8th Annual Arizona Cord Blood Conference 2023

Register now for the 8th Annual Arizona Cord Blood Conference! This conference is a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals, parents, students and the general public to learn about cord blood stem cells directly from world-leading experts.

Join us on April 13th, 2023 at the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center and discover how cord blood is used to treat 80+ life-threatening diseases including many cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.  See the full agenda below.

The purpose of this one-day conference is to bring patients, researchers, clinicians, and policy makers together to learn about advances in cord blood transplant outcomes, cutting edge research, and exciting new innovations using donated cord blood in treating leukemia, lymphoma, cerebral palsy and more.

John Garcia, Director of the Arizona Public Cord Blood Program, sponsors of this event, said, "The 8th Annual Arizona Cord Blood Conference brings together physicians, researchers, and transplant survivors to share information on the latest in cord blood stem research and share stories of survival. It's miraculous that by using blood from umbilical cords and placentas, that would normally be discarded after birth, hope is given for cures and treatments for over 80 diseases. This is truly a life-saving gift where mothers give birth to new life and save another life with the blood from her baby's umbilical cord."

Expand Access to Stem Cell Transplants with Cord Blood

This year’s conference will place an emphasis on cord blood’s critical role in increasing diversity of donors on public stem cell registries. In addition, speakers will explore cord blood’s unique advantages versus other stem cell sources. Special attention will be given to innovations in cerebral palsy and spinal cord injury research using cord blood.

​The conference will also reinforce the growing network supporting the Arizona Public Cord Blood Program, a free cord blood donation program available to Arizona families and made possible by the Arizona Biomedical Research Centre at the Arizona Department of Health Services.

"Bridging the Diversity Gap,
One Cord Blood Unit at a Time"

Register Here - Free, Open to all

Full Agenda (Hybrid / In-Person Event with Whova Integration)

Free event. Attend in-person or virtually. Register HERE.

o​8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.       Registration and Breakfast

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m.       Ms. Kristen Wilt, Master of Ceremonies – Opens Conference

9:05 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.       Mr. John Garcia – Welcome and Introduction to the
                                          Arizona Biomedical Research Centre

9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.       Dr. Eugene Livar – Opening Address

9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.       Dr. Victor Waddell – Opening Comments

9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.      Dr. Suzanne Pontow

10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.    Break – Fun Surveys via Whova

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.    Dr. Megan Finch-Edmondson and Dr. Madison Paton

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.    Dr. Sachit Patel

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.     Lunch – Students join Dr. Filippo Milano and enjoy an
                                          Escape Room Exercise

1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.       Azucena Garcia – Transplant Survivor

1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.       Dr. Amanda Olson

2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.       Dr. Wise Young

2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.       Update on Lyla Edgington – Infant Transplant Survivor

3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.       Panel Discussion: Dr. Patel, Dr. Pontow, Dr. Milano,
                                           Dr. Olson, and Dr. Young

4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.       Call to Action – Dr. Filippo Milano

4:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.       Closing Remarks – Dr. Victor Waddell and Mr. John Garcia