Live Program Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Program Number: 26EL-662

Educational Track: Technical/Clinical
Topic: Biotherapies
Intended Audience: CEOs, CFOs, COOs, Directors, Facilities that perform molecular testing, Hospital Blood Banks, Hospitals, Laboratory Staff, Managers/Supervisors, Medical Directors, Physicians, Research Scientists, Residents/Fellows, Scientists, Students (MD, MT, SBB), Laboratory Professionals

Faculty
(titles and affiliations at the time of the live program)
Director/Moderator: Ronit Slotky, PhD, MSc, CABP, Director, Cell Therapies Manufacturing Facility, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
Speakers:

Patricia Brunker, MD, DPhil, Medical Director, Blood Transfusion Service, Patient Services and Apheresis Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
John P. Manis, MD, Director, Transfusion Medicine, Boston Children Hospital, Boston, MA; Associate Professor, Pathology

Program Description
Gene therapy offers a revolutionary approach to treating a broad spectrum of diseases, with some therapies already FDA-approved and many more in clinical trials. This cutting-edge treatment often relies on apheresis to collect a substantial quantity of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), the essential starting material. These HPCs are then genetically modified outside the body (ex vivo) to create a therapeutic product. In patients with hemoglobinopathies, their underlying disease can affect mobilization and can make collection more challenging. Managing these challenges is crucial for successful gene therapy manufacturing and ultimately, for delivering effective treatments to patients with hemoglobinopathies.

This program will provide an overview of gene therapy for hemoglobinopathies like sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia illustrating gene editing strategies. The faculty will also explore the challenges inherent in the complex logistics of preparing, mobilizing, and collecting these patients and discuss potential solutions for optimizing these processes.

Learning Objectives
After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

Describe currently available gene therapy treatments for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.
Discuss challenges in mobilization and collection of HPCs from patients with genetic diseases and the roles of different members of the healthcare team in addressing the challenges.
Describe strategies for optimizing HPC mobilization and apheresis collection through coordinated practices in patients with hemoglobinopathies.

How to Claim Continuing Education Credit

Single Viewers: if you registered as a single viewer, complete the evaluation found on the "CE Information" tab after watching the video. By submitting the evaluation, you are attesting to watching the presentation in its entirety.

Group Viewers: This is applicable for groups/facilities that purchased Group Viewing access for this program (registration will be verified prior to processing a group viewing attendance log). Group Viewing Coordinators should submit the attendance log to eLearning@aabb.org within 72 hours of the completion/viewing date. Once AABB receives an attendance log, each participant on the attendance log will be granted access as a single viewer to this program and will be required to complete the evaluation in order to claim continuing education credit. Each participant will be required to have an AABB account in order to access this program/platform. If a participant does not have an account, he/she can create one using the same email address provided on the attendance log.

John Manis MD

Boston Children’s Hospital

Appearances