Interview with Antonio Risitano (Chair)
Introduce yourself and your role(s) and position(s) within EBMT and outside of EBMT
Antonio Risitano: I am a physician-scientist with more than 25 years of experience in bone marrow failure syndromes and hematopoietic cell transplantation. Currently, I serve as Director of the Haematology and Transplant Unit in Avellino. Within EBMT, I am Chair of the Severe Aplastic Anaemia Working Party (SAAWP), having previously served as Secretary for four years. I am also Chair of the International PNH Interest Group (IPIG).
What are the main activities - in terms of research and education - that your Working Party has been leading? And is there a memorable project that you would like to highlight?
Antonio Risitano: The SAAWP has been a leader in the field of bone marrow failure syndromes for decades, largely through seminal retrospective studies on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation across different forms of bone marrow failure. This leadership has recently been strengthened by a landmark phase III randomized prospective study conducted by the SAAWP: the RACE study, co-PIs Risitano and Peffault de Latour. The study demonstrated the superiority of “triple therapy”—the combination of standard immunosuppressive treatment with anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporine A plus the thrombopoietin-mimetic agent eltrombopag—over standard therapy alone for aplastic anaemia.
In addition to its clinical impact, this project is shedding new light on the pathophysiology and disease mechanisms of aplastic anaemia. The study is ongoing and remains one of the Working Party’s major initiatives. Alongside this, we continue to run numerous retrospective studies aimed at improving transplantation outcomes for both acquired aplastic anaemia and inherited bone marrow failure syndromes.
The SAAWP also plays a leading role in education, organising high-level international conferences on aplastic anaemia, PNH, and inherited bone marrow failure syndromes, often in collaboration with partners such as IPIG (e.g., IPIG Conference, Paris 2025) and the European School of Haematology (e.g., ESH Conference, Paris 2024).
And are you facing any challenges or trends within your field that are affecting any current/on-going projects within your Working Party?
Antonio Risitano: Two main challenges stand out: promoting independent academic research, and engaging new investigators in scientific projects. While the SAAWP has successfully partnered with the pharmaceutical industry, dedicated efforts are needed to nurture and involve the next generation of physicians and scientists in this field.
What are your main goals in the near future?
Antonio Risitano: Our primary goal remains the advancement of high-level academic research in aplastic anaemia and bone marrow failure syndromes. These efforts aim to improve treatment options, as has already been achieved for aplastic anaemia and PNH, but not yet for inherited bone marrow failure syndromes.
Can you tell us what membership of your Working Party looks like? What do members of your Working Party get to do?
Antonio Risitano: Most SAAWP members are physicians and, less frequently, physician-scientists with a particular interest in aplastic anaemia and other bone marrow failure syndromes. This interest often arises from their centres, and more rarely through interactions with experts in the field.
Members are expected to actively contribute to our scientific work by proposing original ideas and research projects. These contributions help us to critically assess current practices while also shaping novel treatment strategies that can be developed and investigated in the near future.
What would you like to say to encourage young investigators / trainees to join your Working Party?
Antonio Risitano: Since the 1970s, investigators within the SAAWP have pioneered hematopoietic cell transplantation, with bone marrow failure syndromes offering a unique opportunity to study stem cell biology in a non-malignant setting driven largely by immune mechanisms. This understanding also led to the development of non-transplant therapies for aplastic anaemia through immunosuppressive treatments.
The groundbreaking work of past generations has inspired many investigators, and today, with advances in areas such as gene therapy and immune-effector cell research, opportunities for innovation are greater than ever. The SAAWP is committed to supporting young investigators, training them in both clinical and basic science, and bridging the gap between unmet clinical needs in rare diseases and the current research landscape, which is often dominated by pharmaceutical interests.
Our leadership is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of investigators, equipping them with the tools and opportunities to shape the future of research and patient care in bone marrow failure syndromes.