Dear EBMT Community,
As we pass the midpoint of 2025, I’m proud to reflect on a dynamic first half of the year—marked by innovation, growth, and the collective strength of our community. From landmark educational developments to new leadership and research advancements, the EBMT continues to evolve as a global leader in HCT and cellular therapy.
Education: A new era begins
One of our proudest achievements this year has been the establishment of the EBMT Education Department—a transformative step in our mission to foster excellence across all professional levels. This new structure has already delivered an impact, including the successful EBMT Exam that took place during the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Florence. The EBMT Exam was supported by a comprehensive preparatory e-Course to help participants benchmark their knowledge and advance professionally. This e-Course is accredited by 81 EBAH-CME credit points.
Our educational reach continues to grow through an impressive lineup of events. So far in 2025, highlights include:
- Complications post-CAR-T Cell Therapy (Málaga, Jan)
- 7th European CAR T-cell Meeting, in collaboration with EHA (Strasbourg, Feb)
- 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT (Florence, March/April), gathering over 6,200 registered participants (in-person and virtual) from 97 countries
- Inborn Errors WP Spring School (Seville, April)
- 4th ASTCT+EBMT Basic & Translational Scientific Meeting (Lisbon, May)
- China-Europe Scientific and Nursing Forums (Guangzhou, May)
- Paediatric Diseases WP Course (Wroclaw, June)
- Three JACIE Inspector Trainings (Rome, Bern, Berlin)
In line with our commitment to making education accessible, the EBMT Travel Grants programme aims to ensure that participants from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to contribute to the exchange of knowledge and ideas within the EBMT community. Between January and June 2025, physicians and nurses received travel grants and were able to attend educational events, including the Annual Meeting.
Looking forward, our Autumn calendar is packed, with eleven additional educational events scheduled before the year ends. These educational courses, including the much-anticipated 10th International Transplant and Cellular Therapy Course in Barcelona, will bring cutting-edge content and expert-led discussions to members across disciplines.
More information here: https://www.ebmt.org/events
Another important milestone was the introduction of the second edition of the EU CAR T-cell Handbook which was first presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT in April 2025 in Florence, Italy, and subsequently at the EHA Annual Congress in June 2025. This key resource is freely available online, underscoring the EBMT, EHA, and GoCART Coalition’s commitment to accessible education and knowledge-sharing in cellular therapies.
Driving research forward
In the first six months of the year, the initial pilot studies using the study manager were launched, and the first research projects using new registry data are now underway. Based on feedback from the centres, the forms were slightly updated in April to make the questions clearer and to add more relevant answer options. The data operations team has begun data quality activities, initially focusing on event dates.
In addition, the MicroStrategy library of available data reports was expanded, offering users more pre-made data file options for download. The new reports include a diagnosis overview, status at treatment, and two reports for the donor outcome registry. In March, the EBMT Registry also underwent an upgrade that improved system speed, making it more user-friendly.
Through the GoCART Coalition, we have advanced important collaborations around CAR-T data harmonisation and innovation in cellular therapies. We celebrated the announcement of the three winning proposals of the GoCART Call for Research Proposals 2024—an exciting initiative that continues to propel high-quality CAR-T and immune effector cell research across Europe.
In May, the Haemoglobinopathies Working Party launched a Registry Data Completion Initiative to improve data quality and support better clinical outcomes. The goal is to benchmark the new gene therapies, which are costly and limited in supply—especially challenging for the many patients with Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease in low-income regions. With its robust registry, EBMT is well positioned to help define the right therapy for the right patient at the right time.
Meanwhile, the Chronic Malignancies WP published a significant advancement: a machine learning model to predict post-transplant survival in myelofibrosis, now available as an interactive tool for clinicians—a promising stride toward personalised medicine.
Leadership and Community Development
This year has brought new faces and fresh energy:
Congratulations to Ibrahim Yakoub-Agha, elected EBMT President-Elect.
New Working Party Chairs: Maria Ester Bernardo (IEWP) and Olaf Penack (TCWP).
JACIE attained Working Party status, with Lynn Manson appointed Chair through 2026.
Our Trainee Committee welcomed new Co-Chairs, Esra Gülderen and Alex Rampotas, bringing fresh perspective to our next generation of leaders.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for the second half of 2025, our priorities remain focused:
- Further supporting training and career pathways across all disciplines
- Strengthening our Registry real-world data collection and quality initiatives
- Expanding cross-continental collaboration, as exemplified by our growing partnerships in China and beyond
- Preparing for the 52nd Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Madrid (22-25 March 2026) which promises to be another milestone gathering for our community.
I am continually inspired by the dedication and innovation of this community. Thank you for your trust, engagement, and tireless efforts to improve patient care.
Wishing you a restful summer and an energised second half of the year.
Warm regards,
Anna Sureda
President, EBMT