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| July 1, 2009 |
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eNews
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| Calendar |
• July
International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)
6th Annual Meeting
July 8-11
Centre Convencions Internacional
Barcelona, Spain
Cancer Biostatistics Workshop
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
July 12-18
The Lodge at Sonoma
Sonoma, California
Molecular Biology in Clinical Oncology
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
July 17-24
Given Institute of the University of Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
Cryo 2009
Society for Cryobiology
46th Annual Meeting
July 19-23
Hokkaido University
Sapporo, Japan
• September
International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH)
38th Annual Scientific Meeting
Sept. 9-12
Hotel Divani Caravel
Athens, Greece
11th International Conference on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
European School of Hematology (ESH)
Sept. 11-13
Palais des Congrès Bordeaux Lac
Bordeaux, France
American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)
33rd Annual Meeting
Sept. 13-16
MGM Grand
Las Vegas, Nevada
9th Annual Somatic Cell Therapy Symposium
International Society of Cellular Therapy
Sept. 14-15
Hyatt Regency Bethesda
Bethesda, Maryland
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
Annual Meeting
Sept. 20-24
Internationale Congress Centrum
Berlin, Germany
26th National Oncology Economics Conference
Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC)
Sept. 22-25
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
American Society of Multicultural Health and Transplant Professionals (ASMHTP)
17th Annual Meeting
Sept. 23-25
Green Valley Ranch
Las Vegas, Nevada
• October
Inaugural Australasian Regional Meeting
International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT)
Oct. 17
University of South Australia
Adelaide, Australia
Cytokines 2009: Cellular and Cytokine Interactions in Health and Disease
International Cytokine Society (ICS)
Oct. 17-21
Lisbon Convention Center
Lisbon, Portugal
American Society for Human Genetics (ASHG)
59th Annual Meeting
Oct. 20-24
Hawaii Convention Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
Lymphoma and Myeloma 2009: An International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies
Imedex
Oct. 22-24
Waldorf Astoria Hotel
New York, New York
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
European School of Hematology
Oct. 22-25
Pullman Mandelieu Hotel
Mandelieu, France
American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
2009 Annual Meeting
Oct. 24-27
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
World Conference on Regenerative Medicine
Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology
Oct. 29-31
Congress Centre Leipzig
Leipzig, Germany
• November
International Workshop on the Biology, Prevention and Treatment of Relapse after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Nov. 2-3
Natcher Auditorium
Bethesda, Maryland
American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)
35th Annual Meeting
Nov. 2-6
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
San Francisco, California
National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)
22nd Annual Council Meeting
Nov. 6-8
Hilton Minneapolis Hotel
Minneapolis, Minnesota
5th International Congress on Myeloproliferative Diseases and Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Imedex
Nov. 5-7
Marriott New York – Brooklyn Bridge
New York, New York
European Society of Gene Therapy (ESGT)
17th Annual Congress
Nov. 21-25
Convention Centre at Hannover Fairground
Hanover, Germany
2nd International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research
European School of Haematology (ESH) and Eurocord
Nov. 26-28
Auditorium Rainier III
Monaco
• December
American Society of Hematology (ASH)
51st Annual Meeting
Dec. 5-8
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
49th Annual Meeting
Dec. 5-9
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California
• 2010
BMT Tandem Meetings
Combined ASBMT and CIBMTR annual meetings
Feb. 24-28
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida
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| Top
Stories |
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Allogeneic transplant increases survival in patients with AML
Among patients with poor- and intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia, those who received allogeneic stem cell transplants in first clinical remission were more likely to survive and less likely to suffer a relapse than patients given alternative therapies. According to a report in the June 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, allogeneic transplant increases the chance of disease-free survival at five years to about 33 percent, compared with 15 to 20 percent without the allogeneic transplant. 
Stem cell treatment tested for Crohn’s disease
Fifteen patients from six countries have taken part in a controlled trial to test the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation in treating Crohn’s disease. The treatment, which takes two years, involves destroying the diseased cells and “rebooting” the patient’s immune system.
Extract from bone marrow cells used to treat heart failure
A mouse study of the treatment of heart failure after heart attack found that an extract derived from bone marrow cells is as effective as therapy using bone marrow stem cells for improving cardiac function, decreasing the formation of scar tissue and improving cardiac pumping capacity after heart attack.
Researchers create heart using stem cells
Researchers have grown hearts by coating the stripped-down “scaffolding” of one rat’s heart with tissue grown from another rat’s stem cells. This type of organ could replace xenotransplants and the associated immune responses.
Filming cell division provides clue to stem cell behavior
Researchers in France have filmed asymmetric cell division in vivo in fruit fly germinal stem cells. According to a report in the June issue of Nature Cell Biology, researchers determined that a new gene called “wicked,” needed to make ribosomes, is located asymmetrically and is no longer present in the original stem cell at the end of the division.
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 A Word from President Claudio Anasetti, MD
For the BMT physicians who believe that they already are working long hours, bad news is coming in transplant utilization trends from the NMDP and the CIBMTR: the demand for BMT therapies will more than double in the next 10 years.
The enlarging donor registries and cord blood banks, the precise HLA typing and the more forgiving reduced-intensity regimens forecast rapid expansion of BMT, especially in older patients and those transplanted from alternative sources. And, all this doesn’t even take into consideration expected new indications for transplant.
The shortage of BMT physicians is predominantly in those treating adult patients, and BMT physician demographics don’t help. The median age of BMT physicians treating adults is in the mid-50s, compared to the mid-40s for pediatric BMT physicians.
Our shortage, of course, is embedded in the larger, nationwide scarcity of personnel in primary care and many specialties. You’re no doubt aware of the overall inadequacy in the number of medical school graduates. Any increase in the physician training slots will take at least a decade to work its way through to the workforce.
I share a responsibility with all other BMT program directors for making the work environment as attractive as possible, with adequate compensation and a work-life balance that is acceptable for the physicians in my program. I am proud, but also concerned, that NCCN work relative value unit (wRVU) data show 20 percent more productivity among BMT physicians compared to other oncologists.
What are the available short-term options to expand the BMT workforce? One is retaining foreign medical graduates; many of us have come here from overseas. Another is to train more physician assistants and nurse practitioners and integrate them into our transplant teams; some transplant centers have more than 25 years of experience with this approach, which has proved robust and stable.
We need to advocate as best we can for continued funding and, hopefully, growth in graduate medical education. With no increase in residency slots there can be no growth in the number of physicians for BMT, even if we build a few more medical schools.
The most direct approach may be to intervene at the medical school stage of physician training, during residency and hem/onc fellowship. I was in medical school when back-to-back articles on BMT from Don Thomas and colleagues appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and inspired my career.
I believe that medical students should be exposed to the principles of BMT during their hematology curriculum in the second or third year. Unfortunately, the curricula of hem/onc fellowships at most institutions do not offer enough BMT training for the specialty physician to attend proficiently in transplantation.
The option of expanding the BMT experience within the hem-onc fellowship could allow more competent training in BMT, and make the specialty more attractive. Yet, extending the training period by another year for a dedicated BMT fellowship is not attractive for physicians who can pursue jobs in private oncology practice right out of fellowship.
Do you have recommendations for addressing the BMT workforce shortage? Please use the Reader Poll in the left-hand column, or don’t hesitate to email me directly.
– Claudio
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| Clinical Research |
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Fat cells inhibit ability of marrow to produce new blood cells
Blocking the infiltration of fat into bone marrow as people age could help enhance patients’ recovery after chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant. According to a report in the advance online edition of Nature, these fat cells inhibit the marrow’s ability to produce new blood cells.
Protein increases stem cells in muscle tissue
Scientists have discovered that a protein called Wnt7a increases the number of stem cells in muscle tissue, leading to accelerated growth and repair of skeletal muscle. According to a report in the June 5 issue of Cell Stem Cell, this discovery points the way toward development of new treatment for muscular dystrophy, sarcopenia and muscle wasting conditions.
Scientists make stem cells from ordinary cells
Researchers in China have found a way to transform ordinary cells taken from the ear and bone marrow of a pig into embryonic-like stem cells. According to a report in the advance online edition of the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, scientists used a virus to reprogram the cells, which are then capable of developing into any type of cell in the body.
PTEN regulates pathway to cancer stem cells
A gene well known to stop or suppress cancer plays a role in cancer stem cells, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The researchers found that several pathways linked to the gene, called PTEN, also affected the growth of breast cancer stem cells.
Combined stem cell and gene therapy target Fanconi anemia
Scientists at La Jolla's Salk Institute for Biological Studies say they've taken a significant step toward using stem cells and gene therapy to cure Fanconi anemia. Taking hair or skin cells from patients with the disease, the investigators corrected the defective gene in the patients' cells using gene therapy techniques.
Fallopian tubes source of mesenchymal stem cells
Discarded fallopian tubes from hysterectomies are an abundant source of mesenchymal stem cells. According to a report in the June 18 issue of The Journal of Translational Medicine, scientists were able to multiply and then coax the mesenchymal stem cells to turn into apparently healthy muscle, fat, cartilage and bone cell lines in the lab.
Virus-size capsules stick to cells to target drug delivery
Investigators at Cornell University report in the online edition of the journal Gene Therapy that it is now possible to engineer tiny containers the size of a virus to deliver drugs and other materials with almost 100 percent efficiency to targeted cells in the bloodstream.
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| Biopharmaceutical News |
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Adult stem cell products poised for dramatic growth
Marketable therapies are emerging from adult stem cells, primarily because they are more readily available than embryonic stem cells and are less expensive to use in clinical trials. Gross sales of adult cellular therapies, estimated to be well over $100 million in the United States this year, are expected to grow to $8.2 billion by 2018.
Earlier engraftment achieved in cell expansion trial
Mesoblast Limited and Angioblast Systems Inc. have announced successful results in the first five patients to undergo bone marrow transplantation with hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells expanded by its Mesenchymal Precursor Cells.
ThermoGenesis receives NIH grant
ThermoGenesis Corp has received a $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study and build biomaterials that will deliver stem cells for use in regenerative medicine. ThermoGenesis will use the money to conduct exploratory research in animal models to identify the best methods of combining stem cells with biomaterials.
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| Association
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Survey reveals ASBMT member priorities
Research. Reimbursement. Recruitment. These are the priorities of ASBMT members as revealed in an online survey in which a third of the Society’s members participated. The collected opinions and advice were used by ASBMT leaders when they met last month to develop a new three-year strategic plan.
Comments sought on draft cord blood banking standards
A draft 4th edition of the NetCord-FACT International Standards for Cord Blood Collection, Processing, Testing, Banking, Selection and Release has been posted on the Web site of the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). It is available for public comment through Sept. 29.
Review explains biology of NK cell therapy
The relatively recent discovery of numerous activating receptors in natural killer (NK) cells has made it clear that reactivity arises from a combination of inhibitory and activating signals. A review in the July issue of Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation examines the clinical studies that have tried to use NK reactivity in both HLA-matched and -mismatched transplants and explains the varying results based on NK cell biology.
NCI plans workshop on relapse after allogeneic HCT
The National Cancer Institute will hold an international workshop on the biology, prevention and treatment of relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation on Nov. 2-3 in Bethesda. The purpose is to generate research questions for a planned Request for Applications.
Job Connection introduces new features
The ASBMT Online Job Connection has introduced new features that enable job seekers to more easily upload their resumes, while employers can now identify candidates using expanded search criteria. Use the Job Connection to search for employment opportunities or to post your job openings online.
cGVHD book royalties to benefit patients
Royalties from sales of the newly published Chronic Graft versus Host Disease: Interdisciplinary Management, edited by Drs. Georgia Vogelsang and Steven Pavletic, are being donated to the Baltimore Community Foundation to be used for patient and health education projects. The textbook is a comprehensive, up-to-date resource for all health professionals who manage post-transplant patients. Dr. Vogelsang is recipient of the 2009 ASBMT Lifetime Achievement Award.
BMTR looks at reduced-conditioning regimens
Studies of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens have shown that certain patients and diseases benefit better than others. A symposium that reviewed how histology, chemosensitivity and comorbidity can influence RIC outcomes was presented at the 2009 BMT Tandem Meetings. The proceedings are published in the current issue of Blood and Marrow Transplant Reviews, in the mail to ASBMT members and about 9,000 referring hematologists and oncologists.
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