Chimera

Lectures:

• How to write an article? - Ibrahim Yakoub-Agha
• Creating & delivering memorable presentation: a few tips - Mohamad Mohty
• How to write an abstract for a conference/meeting - Raffaella Greco

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the structure and components of a well-crafted scientific article.
2. Learn to convey complex ideas in writing with clarity and precision.
3. Develop techniques for designing engaging presentations.
4. Hone communication skills for delivering impactful and clear scientific presentations.
5. Comprehend the importance of abstracts in summarising and promoting scientific research.
6. Learn to distil key findings, methods, and research implications into a concise abstract format.

Lectures:

• Haematopoietic Stem Cell Niche Biology - Duygu Uçkan-Çetinkaya

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the general concepts about stem cell biology, emerging concepts in the field of HSC biology, niche components, and regulation.
2. Familiarise with the molecular mechanisms underlying HSC self-renewal and the differentiation within the HSC niche.
3. Evaluate the factors in regulating HSC behaviour and niche interactions.
4. Explore the heterogeneity of HSCs and how niche signals influence their fate decisions, including myeloid and lymphoid lineage commitment.
5. Learn about the impact of aging on the HSC niche and its implications for haematopoietic disorders and regenerative medicine.
6. Examine the dynamic nature of the HSC niche and how it responds to stress, injury, or disease states.
7. Determine the potential therapeutic applications of manipulating the HSC niche, such as improving HCT outcomes.

Lectures:

1. Graft-versus-host disease: Introduction - Zinaida Perić
2. GvHD prevention: pharmacological strategies (part I & II) - Farhad Khimani
3. Current approaches to prevent GvHD after allogeneic cell transplantation: graft manipulation - Antonio Pierini
4. GvHD diagnosis and staging – acute & chronic - Olaf Penack
5. GvHD Treatment: Acute GvHD - Maria Teresa Lupo-Stanghellini
6. GvHD Treatment: Chronic GvHD - Maria Teresa Lupo-Stanghellini

Learning objectives:

• Understand the pathophysiology of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).
• Learn about the different GvHD prevention platforms, including pharmacological and cell manipulation strategies.
• Learn about the side effects and interactions of the different GvHD prevention drugs.
• Diagnose and stage acute and chronic GvHD.
• Identify different treatment strategies for acute and chronic GvHD, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches.

Lectures:

1. TMA - Sonata Jodele
2. PRES - Rémy Duléry
3. Engraftment Syndrome - Hemant S. Murthy

Learning objectives:

• Identifying and understanding acute complications after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT).

Lectures:

1. Introduction to host microbiome and faecal microbiota transplantation - Florent Malard
2. Microbiome and Haematopoietic Cell Transplantation - Jonathan U. Peled
3. Modulation of Microbiome in HCT - Florent Malard
4. Microbiota and CAR-T - Marcel R. M. van den Brink

Learning objectives:

• To familiarise with the general principles of the microbiome and related terms and its role in health and disease.
• To understand how the process of allogeneic HCT shifts gut microbiome, and how this alteration can predict clinical outcomes.
• To review the microbiome modulation approaches and discover the principles of faecal microbiota transplantation applied to HCT.
• To learn about the latest preclinical and clinical findings on microbiota and CAR-T cell therapy.

Lectures:

• Introduction to late complications - Bipin N. Savani
• Oncofertility for Women - Isabelle Demeestere
• Oncofertility for Men - Isabelle Demeestere
• Quality of  - Hélène Schoemans

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the need to focus on long-term follow-up after transplant.
2. Learn about the different long-term post-transplant complications.
3. Understand oncofertility complications that arise after transplant and that could affect both men’s and women’s health.
4. Gain knowledge about the factors affecting the patients’ quality of life after stem cell transplantation.

Lectures:

• Introduction to conditioning therapy - Daniele Avenoso
• CT in myeloid neoplasms AML/MDS/MPN - Vera Radici and Daniele Avenoso
• CT in ASCT in MM/amyloidosis - Samer Al Hadidi 
• CT in lymphoid neoplasms: ALL - Brian D. Friend
• CT in lymphoid neoplasms: Autologous SCT - Abdul Hamid Bazarbachi
• CT in lymphoid neoplasms: Allo SCT for Hodgkin and NHL -Anna Sureda
• CT in Non Malignant conditions - Raffaella Greco

Learning objectives:

1. Describe the rationale for using conditioning therapy before haematopoietic stem cell transplant.
2. Discuss the commonly used conditioning regimens for different malignant and non-malignant indications.
3. Summarize the frequently used agents and their common side effects and clinical considerations.

Lectures:

• VOD – diagnosis, risk factors and red flags, management, prognosis - Mohamad Mohty

Learning objectives:

1. Acquire tools to identify patients at high risk of developing VOD/SOS and strategies to reduce this risk.
2. Familiarise with key elements of diagnosis and risk stratification.
3. Highlight the importance of early identification of VOD/SOS and early treatment initiation.

Lectures:

• HLA typing and compatibility - Eric Spierings
• Donor types (part I) - Adriana Balduzzi
• Donor types (part II) - Adriana Balduzzi
• Donor types (part III) - Adriana Balduzzi
• Donor types (part IV) - Adriana Balduzzi
• Donor registries - Lydia Foeken
• Transplant coordination - Christina Holm

Learning objectives:

1. To understand the main role of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system in immune responses and in the context of allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation.
2. To gain insight into which criteria matter – and how – when selecting a donor for allogeneic transplantation.
3. To understand the role and organisation of haematopoietic cell donor registries.
4. To learn how an allogeneic transplantation is planned and coordinated.

Lectures:

• At-Home Stem Cell Transplantation - Francesc Fernández Avilés
• Outpatient/at-home management for CAR-T cell patients - Alexandra Martínez Roca

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the logistic elements necessary to perform an at-home program for autologous and allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation as well as CAR-T cell therapy.
2. Identify how at-home programs can improve the quality of life of patients and caregivers and reduce medical costs.
3. Recognise the prophylactic measures for preventing patient readmission.
4. Assess the requirements to implement and manage at-home programs.
5. Identify how to manage the adverse events in an outpatient/at-home setting.

Lectures:

• Bone marrow harvesting - Iñigo Romon
• Peripheral blood stem cell mobilization and apheresis - Daan Dierickx
• Procurement and management of cord blood - Sergio Querol
• Graft processing and manipulation - Sergio Querol

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the procedure of bone marrow harvesting, including practical considerations, target cell yield, and potential risks and complications.
2. Learn how haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are mobilised to and collected from peripheral blood, including the mechanism of action of G-CSF and the indications of different mobilisation regimes.
3. Be able to identify and manage complications and side effects of HPC mobilisation and apheresis, including “poor mobilisers”.
4. Understand how HPCs can be collected from cord blood and the setup of cord blood banks for this purpose.
5. Gain knowledge about the main types of graft processing, including cryopreservation, plasma reduction, red blood cell depletion, and cell selection.