With President Abdul Kalam flagging off a centre for stem cells research at the Christian Medical College yesterday, the renowned college and hospital in Vellore, 200 km from Chennai, will join intensive global research in stem cell applications. Located in the CMC campus, the Centre for Stem Cell Research, to be set up at a cost of about Rs 20 crore in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology, will have research laboratories that will study and process stem cells according to current GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards for clinical studies.