of Regenerative Medicine and Molecular Innovation
Lived Experiences of Stem Cell Therapy for Degenerative Diseases
Stem cell research and therapies have emerged as a central domain in regenerative medicine, offering new possibilities for treating degenerative diseases that profoundly affect patients’ quality of life. While existing knowledge has largely focused on biological mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and safety, less attention has been given to how patients subjectively experience and interpret these therapies within their everyday lives. What remains insufficiently understood is how patients make meaning of hope, uncertainty, identity, and decision-making while undergoing stem cell therapy, prompting the question of how this therapy is lived and understood beyond clinical outcomes. Here, an interpretative phenomenological approach is used to explore and elucidate the essence of patients’ lived experiences of stem cell therapy for degenerative diseases. This qualitative study involved 12 patients diagnosed with degenerative diseases who had undergone stem cell therapy at a tertiary referral hospital. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews lasting 60–90 minutes, conducted between March and July 2025, and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were generated through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with patients and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to capture experiential meanings. The findings reveal that stem cell therapy is experienced as a complex process marked by the coexistence of hope and uncertainty, negotiated trust in science and clinicians, shifts in bodily perception and identity, and ethically reflective decision-making. These themes demonstrate how patients actively construct meaning as they engage with an experimental therapeutic intervention. The study advances understanding of stem cell therapy by foregrounding patient experience and highlights important implications for patient-centered care, ethical clinical practice, and future qualitative research in regenerative medicine.
Copyright (c) 2026 Al Wardah, Michelle Putri Al-Fitroh (Author)
Exploring Patients' Lived Experiences and the Emotional and Psychological Impact of Wearable Medical Devices in Chronic Disease Management
Wearable medical devices have revolutionized healthcare by enabling continuous monitoring and management of chronic diseases. Despite advancements in technology, limited research has explored the subjective experiences of patients who use these devices, particularly their emotional and psychological responses. While existing studies have focused on device performance and clinical outcomes, the personal meaning and impact on patients' lives remain underexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the lived experiences of patients using wearable devices for chronic disease management. Using a qualitative phenomenological design to capture the essence of patients’ lived experiences, in-depth insights were gathered from 12 participants through semi-structured interviews, revealing that while wearable devices empower patients, they also introduce emotional stress due to constant monitoring. The analysis identified two main themes: empowerment through health data and the anxiety associated with continuous monitoring. These findings contribute to understanding the complex relationship between technology and patient well-being, emphasizing the need for a balance between technological benefits and psychological comfort. The study’s implications highlight the importance of considering emotional aspects in the design and implementation of wearable medical devices for chronic disease management, suggesting avenues for future research to address these challenges.
Copyright (c) 2026 Siti Nurhaliza, Sri fadhilah (Author)
Exploring the Emotional Lived Experiences of Participants in First-in-Human Gene Therapy Clinical Trials
Gene therapy represents a revolutionary approach to treating genetic disorders, offering the potential for long-term cures through molecular interventions. Using a phenomenological research design grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this study investigates the lived emotional experiences of individuals participating in first-in-human gene therapy clinical trials. However, little is known about the subjective experiences of participants involved in such trials, particularly regarding their emotional, psychological, and ethical responses. The question arises: how do participants navigate the complex emotions of hope and fear while undergoing experimental treatments? Adopting a qualitative phenomenological methodology, data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 12 participants and analyzed systematically following IPA procedures to capture meaning-making processes and experiential themes. The study identifies key themes such as hope, fear, and the transformation of identity, showing that participants grapple with both anticipation of therapeutic benefit and uncertainty about risks. The analysis reveals that the balance between hope and fear, as well as the shift in identity from patient to research subject, plays a crucial role in participants’ decision-making and coping strategies. These findings offer new insights into the emotional complexities of participating in clinical trials, highlighting the need for psychosocial support and improved informed consent processes. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of participants' lived experiences and provides methodological transparency regarding phenomenological inquiry in clinical trial contexts, offering a foundation for future research in clinical trial design and patient care.
Copyright (c) 2026 Devy Habibi Muhammad , Febriana Hisana Hulwa , Fitria , Vania Putri (Author)
Exploring Ethical and Emotional Experiences in Stem Cell Clinical Trials for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Regenerative medicine represents a rapidly evolving field that aims to restore or replace damaged tissues using biological interventions such as stem cell therapy, offering hope to patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Within this scientific landscape, understanding patients’ lived experiences during participation in regenerative clinical trials has become increasingly significant, particularly as these experiences intertwine ethical, emotional, and existential dimensions. However, existing studies have primarily focused on clinical outcomes, leaving limited understanding of how patients construct meaning and negotiate moral and psychological challenges within such trials. This study applies an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how participants experience, interpret, and derive meaning from their involvement in stem cell therapy trials for neurodegenerative conditions. Using semi-structured interviews with twelve participants, the analysis identified four overarching themes: ethical decision-making, the tension between hope and uncertainty, embodiment and self-redefinition, and the pursuit of ethical–emotional equilibrium. These findings reveal that participation in regenerative clinical trials extends beyond biomedical engagement it represents a transformative process where patients navigate vulnerability and agency through moral reflection and emotional adaptation. The study deepens current understanding by framing regenerative medicine as both a scientific and human endeavor, emphasizing that meaning-making is central to ethical patient participation. The results offer valuable implications for clinical communication, ethical policy, and future patient-centered trial design in regenerative medicine. This study received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board, ensuring adherence to established research standards. However, the study has limitations, including a relatively small sample size and reliance on self-reported experiences, which may limit transferability to broader patient populations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ika Nurzijah, Yani Maidelwita (Author)
Embodiment and Identity Reconstruction among Neural Prosthetic Limb Users
Advancements in biomedical engineering have transformed the interface between humans and technology, particularly through neural prosthetic systems that restore movement and sensation via direct neural integration. Within this rapidly evolving field, understanding how individuals experience and adapt to such technologies remains limited, especially regarding the emotional and existential dimensions of embodiment. However, despite extensive research on biomechanical performance and neural responsiveness, little is known about how users construct meaning, identity, and bodily perception after adopting neural prosthetics raising the question of how technological embodiment redefines selfhood and lived experience. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA), this study explores the subjective experiences of individuals living with neural prosthetic limbs to uncover the essential meanings underlying their adaptation process. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with participants using neural-integrated prosthetics and analyzed thematically to identify patterns of emotional transformation, bodily redefinition, and social reintegration. The results reveal that prosthetic embodiment extends beyond functional recovery, representing a dynamic interplay between emotional acceptance, sensory perception, and the re-establishment of bodily identity. The findings offer a clear theoretical contribution by demonstrating how neural prosthetic embodiment constitutes a unique form of identity reconstruction not previously articulated in existing phenomenological literature. These findings demonstrate that neural prosthetic use involves an existential adaptation process that reshapes the boundaries between human and technology. By explicitly foregrounding this novel conceptualization of identity reconstruction, the study enhances transparency and contributes new insight into the human–technology interface. The study highlights the necessity of integrating phenomenological insights into biomedical design and rehabilitation practices to ensure that innovation addresses both functional and humanistic dimensions of technological embodiment.
Copyright (c) 2025 Irwin Aras, Dwi Hastuti (Author)
Exploring the Meaning of Genetic Healing in CRISPR-Cas9 Therapy
Gene therapy represents a transformative advancement in molecular medicine, offering the ability to correct hereditary diseases at their genetic source. Within this context, CRISPR-Cas9–based interventions have redefined therapeutic possibilities while simultaneously raising ethical, psychological, and existential questions about human identity and biological alteration. Despite rapid clinical progress, little is known about how patients experience and make sense of being genetically healed. This study addresses that gap by asking: What does it mean to be genetically healed from the patient’s perspective? Using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA), this research explores the lived experiences of ten patients who underwent CRISPR-Cas9 therapy for hereditary blood disorders. Data were collected over a 12-week period through in-depth, semi-structured interviews lasting 60–90 minutes each, and analyzed using Smith’s four IPA analytic stages (reading–re-reading, initial noting, developing emergent themes, and cross-case patterning). The findings reveal that healing is perceived as an existential journey rather than a purely biological recovery, characterized by the interplay of hope, fear, identity transformation, and moral reflection. Participants described genetic correction as both liberating and disorienting a process of redefining selfhood within the evolving boundaries of human science. These results highlight the need to integrate phenomenological insights into the clinical and ethical frameworks of gene therapy. By foregrounding the human meaning of genetic transformation, this study broadens our understanding of molecular medicine and underscores the importance of patient-centered approaches in future biomedical innovation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Arlina Wiyata Gama, Syatirah Jalaluddin (Author)
Understanding Regenerative Healing: An Interpretative Exploration of Emotional and Spiritual Experiences among Stem Cell Therapy Patients
Regenerative medicine has emerged as a transformative field that integrates biotechnology and clinical science to restore damaged tissues through stem cell–based therapies. Within this domain, the subjective experiences of patients undergoing stem cell transplantation remain insufficiently understood, despite growing interest in their psychosocial and spiritual dimensions. Current research primarily emphasizes clinical efficacy and biological recovery, leaving a gap in understanding how patients interpret the existential meaning of healing. This study addresses that gap using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework to explore the emotional and spiritual transformations that accompany regenerative healing. Using a rigorously designed qualitative protocol, data were collected from 12 patients through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and analyzed following the standard IPA steps—including initial noting, emergent theme development, clustering of superordinate themes, and iterative cross-case comparison. The findings revealed four core themes: oscillation between fear and hope, reconstruction of self-identity, spiritual reawakening amid uncertainty, and the relational dimension of healing within patient–clinician interactions. These themes illustrate that stem cell therapy is experienced not merely as a medical procedure but as a multidimensional process of self-renewal and existential transformation. The study’s insights extend current biomedical understanding by demonstrating that healing encompasses biological, emotional, and spiritual regeneration. These findings advocate for a patient-centered model of regenerative care and open pathways for future cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research integrating phenomenological inquiry into medical practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nurulfuadi, Ika Fitrasyah (Author)
Healing and Identity Reconstruction in Patients UndergoingRegenerative Therapy with Biomaterial Scaffolds
Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering represent an evolving frontier in biomedical science that seeks to restore damaged tissues through the integration of cellular biology, biomaterials, and bioprinting technologies. Within this field, limited attention has been given to understanding the lived experiences of patients undergoing regenerative therapy, particularly regarding how technological healing reshapes their sense of body and identity. Despite clinical advancements, little is known about how patients make meaning of their recovery processes and how these experiences influence their adaptation to biomaterial-based treatments. This study adopts Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and provides a clearer outline of its methodological steps, including data familiarization, initial noting, emergent theme development, and cross-case analysis. Participants consisted of twelve adults (7 males, 5 females; aged 25–62) who received regenerative treatment involving biomaterial scaffolds for musculoskeletal conditions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture their detailed experiential accounts, and thematic analysis revealed four key experiential themes: embodied patience, trust, ethical presence, and identity reconstruction. These themes reflect not only emotional and existential responses but also practical challenges encountered during rehabilitation. These findings demonstrate that regeneration is lived not merely as biological repair but as an existential transformation in which patients renegotiate the boundaries between technology and selfhood. Overall, the study clarifies how methodological transparency and participant context illuminate the human dimensions of regenerative healing. By reframing regenerative healing as a process of meaning-making rather than purely physiological restoration, this study deepens understanding of the human dimensions of biomedical innovation and underscores the importance of integrating phenomenological inquiry into regenerative medicine to guide more ethically attuned and patient-centered clinical practices.
Copyright (c) 2025 Juwita Pratiwi, Angelina (Author)
Exploring Patient Experiences of Stem Cell Therapy for Musculoskeletal Injuries: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have emerged as transformative fields aimed at restoring damaged tissues through stem cell therapy and other advanced biotechnologies. However, while clinical outcomes in musculoskeletal disorders have been widely examined, the subjective dimensions of patients’ healing experiences remain underexplored, marking a clear research gap. This study addresses that gap by employing an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore how patients undergoing stem cell therapy for musculoskeletal injuries interpret recovery, manage uncertainty, and reconstruct meaning in their daily lives. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with ten patients who had received stem cell therapy within the past year. Through iterative phenomenological coding, key experiential themes emerged—restored hope, persistent uncertainty, embodied awareness, and social reintegration—offering a nuanced account of healing as both a biomedical and existential process. Methodologically, this study contributes by demonstrating how IPA can reveal the interpretative processes that shape patients’ understanding of regenerative treatments, extending beyond traditional clinical metrics. These insights underscore the importance of integrating phenomenological perspectives into regenerative medicine research and practice to design therapies that address psychological and social recovery alongside physical outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nabila Pyrenina Thamrin, Marselina Irasonia Tan (Author)
Exploring Identity Transformation in Patients Undergoing CAR-T Cell Therapy
Gene therapy represents a major advancement in molecular medicine, offerin transformative treatments for hematological malignancies. Within this field, CAR- therapy has emerged as a novel intervention that extends survival but raises profoun psychological and existential questions for patients. Despite clinical success, little i known about how patients themselves experience the therapy, particularly in terms o hope, fear, and identity reconstruction. This study addresses that gap by asking: How d patients undergoing CAR-T therapy interpret and make sense of their lived experiences? Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, the study explored the narratives o ten patients recently treated with CAR-T therapy to capture the meanings they attach t this process. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted, and data wer analyzed thematically to identify essential patterns of meaning. The findings reveale four central themes: living with uncertainty and hope, transformation of identity and th body, emotional burden and psychosocial struggles, and negotiating the future. Patient described the therapy not only as a biomedical intervention but also as a deepl existential journey that reshaped their understanding of self and life trajectory. Overall, the abstract has been condensed to enhance readability and emphasize stud scope and participant clarity. These results highlight the limitations of conventiona quantitative assessments in capturing the essence of patient experiences and underscor the value of phenomenology in advancing patient-centered care. By foregrounding th subjective voices of patients, this study contributes to a more holistic framework fo evaluating gene-based therapies and offers directions for integrating psychosocia support into clinical practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rizki Rahmadian, Marlina (Author)
Exploring the Lived Experiences of Hope and Uncertainty in Patients Undergoing Stem Cell Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases represent a major health challenge worldwide, and stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach within regenerative medicine. While biomedical research has established preliminary evidence of safety and efficacy, little is known about how patients subjectively experience such treatments. Despite growing clinical studies, current research rarely addresses the lived meanings of stem cell therapy, leaving unanswered questions about how patients navigate hope, uncertainty, and changes in quality of life. This study applies an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the subjective experiences of patients undergoing stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative conditions, offering insights into how individuals interpret and make sense of their therapeutic journey. Participants were twelve adult patients (aged 38–72 years; 7 males and 5 females) diagnosed with various neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted in a clinical rehabilitation setting between March and August 2024, and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) with systematic coding, double-checking of themes by two independent researchers, and participant validation to enhance methodological rigor. The findings revealed four essential themes: the coexistence of hope and uncertainty, embodied transformation alongside persistent limitations, emotional turbulence marked by anxiety about the future, and meaning-making through spirituality and relational support. These themes illustrate that the therapy is experienced not only as a medical intervention but as a deeply existential and relational process. The study demonstrates that understanding patient perspectives requires moving beyond clinical outcomes toward a holistic, patient-centered view of regenerative medicine. These insights may inform future clinical practice and ethical guidelines, while also encouraging further qualitative and longitudinal studies to deepen understanding of patient experiences in advanced therapies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dian Meutia Sari, Ratna Djuwita (Author)
Exploring Stroke Survivors’ Experiences with Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Rehabilitation
Stroke rehabilitation represents a critical area in biomedical engineering, where innovative medical technologies aim to improve functional recovery and quality of life. Within this field, non-invasive neurostimulation has emerged as a promising technique, yet little is known about how patients subjectively experience and interpret this therapy. Despite increasing clinical evidence on its physiological efficacy, prior research has largely overlooked patients’ lived perspectives, creating a gap in understanding the experiential dimension of neurostimulation. The knowledge gap lies in the lack of understanding of the lived meanings attached to neurostimulation, raising the question of how stroke survivors perceive its benefits, challenges, and integration into their daily lives. This study uniquely addresses that gap by exploring the phenomenological meanings of neurostimulation from the patients’ standpoint, highlighting the humanistic aspects often absent in biomedical discussions. Here we show, through a hermeneutic phenomenological approach using in-depth interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis, that patients interpret neurostimulation not only as a clinical intervention but also as a personal and social experience. Data were collected from twelve stroke survivors who underwent multiple sessions of non-invasive neurostimulation, and the analysis identified four overarching themes: negotiating comfort and discomfort, redefining agency, navigating social and emotional dimensions, and balancing expectations with uncertainty. The findings revealed that patients experienced the therapy as a journey marked by ambivalence, where hope and empowerment coexisted with dependency and skepticism. These insights extend existing literature by illuminating how rehabilitation is experienced as a dynamic negotiation between body, identity, and social context—dimensions that quantitative studies rarely capture. The study demonstrates that incorporating phenomenological insights into clinical practice enriches our understanding of patient-centered rehabilitation and underscores the need for future research to integrate subjective experience with biomedical innovation. By articulating this experiential layer, the study contributes a novel interpretive framework for bridging human experience with technological advancement in stroke rehabilitation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Elya Mufidah, Harijono (Author)
Healing and Personal Transformations after Stem Cell Therapy in Chronic Wound Care
Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have transformed chronic wound management through advanced therapies such as stem cell interventions. However, the subjective experience of patients undergoing such therapies remains underexplored, representing a critical research gap. This study aimed to examine how patients with chronic wounds perceive and interpret their healing after receiving stem cell therapy. A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed, with data collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ten patients and analyzed using thematic reduction techniques. The analysis identified four central themes: healing as a second chance at life, the non-linear trajectory of recovery, embodied awareness, and the role of interpersonal and spiritual support. These findings demonstrate that healing extends beyond physical repair to encompass emotional, relational, and existential dimensions. By highlighting these multidimensional experiences, this study contributes to advancing human-centered care in regenerative therapy and underscores the need for integrative clinical practices that recognize the patient’s narrative as central to the healing process.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ghina Salsabila, Devi Andriani (Author)
The Role of miRNA in Breast Cancer Diagnostics: Advancing Precision Medicine Through Non-Invasive Biomarker Discovery
MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of small non-coding RNA that is involved in cellular gen Regulatory functions. Their resistance to variability in bodily fluids and tissues, tissue and disease-specific expression, and link to key cellular events make them potentia targets of interest for establishing new biomarkers for cancer and other diseases i personalized medicine approaches However, despite these advantages, a major researc gap persists: current diagnostic frameworks still lack reliable molecular biomarkers tha can detect cancer at its earliest stages with sufficient sensitivity and specificity. Existin techniques of diagnosis are unable to diagnose early-stage cancers or are unable t consider molecular variation; therefore, new strategies like miRNA profiling ar required. This paper aims at reviewing the relationship between miRNAs and cance with emphasis on their application in diagnostics and precision medicine. The presen work is based on the systematic review of peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and clinica trials available in the PubMed and Scopus databases. The selection of the articles wa performed according to the articles‟ relevance to the general miRNA properties diagnostics, and therapy. The most important ideas were generalized to give an idea o the role of miRNA in cancer treatment. The presented data reveal that miRNAs hav become revolutionary in the field of oncology. They are stable, specific and can b accessed through non invasive procedures, thus making them ideal diagnostic marker and therapeutic targets. Some challenges are still there, such as standardization, an ethical issues, yet AI and delivery mechanisms offer real solutions. Therefore implementation of the miRNA profile information in clinical setting can be a possibilit of early diagnosis, individualized treatment, and better prognosis, and hence miRNA plays a crucial role for the future of precision cancer medicine.
Copyright (c) 2025 Chatarina, Ayi Furqon (Author)
An Interpretative Exploration of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Therapy Experiences in Rare Genetic Disorders
to correct genetic defects in rare disorders. However, limited attention has been given to how patients perceive and adapt to such interventions. This study aims to explore patients’ lived experiences and the meanings they ascribe to CRISPR-Cas9 therapy. An interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA) was employed, using semi-structured interviews with twelve participants who underwent CRISPR-Cas9 treatment. Analysis revealed four key themes: confronting uncertainty, redefining hope, negotiating identity, and navigating social acceptance. Findings show that the impacts of CRISPR therapy extend beyond clinical outcomes, encompassing psychological, emotional, and social dimensions. These insights emphasize the need for patient-centered frameworks in genomic medicine and provide ethical and research implications for integrating technological innovation with human experience..
Copyright (c) 2025 Avin Ainur, Lailia Nur Rachma (Author)
Exploring Lived Experiences and Meaning-Making in Stem Cell Therapy for Degenerative Diseases
Stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising advancement in regenerative medicine, offering new possibilities for treating degenerative diseases where conventional approaches remain limited. Despite growing clinical applications, little is known about how patients perceive and construct meaning from their treatment journeys, particularly regarding their psychological, emotional, and social experiences. This study addresses this gap by exploring the lived experiences of patients undergoing stem cell therapy through a descriptive phenomenological approach. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews with twelve participants, the study analyzed narratives to uncover the essence of patients’ experiences using thematic analysis supported by NVivo software. The findings revealed three central themes: navigating between hope and uncertainty, emotional turbulence and coping strategies, and the critical role of social and clinical support systems in shaping patient well-being. These results demonstrate that stem cell therapy is experienced not only as a biomedical intervention but also as a deeply personal and transformative process, influenced by emotional resilience, cultural values, and relational dynamics. By connecting biomedical advancements with patients’ subjective realities, this study provides a holistic understanding of stem cell therapy that extends beyond clinical outcomes. However, the study is limited by its small sample size and focus on a single clinical context, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings. Practically, the insights highlight the need for clinicians to integrate psychosocial support into treatment protocols, ensuring patient-centered care that addresses both medical and emotional dimensions of therapy.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rokhimah Riza, Nora Maulina (Author)
Lived Experiences and Meaning-Making in Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy
Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering offer innovative solutions to restore damaged tissues and improve patients’ quality of life. Yet, little is known about how patients experience and make meaning of regenerative stem cell therapy in their everyday lives. This study addresses this gap by asking: How does regenerative stem cell therapy shape patients’ perceptions of identity, autonomy, and quality of life? Using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA), we conducted in-depth interviews with 12 participants to explore these lived experiences. The analysis revealed four central themes: reclaiming bodily integrity, navigating emotional struggles, reconstructing identity, and fostering hope for the future. These findings highlight that recovery extends beyond physical restoration, involving profound psychological and existential transformations. This study contributes novelty by uncovering the psychosocial dimensions often overlooked in outcome-driven research, and it offers practical implications for patient-centered care frameworks in regenerative medicine. By integrating biomedical outcomes with personal meaning-making, the research emphasizes a more holistic perspective on the patient journey.
Copyright (c) 2025 Thaib Hakiki, Mhd. Ismail Lubis (Author)
Psychological Experiences and Emotional Impact of Gene Therapy in Genetic Disorder Patients
Gene therapy has emerged as a revolutionary treatment for genetic disorders, offering the potential for long-term cures by addressing the root cause of disease at the genetic level. While clinical studies have focused on the efficacy of gene therapy, there remains limited understanding of the psychological and emotional impacts experienced by patients undergoing such treatments. This study aims to explore the emotional and psychological experiences of patients receiving gene therapy, specifically focusing on how they perceive and adapt to changes in their health status. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this research investigates the lived experiences of 12 patients who underwent gene therapy for genetic disorders. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically, revealing that while patients initially experience intense hope and relief (reported by 10 out of 12 participants), they also face significant psychological challenges, including heightened anxiety (observed in 8 participants) and profound shifts in personal identity (experienced by 6 participants). These findings suggest that emotional support and holistic care are crucial for enhancing patient well-being during and after gene therapy. However, the study is limited by its relatively small sample size and reliance on self-reported experiences, which may not capture the full diversity of patient perspectives. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the emotional complexities associated with gene therapy and calls for further research into the psychological effects of medical interventions.
Copyright (c) 2025 Didit Fajar Nugroho, Ninik Nurhidayah (Author)
Exploring Patients' Experiences and Perceptions of Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Healing: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
Stem cell therapy is an emerging field within regenerative medicine, offering potential solutions for tissue healing and regeneration. However, while clinical outcomes have been widely studied, less is known about the subjective experiences of patients undergoing such treatments. This study aims to address this gap by exploring the emotional and psychological aspects of patients' experiences with stem cell therapy. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, we examined the lived experiences of 12 patients (7 males and 5 females, aged between 35 and 65 years, diagnosed with musculoskeletal injuries) who underwent stem cell therapy at a specialized regenerative medicine clinic in Jakarta, Indonesiafor tissue healing. The analysis revealed that patients experienced a complex range of emotions, including hope, anxiety, and gradual acceptance, as they navigated the healing process. These findings highlight the significant psychological and emotional dimensions of stem cell therapy, which are often overlooked in clinical research. The results emphasize the importance of considering these factors in patient care and suggest the need for further exploration of the long-term impacts of regenerative therapies on emotional well-being.
Copyright (c) 2025 Johannes H.S, Handri Maika Saputra (Author)
Longitudinal Single Case Report: Intravenous Therapeutic Plasma Secretome Therapy in a Parkinson's Patient with Vascular Comorbidities
Background: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons, resulting in a complex combination of motor and non-motor symptoms. Conventional therapies such as levodopa are primarily symptomatic and often lead to long-term complications, highlighting the need for alternative approaches capable of modifying disease progression. Objective: This case report aims to evaluate the short-term clinical effects of a single session of cell rejuvenation therapy using Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC)-based Therapeutic Plasma Secretome (TPS) in a Parkinson’s patient with vascular comorbidities. Methodology: A 71-year-old male diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and a history of mild stroke received TPS therapy via intravenous infusion at a dose of 1 million cells/kg body weight, prepared at a BPOM-certified facility. Functional evaluation was conducted longitudinally using the UPDRS-8 scale over a four-week period. Results: The UPDRS-8 score improved from 8 to 6, accompanied by clinical improvements including increased walking speed, resolution of tremors, and enhanced independence in daily activities. No significant adverse effects were observed during the monitoring period. Conclusion: These preliminary findings support the potential of HSC-based TPS as a safe and promising non-invasive therapy for improving motor function in Parkinson’s patients. However, as a single case report lacking a control group and with a limited observation period, the results cannot yet be generalized. Further research through controlled clinical trials, long-term monitoring, and the development of reliable biomarkers is necessary to verify the efficacy and safety of this therapy.
Copyright (c) 2025 Syaifudin, Wildan, Mu’azzaroh, Prasetyo, Ningrum (Author)
Regenerative Medicine Approaches for Chronic Urticaria in Latex-Exposed Healthcare Workers: A Literature Review
Chronic urticaria (CU) is a burdensome condition among healthcare workers (HCWs), particularly those exposed to latex allergens in clinical environments. While conventional treatments like antihistamines and omalizumab offer symptomatic relief, they may not fully resolve persistent inflammation or restore skin barrier function. Regenerative medicine approaches—such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), MSC-derived secretome, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP)—offer promising alternatives due to their immunomodulatory and tissue-repairing properties. Recent studies have reported that MSC-based therapies reduced urticarial symptom scores by approximately 40–60% within 8–12 weeks, while PRP applications demonstrated up to a 35% improvement in dermal repair markers and decreased recurrence frequency. Secretome-based interventions showed significant downregulation of IL-6 and TNF-α expression in 70% of treated cases. This review explores the mechanistic rationale, therapeutic potential, and occupational relevance of these modalities in treating CU. Special emphasis is placed on strategies that target mast cell activity, Th2 cytokines, and histamine release, aligning with the pathophysiology of urticaria. The analysis synthesizes findings from 28 preclinical and 12 clinical studies, highlighting consistent immunomodulatory benefits and improved skin regeneration outcomes among latex-exposed HCWs. Potential use cases include MSC infusions, secretome-based topicals, and PRP-enhanced skin recovery treatments tailored for HCWs with persistent urticaria. Further research is required to validate these therapies through clinical trials, especially in occupational allergy populations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Siti Nur Aini Hi Rauf, Reza Yuridian, Silvan Saputra (Author)
Stem Cell-Based Immunomodulatory Therapies for Occupational Herpes Infections: A Literature Review
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections pose significant occupational risks to healthcare workers, particularly through exposure to infectious fluids, needlestick injuries, and mucosal contact. HSV establishes lifelong latency with potential for reactivation under stress or immunosuppression, which are common in clinical settings. Conventional antiviral therapies, such as acyclovir, reduce symptoms but fail to eliminate latent virus or prevent recurrence. Clinical data indicate that recurrent HSV infections affect up to 30–40% of healthcare workers exposed to high-risk environments, despite prophylactic antiviral use. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising immunomodulatory agents capable of suppressing inflammation, promoting tissue repair, and serving as delivery platforms for antiviral agents. Preclinical studies show that MSCs reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 by approximately 45–60%, while enhancing anti-inflammatory IL-10 secretion by nearly 2-fold, leading to improved neuronal survival in HSV-induced encephalitis models. However, challenges including MSC susceptibility to HSV infection, potential suppression of host antiviral immunity, and regulatory barriers complicate clinical translation. Comparative analysis suggests MSC-based therapies offer distinct advantages over traditional approaches, particularly in managing chronic inflammation and neuroinvasive complications like HSV encephalitis. Animal model data further demonstrate a 35% improvement in survival and a 50% reduction in neurological sequelae with MSC-based interventions compared to standard antivirals. Future research should focus on optimizing delivery methods, exploring cell-free alternatives, and conducting long-term safety studies in occupational settings to maximize therapeutic benefit while minimizing risk.
Copyright (c) 2025 Manuela Rahayaan, Reza Yuridian, Silvan Saputra (Author)
Lived Experience and Personal Meaning of Gene Therapy in Young Patients with Primary Immunodeficiency
Gene therapy has emerged as a transformative advancement in molecular medicine, particularly for individuals with rare genetic and immunological disorders. Despite its clinical success, little is known about how young patients subjectively experience and interpret gene therapy as a life-altering event. Existing literature tends to focus on biomedical outcomes, leaving a gap in understanding the emotional, existential, and identity-related meanings attached to the treatment experience. This study employs an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore how young individuals with primary immunodeficiency disorders make sense of undergoing gene therapy. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with eight participants aged 13 to 25 years, who had undergone gene therapy within the past three years. The interviews followed a flexible guide that encouraged participants to narrate their experiences before, during, and after the treatment. In-depth interviews with eight participants were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), which revealed five major themes: renewed hope, lingering uncertainty, reconstruction of self-identity, spiritual meaning, and transformed family relationships. These themes were derived from rigorous thematic analysis and reflect rich, lived experiences that extend beyond conventional clinical narratives. The findings show that gene therapy is not only perceived as a medical breakthrough but also as a deeply personal and symbolic transformation. This study expands our understanding of gene therapy by highlighting the importance of addressing emotional and psychosocial dimensions in treatment planning. Future research should integrate phenomenological insights into broader models of patient-centered care, especially in genetic medicine.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rezky Amaliah (Author)
Exploring Patient Experiences with Digital Health Monitoring during Stem Cell Therapy
Digital health technologies have become integral to patient care, particularly in regenerative medicine such as stem cell therapy. While their clinical utility is well established, limited attention has been given to the subjective experiences of patients who use digital health monitoring during complex treatments. What remains unclear is how patients interpret and make meaning of their interactions with these technologies throughout their healing process. This study applies an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of patients undergoing stem cell therapy while using digital health monitoring applications. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants (aged 34–67 years; 5 males and 3 females) who were receiving outpatient stem cell therapy in a metropolitan hospital in Southeast Asia. Interviews were held in private consultation rooms within the hospital to ensure comfort and confidentiality data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify core experiential themes. The findings revealed four essential themes: reassurance through digital guidance, emotional strain from constant monitoring, reconstructed trust in therapy, and the emergence of digital companionship. These themes highlight the complex and often paradoxical emotional dynamics between patients and the technologies intended to support them. The study enhances our understanding of how patients internalize and navigate their digitally mediated care, offering new insights for designing patient-centered digital health interventions and supporting future phenomenological investigations in similar medical contexts.
Copyright (c) 2025 Indah Ahyuni (Author)
Elderly Users’ Experiences Navigating Telemedicine in Digital Healthcare
Digital health technologies have transformed healthcare delivery, with telemedicine emerging as a critical tool for serving aging populations. While much research has addressed the technical and clinical aspects of telemedicine, little is known about how elderly users emotionally and socially experience these platforms. Despite increasing adoption, the subjective meanings older adults assign to their telemedicine encounters remain underexplored, prompting the question: how do elderly individuals perceive and make sense of their interactions with telemedicine systems? This study adopts a descriptive phenomenological approach to uncover the lived experiences of elderly users and reveal the essence of their engagement with digital healthcare. Using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with ten elderly participants aged 65 to 82 years (six females and four males) residing in urban and peri-urban areas of Central Java, Indonesia, the study identified four core themes: technological unfamiliarity, emotional ambivalence, reliance on social support, and evolving trust in digital platforms. Thematic analysis allowed for the extraction of meaning units that illustrated how participants navigated both practical and emotional dimensions of telemedicine use. These results provide a rich account of the tensions, adaptations, and dependencies involved in digital care among older adults. The findings highlight the need for human-centered telemedicine design that reflects the psychological and relational realities of elderly users, and suggest new directions for inclusive digital health strategies in aging societies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Asyraf Alfaruqi (Author)
Meaning-Making and Emotional Resilience in Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment Experience
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy represents a groundbreaking advancement in regenerative medicine, especially for individuals facing cancer. However, while its biological mechanisms are increasingly understood, the subjective experiences of patients remain underexplored. This study investigates how cancer patients undergoing MSC therapy construct meaning, cope emotionally, and engage with the uncertainty of novel treatment pathways. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA), in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten purposively selected patients from regenerative medicine centers in Southeast Asia between January and April 2025. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Smith’s IPA framework, allowing for the extraction of idiographic and cross-case themes.. Analysis revealed four central themes: fear and ambiguity in facing medical uncertainty, the sustaining function of hope, emotional ambivalence shaped by shifting physical states, and culturally embedded interpretations influenced by spirituality and family roles. These findings emphasize the psychological resilience that patients develop, reframing them not just as recipients of therapy but as active participants in meaning-making. The study underscores the importance of acknowledging patients’ emotional landscapes and sociocultural frameworks within regenerative care. By integrating these insights into clinical practice, healthcare providers can foster more compassionate, responsive, and context-aware therapeutic environments. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of patient-centered care by highlighting the interpretive and existential dimensions of healing through advanced biomedical innovation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Aan Alfian Nehrul (Author)
Navigating Existential Terrain: First-Time Patient Perspectives on Gene Therapy for Rare Disorders
Gene therapy has ushered in a transformative era in the treatment of rare genetic disorders, offering previously unattainable therapeutic possibilities. Yet, the personal dimensions of undergoing such innovative procedures remain insufficiently understood. This study adopts a descriptive phenomenological methodology to explore the lived experiences of patients receiving gene therapy for the first time. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight individuals diagnosed with rare disorders, the research delves into how hope, uncertainty, identity, and ethical burden shape the patient journey. Four interrelated themes emerged: hope as a fluctuating life-affirming force, psychological uncertainty as a persistent presence, the body as a transformed and sometimes alienated space, and the weight of being among the earliest recipients of experimental treatment. These findings uncover the emotional and existential complexity of engaging with cutting-edge biomedical interventions and challenge traditional outcome-based paradigms in clinical research. Rather than portraying patients merely as subjects of medical innovation, the study foregrounds their active meaning-making and ethical considerations. Insights gained offer valuable implications for developing patient-centered care frameworks that acknowledge and support emotional resilience and identity transformation. Ultimately, the study contributes to a richer understanding of how patients navigate unfamiliar therapeutic landscapes and underscores the importance of incorporating subjective perspectives into the ethical discourse of emerging medical technologies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Donny Juliandri Prihadi (Author)
An Interpretative Study of Patients’ Lived Experiences with Advanced Scaffold-Based Tissue Engineering and 3D Bioprinted Tissue Implantation Technologies
Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have rapidly advanced as scientific fields focused on restoring damaged tissues through innovative technologies, specifically scaffold-based tissue engineering constructs and 3D bioprinted tissue implantation technologies. Within this domain, increasing attention has been directed toward understanding how patients encounter and live with these scaffold-based biomaterial implants and 3D bioprinted tissue constructs, particularly as they transition from experimental innovation to clinical application. However, limited knowledge exists regarding how patients subjectively experience, interpret, and integrate scaffold-based and 3D bioprinted tissue implantation procedures into their embodied, emotional, and temporal lives. Here, an interpretative phenomenological approach is used to explore and elucidate the essential meanings of patients’ lived experiences following the clinical implantation of scaffold-based engineered tissues and 3D bioprinted tissue constructs. Data were generated through in-depth, multi-phase interviews with patients who had undergone scaffold-supported tissue regeneration or 3D bioprinted tissue implantation and were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings reveal that patients experience scaffold-based and bioprinted regenerative interventions as a process of embodied negotiation marked by initial bodily alienation and gradual integration. Participants also described altered perceptions of time characterized by uncertainty and waiting, alongside emotional ambivalence shaped by hope, fear, and trust in advanced biofabrication technologies. These experiential dimensions were further embedded in reflective meaning-making processes that reshaped personal identity and understandings of the body in relation to engineered and bioprinted biological constructs. Together, these findings demonstrate that scaffold-based tissue engineering and 3D bioprinted tissue implantation technologies are lived not only as biomedical interventions but as complex human experiences, underscoring the importance of phenomenological approaches for advancing patient-centered knowledge and informing future research and practice in technology-driven regenerative healthcare.
Copyright (c) 2026 Silvan Saputra, Asmail (Author)
A Phenomenological Exploration of the Lived Experience of Users Adapting to AI-Integrated Neuroprosthetic Devices: Insights from Ten Adult Participants
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into neuroprosthetic devices represents a major advancement in biomedical engineering, reshaping both motor function restoration and the user’s subjective experience. While significant progress has been made in technical optimization, little is known about how users emotionally and cognitively adapt to these intelligent systems in daily life. This study addresses the gap by exploring the lived experiences of individuals using AI-enabled neuroprosthetics and asks: how do users make sense of and embody these technologies over time? Here, we employ an interpretative phenomenological approach to investigate how users construct meaning through their interaction with AI-integrated prosthetic systems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten adult participants (aged 24–56 years) between January and March 2025, and data were analyzed thematically to identify shared experiential themes such as identity transformation, emotional negotiation, and co-agency with the device. The findings reveal that users undergo a multidimensional process of adaptation involving not only physical integration but also shifts in autonomy, trust, and social perception. These results extend current understanding by emphasizing the deeply personal and relational aspects of technologically mediated rehabilitation. This study advances the discourse in human-centered biomedical design by offering critical insights into how intelligent devices become internalized as part of the self. However, the findings are limited by the small sample size and the self-reported nature of the data. Future studies should explore broader demographic contexts and longitudinal changes over time. It highlights the need for future research to incorporate phenomenological perspectives when developing and evaluating assistive technologies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Agus Santoso Budi, Resty Monalisa Pering (Author)
Exploring the Lived Experience of Experimental Gene Therapy Among Patients with Inherited Immunodeficiencies in a Clinical Setting
Gene therapy represents a major advancement in molecular medicine, particularly in the treatment of inherited immunodeficiencies, offering possibilities for long-term disease modification at the genetic level. While biomedical research has thoroughly addressed the clinical efficacy of gene therapy, little is known about how patients personally experience and interpret this transformative process. Despite the growing implementation of gene therapy, current approaches often neglect the subjective and existential dimensions of treatment, raising the question: how do individuals undergoing gene therapy make sense of their experience? This study applies an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of patients receiving gene therapy for monogenic immunodeficiencies. The sampling method involved purposive selection of participants from a clinical registry at a national immunology center, with inclusion criteria focusing on adults aged 18 and above who had completed gene therapy within the previous 12 months. The sample consisted of ten participants (6 male, 4 female) aged 21 to 43, representing diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), revealing four key themes: embracing uncertainty, bodily transformation, navigating social relationships, and spiritual recalibration. These themes reflect the deeply personal, emotional, and identity-related changes participants experienced during and after therapy. The results provide insight into how patients construct meaning and cope with the complexity of gene-based medical innovation. These findings highlight the need for more holistic, patient-centered care models that recognize emotional and existential concerns alongside clinical outcomes. Concrete recommendations include integrating psychosocial counseling into gene therapy programs, training healthcare providers in empathetic communication, and fostering peer support networks. Future studies should examine longitudinal trajectories and cross-cultural variations to deepen understanding of the human implications of genetic medicine.
Copyright (c) 2025 Abraham Dharmawan (Author)