We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Sairah Ahmed as our next featured speaker on Share the Science. We have had many requests from the Save the Cord community to highlight the latest research in CAR-T cell therapy and as it relates to cord blood. Indeed, this is a new and emerging area of scientific research with great promise. Given that we welcome not only healthcare professionals to our webinars but also the general public, we feel it is important to give you a brief overview of the basics regarding CAR-T cell therapy.

In this special webinar focused on CAR-T Cell Therapy, Dr. Ahmed will discuss how cord blood sources play a critical role in treating select lymphomas including the potential of using CAR-T cell therapy.  This method of treatment shows particular promise in treating lymphomas that are not responding to other methods. During Dr. Ahmed's presentation she will highlight which patients are the best candidates for treatment with CAR-T therapy and how is CAR-T therapy different from autologous transplant for lymphoma.  She will also discuss which types of lymphoma can be treated with CAR-T therapy.  The toxicity specific to CAR-T therapy, as well as novel lymphoma cellular therapy treatment from cord blood sources will also be discussed. 

SHARE THE SCIENCE
with
Sairah Ahmed, M.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine
​The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

"Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) Cell Therapy for Lymphoma"

Free webinar.  Open to the public.
​
Thursday, September 24th - 2pm Eastern Time/ 11am Pacific Time

Understanding the nuances of cord blood transplantation, pre- and post-transplant, are key to treating any patient undergoing this procedure.  Often the patient's survival and quality of life post-transplant is driven by their body's ability to rebuild the immune system. Join us on August 20th to learn how transplant doctors can exploit cord blood's unique qualities during this process of recovery and period of reconstitution. Dr. Jaap Boelens will present his latest research in this area and explain how reconstituting immune cells from cord blood differs from other stem cell sources. 

Many factors influence HCT outcomes, such as the selected graft source, type of infused cell subsets, cell doses, and the protocols used for conditioning, immune suppression, and treatment of adverse events. Recent pharmacokinetic studies show that compounds used in the conditioning regimen (e.g. busulphan, fludarabine, anti-thymocyte globulin) should use patient-specific dosing to achieve optimal exposure in every individual patient.

Attendees of this Share the Science webinar will learn:

• What unique anti-viral and tumor features are present in cord blood T cells
• How CD4+ reconstitution of only 50/uL is an excellent predictor for outcomes after transplantation
• Why the dosing of agents given in the conditioning regimen can have significant impact on reconstitution of immune cells
• Due to a multitude of variables, harmonization between HCT centers is still difficult to achieve. Dr. Boelens will share his investigations to improve immune recovery after HCT to limit both relapse and non-relapse mortality (death due to viral reactivations and graft-versus-host disease).

SHARE THE SCIENCE
with
Jaap Jan Boelens, MD, PhD

Chief, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

"Immune Reconstitution after Cord Blood Transplantation"

Free webinar.  Open to the public.
​
Thursday, August 20th - 12 noon Eastern Time/ 9am Pacific Time

RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE

Join us on June 18th, 2020 to discover how hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are regulated, and the ways this understanding can facilitate new strategies to manage hematopoietic diseases. Linheng Li, Ph.D. will discuss his work in RNA modification to promote self-renewal of HSCs, resulting in HSC expansion.

Dr. Li will examine the key concepts around this research, including:

• N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent RNA modification in eukaryote, shows versatile functions in various physiological processes.
• The critical role of m6A mRNA methylation in the determination of HSC fate.
• Suppression of a m6A reader, Ythdf2, has been reported to promote HSCs self-renewal and resulted in expansion 

These insights may lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of certain leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas. 

The transplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells isolated from bone marrow is used in the treatment of anemia, immune deficiencies, and other diseases, including cancer. However, since bone marrow transplants require a suitable donor-recipient tissue match, close to one in three patients who could benefit from stem cell transplant—and as many as ninety- five percent of nonwhite patients—never find a suitable match.

Hematopoietic stem cells isolated from umbilical cord blood could be a good alternative source. Readily available and immunologically immature, they allow the donor-recipient match to be less than perfect without the risk of immune rejection by the transplantee. Unfortunately, their therapeutic use is limited since umbilical cord blood contains only about one-tenth of the stem cells found in bone marrow. (Source: Stowers Institute for Medical Research)

"Being able to tap into stem cells’ inherent potential for self-renewal could turn limited sources of hematopoietic stem cells such as umbilical cord blood into a readily available stem source with significant clinical impact,” says Li, while cautioning that his team’s findings still have a gap between genetic-blockade and small molecule inhibition of the M6A pathway in order to be applied the method in human cells.

For more information on Dr. Li's research, see one of his most recent publications: "Suppression of m6A reader Ythdf2 promotes hematopoietic stem cell expansion" ( https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-018-0072-0 )

 SHARE THE SCIENCE
with
Linheng Li, PhD

Investigator, Stowers Institute for Medical Research,
 Affiliate Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center,
and Co-Leader of Cancer Biology at the University of Kansas Cancer Center

"Uncover new strategies to manage hematopoietic diseases through HSC self-renewal"

Free webinar.  Open to the public.
​
Thursday, June 18th - 2pm Eastern Time/11am Pacific Time

​RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE