April 21st to April 26th of 2023 have witnessed the 10th France - China Symposium in Hematology Annual Summit and the 49th Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Paris, France. The summit brings together top experts in the field of hematology from both countries and is the highest-level academic exchange event between China and France in hematology.
Prof. HUANG He, president of The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZU) was invited as the representative of the China side to deliver a keynote speech titled "CAR-T cells in China: Present status and prospect for the next 5 years", which systematically reviewed China's remarkable progress in the field of cell immunotherapy represented by CAR-T therapy in recent years. It also shed light on the future development of cell immunotherapy in China and globally.
The European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) is one of the largest and most influential international academic organizations in the field of hematology globally. It's annual meeting represents the most influential academic conference in the field of international hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular immunotherapy, which has attracted over 5,000 top experts, young scholars, nursing experts, and patient representatives from around the world.
Prof. HUANG He led a 11-people group including doctors, nurses, and students representatives from the Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of FAHZU to attend this meeting, where the team had 23 studies accepted for presentation at the conference, including one keynote speech, four oral presentations, and more than ten poster presentations. Covering the most cutting-edge developments in the fields of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular immunotherapy, team's presentations were among the best in the world in both quality and quantity.
On April 25th at the EBMT annual meeting, Prof. HUANG He gave a keynote speech entitled "Characterization and Management of Cytokine Release Syndrome after CAR-T Therapy". Focusing on one of the most common adverse reactions of CAR-T cell therapy, cytokine release syndrome (CRS), he introduced the excellent results achieved by FAHZU Bone Marrow Transplantation Center in the field of cellular immunotherapy in the past three years from three aspects: the pathological and physiological mechanisms of CRS, the establishment of CRS risk prediction models, and the diagnosis and treatment strategies of CRS.
Prof. HUANG's well received speech has aroused the present experts' great interest and engagement in on-site discussions and post-conference exchanges.
One of the key issues in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is donor selection. Dr. YE Yishan, attending physician from the Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of FAHZU, was invited to give an oral presentation entitled "Comparable Outcomes Following Non-first-degree and First-degree Related Donor Haplo-HCT for Acute Leukemia Patients in CR: A Study from the Global Committee and ALWP of EBMT." The study confirms that haploidentical donors beyond the first degree are comparable in efficacy to first-degree relatives in haploidentical transplantation and can serve as equivalent alternatives to first-degree relatives. With the potential to rewrite the guidelines for donor selection in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, this study was awarded the "Best Young Oral Abstract Award" by EBMT.
At poster session, the FAHZU Bone Marrow Transplantation Center showcased its extensive expertise in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular immunotherapy through a remarkable 18 poster presentations. These posters covered a broad range of topics related to both clinical and basic research, underscoring the center's commitment to advancing the field of hematology and bone marrow transplantation.
Doctoral students, SHI Mi and HUANG Yue, were nominated for the "Springer Nature Basic Science Poster Award", while master's student, CHEN Weihao, was nominated for the "Springer Nature Clinical Poster Award", manifesting the team's innovative power and ability, as well as global influence, in the field of hematology and bone marrow transplantation.
With unwavering commitment to excellent medical quality, Prof. HUANG He’s team will continue to develop innovative treatment plans, provide high-quality medical services and bring hope to patients with hematologic malignancies.
