November 2023

BIOTHERAPIES NEWS: Highlights and Top Stories

BIOTHERAPIES AT AABB: Community and Association News

Cell Notes: A Monthly Column by Christina M. Celluzzi, PhD, MS, CABP(H), Director, Biotherapies at AABB?

Share Your Secret – Inspire a Career in Biotherapies!?

It is no secret to those working in the field that biotherapies are “exploding" – with the potential to save lives, cure diseases and enhance the quality of life for millions. Biotherapies comprise a wide range of treatments, including blood transfusions, stem cell transplants, cell and gene therapy and vaccines. ?

Developing and manufacturing biotherapies requires a skilled workforce with specialized training and education. The field is currently facing a shortage of such workers. This could lead to a situation in which many promising biotherapies may not reach the patients who need them. So how do we create awareness to help engage and build a workforce? How do we inspire young people to pursue a career in biotherapies? It might be helpful to first reflect on our own experiences and ask, “What drew me to this field? Why join the biotherapies ‘revolution?’”?

Well, besides sounding really cool, I have heard people discuss a range of reasons for getting involved in biotherapies. In addition to a love of scientific and technological challenges in developing and applying biotherapies to different medical conditions, other reasons are EPIC. (Here I am adding a bit of wordplay to emphasize them).?

• Emotion: being moved by stories of patients who have benefited from biotherapies.?
• Passion about the ethical and social implications of biotherapies, to ensure quality and safety, accessibility and affordability for all who need them.?
• Inspiration by the potential of biotherapies to help patients. (This one speaks to me personally, as I pursued graduate research to work on developing dendritic cell therapy. Extending laboratory work to real-life applications is so rewarding. The warm feeling I had the day we developed a trial to test our laboratory results in a clinical setting remains to this day).?
• Curiosity about the biological mechanisms and processes that underlie biotherapies.?

Scientific and technological innovations that are driving the field forward, such as new methods of producing and delivering cell therapies, as well as professional education, training, mentoring and credentialing opportunities, including AABB’s certified advanced biotherapies professional (CABP), help to highlight and support the field. ?

The personal story of real-life experience and the path leading to a career in biotherapies brings home – the icing on the "proverbial cake.” Personal stories can serve to inspire, excite and drive awareness. You may not yet realize the impact you have on someone.?

This is where we kindly invite you to share YOUR story. How did you get into the field of biotherapies? What do you find to be the rewards and challenges? If not yet in the field, are you considering a career in biotherapies? ?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section. You may also contact me at [email protected]. Visit the AABB website to learn more about biotherapies opportunities and activities. ?

Thank you for reading!?

CABP Q&A Interview With Suzanne Thibodeaux ?

AABB is excited to introduce another certified advanced biotherapies professional (CABP): Suzie Thibodeaux , MD, PhD, CABP(H), associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis , Mo. In this new Q&A, we sat down with Thibodeaux to discuss her career, her journey into biotherapies, why she decided to pursue the #AABBcabp credential, and where she sees the field heading.?

“I think it is important to be able to show in concrete ways that one possesses the skills and knowledge to excel in their role. The CABP certification is a way to communicate that foundational knowledge via a shared language in the form of that designation,” Thibodeaux said.?

Read the full interview and learn more about AABB’s CABP credentialing program on the AABB website. ??

Did you know???

Are you considering AABB’s Certified Advanced Biotherapies Professional (CABP) Credentialing Program? Complete this new online questionnaire to find out more about your eligibility. Once submitted, the AABB team will contact you regarding the status of your CABP exam application pre-approval at the email address provided.?

Applications for 2024 Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Due Dec. 1?

The AABB Foundation encourages researchers worldwide to apply for the Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Program’s 2024 cycle through Dec. 1. Foundation grant recipients each receive an award of up to $75,000 to further a one- or two-year research project in blood banking, transfusion medicine or biotherapies.?

Grant applications are evaluated on scientific merit, focus and appropriateness to the scope of funding, and likelihood of yielding meaningful data. Additional information about the eligibility criteria and application process is available on the Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Program web page.?

Since 1983, the AABB Foundation has awarded more than $11 million to support investigator-initiated, original research and helped advance the blood and biotherapies field. To date, more than 200 early-career investigators have received Foundation grants.?

Find out more about the AABB Foundation and the Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Program on the AABB website.?

?AABB Annual Meeting On-Demand?

As of Nov. 17, registered AABB Annual Meeting attendees have access to the available on-demand sessions for the days in which they were registered via the “My Learning Programs” section of the AABB Education Platform. Access is available through Dec. 31, 2025. To earn CE/CME credits for sessions not accessed via the AABB Annual Meeting website, registered attendees must have added the Annual Meeting On-Demand add-on package to their registration. ?

Alternatively, attendees will be able to pay per session or purchase a package to earn CE/CME credits through the Annual Meeting On-Demand Store. If interested in the full access CE/CME package, please contact [email protected] to receive the meeting attendee promocode to receive the reduced price of $259/$309 (member/nonmember).?

Non-Annual Meeting Attendees?

We missed you at the 2023 AABB Annual Meeting! However, registration for the 2023 Annual Meeting On-Demand program is available via the Annual Meeting On-Demand Store. A registration package that includes all sessions is available or you can pay per session to access and earn CE/CME credit. Immediate access is available upon purchase and content is available through Dec. 31, 2025.?

Not an AABB Member?

Join AABB to gain access to essential benefits, including professional development opportunities, critical tools and resources, and opportunities to collaborate with leaders in the field. Be a part of a diverse community of health care professionals working to make transfusion medicine and biotherapies safe, available and effective worldwide. Find out more on the AABB website.

AABB BIOTHERAPIES NEWSFEED: More Updates from the Field??

Read more from AABB's Newsfeed, an essential resource offering the latest news, analysis, commentary and updates on critical topics for the blood and biotherapies community.?

AABB MEMBERS ZONE: Biotherapies Resources and Events

AABB Update on Cellular Therapies Subsection Activities?

As a benefit, AABB members can enroll in subsections that meet monthly, enriching their professional experience and to stay in the loop of cellular therapy happenings. Some recent highlights of a few of the subsections include:?

• Asia-Pacific Group (APG) members learned about extracellular vesicles (EV- exosomes) presented by APG Co-Leader, Asawari (Asa) Bapat Global Regenerative Medicine Consultant In addition to discussing manufacturing, processing, testing, analysis and global regulatory issues, Bapat highlighted advantages of EV versus stem cells, routes of delivery and challenges to their use including understanding their mechanism of action and defining their “active" substances.?
• CT-CET Emerging Topics (CT-CET) subsection members welcomed AABB policy and advocacy experts Leah Mendelsohn Stone , JD, vice president, public policy and advocacy, and Susan N. Leppke, MPH , senior director, public policy and strategic partnerships, who presented on the FDA proposed rule regulating laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Discussion included defining a few terms, describing the FDA proposal, listing possible examples of tests that may be included, and potential timelines. AABB is preparing comments opposing the proposed rule and asks for your help in providing AABB with additional examples of LDTs related to blood collection, transfusion medicine or biotherapies performed by your institution. Please visit the Action Alert webpage for more details. Here is the AABB summary of the proposed rule.?
• AABB has a subsection for its Spanish-speaking members. The Spanish Language Subsection (SLS) meets the third Wednesdays of each month at 5 p.m. ET and is looking for more member participation. Past presentations can be accessed on the AABB subsection website.?

Learn more information about subsections and how to join on the AABB website.?

AABB Accepting Nominations for 2024 Memorial Awards?

AABB encourages members to contribute to AABB’s rich tradition of recognizing excellence by nominating colleagues who have left an indelible mark on AABB and the field of blood and biotherapies for AABB's 2024 Memorial Awards. For decades, AABB’s Memorial Awards have honored those who have made significant contributions to the fields by recognizing achievements in research and administration, teaching and mentoring, lifetime achievement and advocacy.?

In 2024, the AABB Awards Committee will consider nominations for the following awards:? ?

• The Dale A. Smith Memorial Award.?
• Tibor Greenwalt Memorial Award and Lectureship.?
• Sally Frank Memorial Award and Lectureship.?
• Emily Cooley Memorial Award and Lectureship.?
• Hemphill Jordan Leadership Award.?
• Landsteiner-Alter Award and Lectureship?

• Bernard Fantus Lifetime Achievement Medal.?

Individuals can nominate candidates by completing the online nomination form and submitting supporting documentation. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15.?

AABB will present the awards during the 2024 AABB Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas. A list of previous award recipients and citations is available online.?

Members may contact [email protected] for additional information.?

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Not an AABB Member?

Join AABB to gain access to essential benefits, including professional development opportunities, critical tools and resources, and opportunities to collaborate with leaders in the field. Be a part of a diverse community of health care professionals working to make transfusion medicine and biotherapies safe, available and effective worldwide. Find out more on the AABB website.