ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center’s (ADSCC) second Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Congress 2024 concluded today in Abu Dhabi.
The event brought together more than 2,300 experts, researchers and physicians with a shared goal, to uncover cutting-edge advancements and breakthroughs in bone marrow transplant, cellular therapy and regenerative medicine.
With a vision to cultivate a platform that promotes discovery, learning and knowledge sharing, the congress hosted over 60 lectures, roundtables and discussions led by the world’s most noted voices in medical research and innovation.
The two-day event focused on uncovering ground-breaking treatments for diseases such as MS, diabetes, cancer, ALS, GVHD (Graft-versus-host disease) and kidney disease.
Dr. Inas ElNajjar, Scientific Committee Chairperson, Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Consultant and Director of the Undergraduate and Advanced Programme at ADSCC, said, ‘The second edition of our Congress has exceeded expectations. Just a
s disease knows no boundaries, we share a commitment to making scientific knowledge and research accessible. The collaborative spirit demonstrated these past two days will undoubtedly drive forward advancements in patient care and treatment outcomes globally across what were once considered untreatable diseases.’
She added, ‘Our gratitude to everyone who played a role in bringing this landmark event to life; helping Abu Dhabi solidify its global healthcare leadership. We look forward to hosting the congress again in November next year.’
The Congress featured more than 55 distinguished speakers and offered up to a total of 32 CME hours for its two educational tracks. It served as a platform for in-depth discussions exploring critical challenges, recent advancements and emerging opportunities in the field.
Summarising his keynote lecture, Prof. Mohammed Mohty, Head of the Clinical Haematology and Cellular Therapy Department at Sorbonne University in Paris, said, ‘The evolution of stem cell transplantation fo
r multiple myeloma over the past 40 years represents one of medicine’s most remarkable advances, progressing from basic chemotherapy to today’s sophisticated cellular therapies. This year’s Congress has showcased how rapidly this field is advancing, offering hope for patients with previously incurable diseases. Thanks to these developments, we’re entering an era where many multiple myeloma patients can expect not just extended survival, but potentially even a cure in the coming years.’
During her talk on the use of CAR-T therapy in solid tumours, Dr. Catherine Bollard, Sr Vice President and Chief Research Officer (Int), Children’s National Hospital, United States, shared, ‘While CAR-T cell therapy has transformed blood cancer treatment, its effectiveness in solid tumours remains one of our greatest challenges, with response rates at just 5.5 percent for approximately 180 published patients treated worldwide, mostly for paediatric patients. In my presentation, I shared possible strategies to enhance the poten
cy of CAR-T for solid tumours, leveraging TCR T cell technology as well as gene engineering to resist the immune-suppressive tumour microenvironment. Our focus is to establish engineered CAR-T cell therapies as a standard of care for paediatric solid tumours within a decade. So, summits such as the ADSCC Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Congress are critical to convene, to create opportunities for knowledge exchange between leading researchers and clinicians. This isn’t just advancing science – it’s about transforming the future of cancer treatment for our youngest patients.’
Dr. Daniel Couriel, Director, Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, shared, ‘While haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is revolutionising how blood disorders and cancers are treated, Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) continues to be a recurringly regular complication – one that is also incredibly time-dependent as it often impacts multiple organ systems. Our research and tria
ls are focused on tackling this, developing treatment solutions for acute and chronic GVHD, and it was a pleasure to present our progress at the congress this year.’
Joining from Kyoto University, Japan, Prof. Kenji Osafune, Professor, Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), highlighted progress on the ongoing partnership between ADSCC, Kyoto University and Rege Nephro for diabetes treatment. He stated, ‘The global challenge of diabetes demands solutions that transcend borders. Through our pioneering collaboration, we’re advancing cell therapy using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for diabetes treatment. The ADSCC Congress provides a crucial platform to share these developments as we prepare to initiate innovative therapies in both the UAE and Japan, benefitting patients across the region and beyond.’
The second edition of the ADSCC Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Congress showcased the power of the Emirate as it continues to position itself at the forefront of advanced thera
pies, including cellular therapy and regenerative medicine.
Source: Emirates News Agency