Scientific report 2023 of the Paediatric Diseases Working Party (PDWP)

Leadership Change

In April 2023, Krzysztof Kalwak assumed the role of PDWP Chair, succeeding Selim Corbacioglu. Katharina Kleinschmidt was reconfirmed as Secretary.

Organisational Restructuring

The PDWP underwent a slight reorganisation, including updates to specific subcommittees and the establishment of new subcommittees such as Young Investigators and PICU (see organigram).

Educational Initiatives

The PDWP prioritised educational efforts this year, participating at two significant events:

• Midterm Meeting on Immune Diseases: Held from June 22 - 24 in Brescia, Italy, this event brought together three EBMT working parties to discuss therapeutic approaches to immune dysregulatory, autoinflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. The meeting aimed to facilitate interdisciplinary discussions among transplant physicians and disease specialists to evaluate transplant and cellular therapy options.
• International Transplant Course: The eighth edition of this course took place in September, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. Notably, a dedicated paediatric track was included in this edition, occupying nearly one day. Future editions aim to further expand the paediatric program to establish a one and a half day event.

Registry Data Quality Improvement

A major focus of the PDWP is to enhance the quality of registry-based data. Currently, over 20 PDWP studies are either under evaluation or already ongoing, emphasizing the commitment to advancing research in the field.

Prospective Trials

The PDWP plans to intensify collaborative international prospective trials in the coming years, underscoring the commitment to driving forward research and clinical advancements in paediatric transplant and cellular therapy.

Overall, the PDWP's activities and initiatives demonstrate a multifaceted approach to advancing knowledge, enhancing education, improving data quality, and fostering collaboration in the field of paediatric transplantation and cellular therapy.