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| December 1, 2008 |
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Clinical
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Biopharmaceutical News |
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Association
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BMT
Tandem Meetings
Feb. 11-15, 2009
Tampa, Florida |
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| Calendar |
• December
Tumor Immunology: New Perspectives
American Association for Cancer Research (AACRS)
Dec. 2-5
Hyatt Regency Miami
Miami, Florida
American Society of Hematology (ASH)
50th Annual Meeting
Dec. 6-9
Moscone Convention Center
San Francisco, California
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
48th Annual Meeting
Dec. 13-17
Moscone Center
San Francisco, California
2009
• January
Mobilizing Cellular Immunity for Cancer Therapy
Keystone Symposia
Jan. 11-16
Snowbird Resort
Snowbird, Utah
Emerging Tumor Supressors
Keystone Symposia
Jan. 25-29
Sagebrush Inn and Conference Center
Taos, New Mexico
Phacilitate Cell & Gene Therapy Forum 2009
Jan. 26-28
The Grand Hyatt
Washington, D.C.
• February
BMT Tandem Meetings
(Combined ASBMT and CIBMTR annual meetings)
Feb. 11-15
Tampa Convention Center
Tampa, Florida
13th Annual International Congress of Hematologic Malignancies: Focus on Leukemias, Lymphomas and Myelomas
Physicians’ Education Resource
Feb. 11-15
Fairmont Château Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Advanced Course in Basic and Clinical Immunology
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
Feb, 18-22
Mondrian Hotel
Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Stem Cells Congress: Contribution to the Future of Regenerative Medicine
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Feb. 25-27
Moscone North Convention Center
San Francisco, California
• March
Emergence to Convergence: Management of High Risk Donors and Recipients
American Society of Transplantation (AST)
22nd Annual Winter Symposium
March 4-5
Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Regenerative Medicine: Advancing Next Generation Therapies
13th Annual Hilton Head Workshop
March 5-6
Sea Pines Resort
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Canadian Society of Transplantation (CST)
Annual Scientific Meeting
March 5-8
Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Evolving Standards of Care for Hematologic Malignancies: Individualized Care Using Targeted Therapies and Stem Cell Transplantation
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
March 13-14
Anderson Conference Hall
Houston, Texas
Association of Community Cancer Centers
35th Annual Meeting
March 18-21
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
Acute Leukemia Forum 2009
Hemedicus
March 20
Parc 55 Hotel
San Francisco, California
Targeted Cancer Therapies
Keystone Symposia
March 27-April 1
Whistler Conference Centre
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)
12th Annual Spring Conference
March 29-31
Disney World Swan & Dolphin
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT)
35th Annual Meeting
March 29-April 1
Göteborg Convention Centre
Göteborg, Sweden
• April
Leukemic and Cancer Stem Cells: Common and Distinct Features
European Hematology Association (EHA)
April 3-5
Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino Hotel
Mandelieu, France
UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN)
Annual Science Meeting
April 6-8
University of Oxford
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
100th Annual Meeting
April 18-22
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colorado
Stem Cell Niche Interactions
Keystone Symposia
April 21-26
Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPH/O)
22nd Annual Meeting
April 22-25
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
San Diego, California
• May
International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT)
15th Annual Meeting
May 3-6
Sheraton San Diego
San Diego, California
American Society for Apheresis (ASFA)
30thth Annual Meeting
May 20-23
Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina
San Diego, California
2nd International Congress on Leukemia-Lymphoma-Myeloma
Turkish Society of Hematology
May 21-24
WOW Convention Center
Istanbul, Turkey
American Society of Gene Therapy (ASGT)
12th Annual Meeting
May 27-30
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California
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| Top
Stories |
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Tissue-engineered airway created
Doctors in Spain used epithelial cells and mesenchymal stem-cell-derived chondrocytes to create a graft that was used to replace the left main bronchus of a 30-year old woman with end-stage bronchomalacia. 
Bone marrow transplant eradicates HIV from patient’s blood
While treating leukemia in a 42-year-old patient with AIDS, a doctor deliberately replaced the patient’s bone marrow cells with those from a donor with a naturally occurring genetic mutation that renders his cells immune to almost all strains of the HIV virus. Despite the patient having stopped all conventional AIDS medications, doctors have not been able to detect HIV in the patient’s blood for almost 600 days.
Funding obtained to study use of cord blood cells in adults
The British Columbia Cancer Agency has leveraged $1.2 million in funding over three years to pursue research on the use of cord blood cells for adult patients that need stem cell transplants. The work is a partnership between the Stem Cell Network and several biotech companies and organizations.
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 A Word from President Helen Heslop, MD
A few years ago, an election was marred because a significant portion of the electorate was disenfranchised.
Florida in 2000? Ohio in 2004? No, actually I’m thinking about ASBMT in 2005. None of the members at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute received the annual mailed ballot for officers and directors.
That was the year I stood for vice-president, and Rob Soiffer at Dana-Farber told me that I was elected without benefit of any votes (for or against) from his medical center.
Most of us who work in large academic institutions with receiving docks, mail rooms and convoluted delivery routes can imagine the possibilities for what went wrong. Perhaps even today in a dark recess of a Dana-Farber storage room sits a bundle of 2005 ASBMT ballots waiting to be cast.
To tell the truth, I’m not completely sure which candidates I voted for in that election. I was out of the country and wasn’t due back until after the deadline for returning the ballot. I e-mailed instructions to Malcolm Brenner on how to cast my ballot when it arrived in the mail. I think I know, but have no guarantee, who “I” actually voted for.
Goodbye paper
I’m happy to report that the vagaries, mishaps and irregularities of paper ballots are about to end as ASBMT this month moves to electronic online voting. If you are a full member of the society, you will receive an e-mail about the annual election of officers and directors and how to vote online. Not only will the balloting be more efficient and secure, it will be more “green.”
ASBMT is an early adopter among national associations moving from mailed paper ballots to online voting. Those that have blazed ahead of us report larger numbers of members participating in the voting process. Sounds good. We shall see.
I’ve always rather liked the manner of ASBMT elections. When our society’s founders wrote the bylaws, they made sure that the entire membership would have the opportunity to vote for the national leaders, and that the ballot would offer real choices. The bylaws require at least two candidates for every open position.
You probably have memberships in other organizations that offer you a much smaller voice, with a pre-selected slate of candidates … or officers that are elected by the board … or a self-perpetuating board that chooses its own successors. I don’t know of many national organizations that are as open and democratic as ours.
Plebiscite among the produce
These days we are seeing a lot of novel ways to vote. Last month, I voted in the U.S. Presidential election on a machine in the fruit section of a supermarket, designated as an official early voting station here in Texas. A week later, I voted in the New Zealand elections by downloading my ballot from the Internet and faxing it back. You may find it more convenient to cast your votes for ASBMT leaders from your laptop or a wireless PDA.
Of course we may be trading one set of headaches for another. You can’t blame the mailroom or delivery clerk if your spam filter intercepts your e-mail ballot notification.
Of one thing I’m certain: We have an outstanding field of officer and director candidates on this year’s ballot. You may find the choices considerably more difficult than those you faced in last month’s elections.
– Helen
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| Clinical Research |
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Umbilical cord blood could be used to make heart valves
Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood may one day be used to build new heart valves for children with heart defects, German scientists say. These valves could grow as the child develops, eliminating the need for repeat operations to replace outgrown valves. According to a report at the American Heart Association annual meeting, the scientists showed it was possible to collect umbilical cord blood, harvest the stem cells and make a heart valve.
Clinical trial to investigate using stem cells to treat diabetes
Researchers at the University of Minnesota are preparing to begin a phase II clinical trial to use stem cells to combat diabetes. Scientists will insert mesenchymal stem cells into people who have recently been diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Researchers hope the cells will repair damaged cells that produce insulin in the pancreas.
Drugs used to create pluripotent cells from brain cells
A combination of drugs can be used to reprogram cells from human tissue to become similar to embryonic stem cells, so that they may develop into all the cell types in the body. According to a report in the Nov. 6 issue of Cell Stem Cell, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute used drugs to create pluripotent cells from the brain cells of mice.
Dental pulp stem cells stimulate growth of neural cells
Dental pulp stem cells can stimulate growth and generation of several types of neural cells. According to a report in the October issue of Stem Cells, dental pulp stem cells from a rhesus macaque placed in the hippocampal areas of mice stimulated growth of new neural cells, and many of these cells formed neurons.
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| Biopharmaceutical News |
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Celgene to begin clinical trial of immunomodulatory therapy
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted Celgene Cellular Therapeutics’ investigational new drug application to initiate a clinical trial using PDA001. This immunomodulatory therapy uses stem cells derived from human placentas, obtained using the company’s proprietary processes. Clinical development will begin by the end of the year.
Pfizer to establish stem cell research lab
Pfizer plans to create a regenerative medicine unit that specializes in stem cell research. The unit, to be located in both Cambridge, Mass., and Cambridge, England, is expected to employ about 70 researchers.
Genzyme, Osiris agree to develop adult stem cell treatments
Genzyme Corp. has reached an agreement with Osiris Therapeutics to develop Prochymal and Chondrogen, two late-stage adult stem cell treatments. Prochymal is in late-stage human clinical trials to treat graft-versus-host disease, and Chondrogen soon will be tested in a late-stage trial as treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee.
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| Association
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Annual ballot for ASBMT leaders will be online
The election of ASBMT officers and directors moves from mailed paper ballots to the Internet this month. All fully qualified members of the Society will be sent information by e-mail about how to vote online for candidates for vice president, treasurer and three directors.
4th edition of FACT-JACIE Standards released
The fourth edition of the FACT-JACIE International Standards for Cellular Therapy Product Collection, Processing, and Administration is available for purchase or free download from the FACT Web site. Also online are the document and inspection checklists. The new standards become effective Jan. 29.
Careers in BMT to be promoted in ASH exhibit booths
ASBMT and six other cellular therapy organizations will be promoting careers in BMT at their exhibit booths at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting beginning this weekend in San Francisco. ASBMT officers and Board members will be in the Society’s exhibit booth to talk with hematology and oncology fellows about progress, growth and opportunities in the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Brochure promotes careers in transplantation
A new brochure presents career opportunities in hematopoietic cell transplantation to young clinicians and investigators. Included are brief testimonials from several physicians who recently joined the field. The ASBMT-produced brochure will be introduced at the ASH annual meeting Dec. 6-9.
Updated referral guidelines published
Updated Guidelines on Recommended Timing for Transplant Consultation are posted on the Web sites of the National Marrow Donor Program and ASBMT. The jointly developed guidelines help identify patients at risk of disease progression who are appropriate for evaluation for transplant. The recommendations are based on current clinical practice and the medical literature, including comprehensive evidence-based reviews.
Els Goulmy to present Thomas Lecture
A leading authority on minor histocompatibiolity antigens will present the E. Donnall Thomas Lecuture at the 2009 BMT Tandem Meetings, Feb. 11-15 in Tampa, Fla. Professor E.A.J.M. (Els) Goulmy, professor of transplant biology at Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, will speak on the basic characteristics and immune functions of minor histocompatibility antigens that can cause transplants to fail even when there is a perfect HLA match.
Tampa meeting to feature ‘Meet the Professor’ lunches
Fellows and junior faculty attending the 2009 BMT Tandem Meetings this February in Tampa will have a new opportunity: informal discussions with experts in areas of BMT patient management. Each lunch session will be led by two internationally regarded authorities using a case-based discussion on topics such as chronic GVHD and transplants for acute myeloid leukemia. Sign-up will be at the on-site registration desk.
Clinical research training course will return to Park City
The ASBMT Clinical Research Training Course for fellows-in-training and junior faculty will return to Park City, Utah, in 2009. Applications are being accepted through March 1 for the course, which will be held July 15-20.
Free ASBMT membership for trainees
Postdoctoral fellows and physicians-in-training for blood and marrow transplantation are eligible for free membership in the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Annual dues are waived for new trainees who apply for membership in the Society. The program is made possible this year by a grant from Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Age, histology influence NHL outcomes
The influence of age and histology on outcome in adult non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation is the subject of a report from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research appearing in this month’s issue of Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation.
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