JACIE offered complimentary registrations (both virtual and in-person) to members of the JACIE Inspector Community—not only as a token of appreciation for their valuable contributions, but also to encourage and support their participation in the Annual Meeting of the EBMT.
This year, 60 free registrations were awarded to inspectors from 20 countries and across all specialties. Many of these individuals not only conduct multiple inspections but also dedicate significant time and effort to committee work.
Several recipients shared their experiences attending the 52nd Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Madrid, Spain. Read their reflections below.
Laura Lombardi
JACIE Inspector Committee Member; Clinical, Apheresis and Processing JACIE Inspector, Haematologist, AO San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital of Rome, Italy
I am honoured and privileged to attend the EBMT 2026 Annual Meeting in Madrid thanks to the JACIE Inspector grant. The conference was a wonderful experience in a beautiful Spanish city and at a very well-organized conference venue (IFEMA Madrid).
The scientific sessions were high-quality, and I particularly enjoyed those on:
- Acute leukemia (ALL and AML)
- CAR T cells
- Infections
- Quality Management
The quality of the scientific content was very high! I also appreciated the interactive activities in the stands area and the promotion of blood donation on one of the conference days. I contributed (as shown in the picture) to the creation of an interactive painting: it was a very inspiring experience!
The conference also gave me the opportunity to meet my colleagues from the JACIE Inspector Committee and reconnect with other European and international colleagues in the transplant field. Overall, it was a very positive experience, both professionally and personally. I am sincerely grateful to JACIE for making this experience possible. I would be happy to attend the EBMT 2027 Annual Meeting in Rotterdam again!
Jessy Lardon
Processing Facility Director, Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom (ZAS), Antwerp, Belgium
After having followed online for several years, I was happy to be back in person at the EBMT Annual Meeting, thanks to the JACIE grant I received.
Attending the meeting in person provides the opportunity for networking. Meeting colleagues that you normally only contact via mail or Teams is very valuable. At the JACIE booth, inspectors received a warm welcome.
The programme was very diverse and contained interesting presentations for everyone: physicians, nurses, quality managers, pharmacists, psychologists, etc. Since my job involves also quality management, I found the JACIE Quality Management Day very interesting. Topics as JACIE standards, risk management, validation were discussed and gave me some new ideas to develop in my own workplace.
The venue in Madrid was very nice. Thanks to the nice weather, we still could enjoy the sun after the meeting in the evening.
I am very grateful for the grant received and look forward to the 53rd Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Rotterdam!
Oscar M. Pello
Technical Director / QP Advanced Therapies Unit Blood and Tissue Bank of Cantabria Santander, Spain
Attending the Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Madrid was an inspiring and highly enriching experience. The scientific programme was exceptionally diverse, with so many interesting and high-quality sessions that it was often difficult to choose which ones to attend, reflecting the dynamic progress of the field. Outstanding sessions, inspiring speakers and moderators, and, above all, the opportunity to reconnect with so many collaborators and friends from across the field made the experience especially meaningful.
Given the projects currently being developed in our unit, I primarily focused on sessions related to cellular therapies, which provided valuable insights and practical perspectives that will directly inform our work. At the same time, I had fruitful discussions with other areas that are particularly important to me, such as JACIE, and I was able to see first-hand the excellent work being done by the EBMT Trainee Committee.
Overall, the meeting offered an excellent balance of cutting-edge science, collaboration, and professional development, making it a truly worthwhile experience.
Cecilie Nguyen
Quality manager, Section of Cell Therapy, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
I was grateful to receive a JACIE Inspector Grant, which allowed me to attend the 52nd Annual Meeting of the EBMT 2026 in Madrid. Together with more than 6,000 participants, I joined the conference from Monday to Wednesday at IFEMA. The event was exceptionally well organised, with a thoughtful programme offering a wide range of relevant and engaging sessions.
As a Quality Manager and JACIE inspector in Cell Therapy, I focused on sessions within cell therapy and quality management to strengthen my knowledge in key areas of my practice. A highlight was Tuesday’s JACIE Quality Management Day, which stood out for its inspiring speakers and highly informative content.
Overall, the Annual Meeting of the EBMT was a memorable and valuable experience, combining excellent organisation with meaningful professional interactions. I am truly thankful for the JACIE grant and look forward to next year’s meeting.
Dimitrios Bourantas
Consultant Haematologist and Quality Manager of the HSCT/CAR-T Therapies Program, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
I am truly grateful to JACIE for the Inspectors Grant that allowed me to attend in person the 52nd Annual EBMT Meeting 2026 in Madrid. During the meeting, I participated in outstanding sessions on advances in HSCT and CAR-T therapy practice, as well as Quality and JACIE-focused sessions.
Beyond the scientific content, it was a pleasure to reconnect with colleagues from centres I had previously collaborated with, and to meet again JACIE inspectors with whom I had taken part in audits. I also appreciated the opportunity to meet new colleagues who share the same commitment to quality in cellular therapy.
The Annual Meeting was an excellent opportunity to learn, exchange experiences, and gain new perspectives that I will bring back to my centre. I am sincerely thankful to JACIE for supporting my participation and I look forward to the next EBMT Meeting in Rotterdam in April 2027.
Thomas Erger
Clinical Adult Inspector, Programme director at Cell Therapy Unit Linköping, Sweden
EBMT 2026 offered a strong and well‑balanced programme spanning transplantation, cellular therapy, and supportive care, with many sessions directly relevant to current clinical decision‑making. The clear highlight of the meeting for me was Dr Leo Luznik’s presentation on the “PTCy paradox”. His thoughtful and structured discussion of post‑transplant cyclophosphamide gave me much to reflect on regarding my own practice and how I currently use PTCy. It also provided a useful framework for interpreting several other scientific and educational sessions across the meeting. Beyond this, data on optimisation of conditioning regimens, treosulfan dosing, and procedural aspects of transplantation illustrated the growing importance of refinement rather than intensification. Sessions on supportive care, frailty, outpatient delivery, and CAR‑T failure were pragmatic and clinically relevant to my patients.
I also greatly valued the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and to meet new ones, both clinically and within the JACIE inspector community, further expanding my professional network. I am grateful to JACIE for the grant that made my participation in EBMT 2026 possible.
Valentino Granero
S.C. Laboratorio Analisi Unificato Rivoli-Pinerolo, E. Agnelli Hospital of Pinerolo, ASL TO3 Collegno e Pinerolo, Via Brigata Cagliari 39, Pinerolo, Italy
The report outlines the outcomes of attending the EBMT 2026 Annual Meeting, supported by the JACIE Inspector Grant, aimed at aligning local clinical practice with international standards in transplant haematology and advanced therapies.
Key points include:
• Hybrid Methodology: the integration of live and on-demand sessions optimized learning without compromising clinical ward responsibilities.
• Therapeutic Innovation: a strong focus on optimizing GvHD prophylaxis, managing CAR-T toxicities (CRS and ICANS), and advanced Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) monitoring.
• Quality and Standards: the dedicated JACIE inspector sessions strengthened risk management strategies and the harmonization of Quality Management System (QMS) standards.
In conclusion, the acquired competencies will be translated into updated internal protocols, ensuring excellence in patient care pathways in compliance with the highest global scientific evidence.
