Subcommittee on Emerging Gene and Cell Therapies

Committee Roster

Chair
Katy Rezvani, MD  ('24)

Vice Chair
Antonio  M. Risitano, MD, PhD  ('24)

Appointed Members
Robert  A. Brodsky, MD  ('25)
Marina Cavazzana, MD, PhD  ('25)
May Daher, MD, MD  ('25)
Natalie Grover, MD  ('25)
Saad  Sirop Kenderian, MD  ('23)
Frederick Locke, MD  ('23)
Annarita Miccio, PhD  ('25)
Sarah Nikiforow, MD, PhD  ('23)
Fabiana Perna, MD, PhD  ('23)
Matthew Porteus, MD, PhD  ('23)
Paula Rio, PhD  ('23)
Rizwan Romee, MD  ('25)
Rayne  H. Rouce, MD  ('25)
Stefanie Sarantopoulos, MD, PhD  ('25)
Nirali  N. Shah, MD  ('23)
Melody Smith, MD, MS  ('23)
Heather  E. Stefanski, MD, PhD  ('25)
Marcel van den Brink  ('25)

Staff Liaison
Alice Kuaban, MS

Committee Mandate

Improving immune-based therapies for hematologic diseases is one of ASH’s research priorities. As the body of evidence continues to grow on the potential applications of these therapies, next-generation research must focus on the possible curative effects while also addressing the multiple challenges that still need to be overcome to ensure their optimal use.

The Subcommittee on Emerging Gene and Cell Therapies, a subcommittee of the Committee on Scientific Affairs, identifies barriers in the application of immune-based therapies to both malignant and non-malignant hematologic diseases, determines ways ASH could play a role in overcoming such barriers, and if appropriate, makes recommendations to the Society. Specifically, the subcommittee aims to develop useful resources for the hematology community aimed at:

·         Understanding the state of the science as it relates to gene and cell therapies for the treatment of hematologic diseases.

·         Advancing the use of immunotherapies for the treatment of classical hematologic disease (e.g., complement targeting, immunotherapies for coagulation disorders, etc.).

·         Educating investigators about Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) gene editing and its interplay with gene and cell therapies.

·         Providing physicians with information on how cellular therapies should be managed.

·         Advocating for improved patient access to these therapies.

Members of the Subcommittee on Emerging Gene and Cell Therapies are appointed to three-year staggered terms (with the possibility of renewal once) and include gene editing, gene therapy, as well as immunotherapy experts focused on both malignant and classical hematology. The chair and vice chair each serve two-year terms. If not already a member of the Committee on Scientific Affairs, the chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Gene and Cell Therapies serves as a liaison member of the Committee on Scientific Affairs. The subcommittee’s leadership always represents both malignant and classical hematology.

Members of the Subcommittee on Emerging Gene and Cell Therapies are required to participate in regularly scheduled conference calls and possibly one in-person meeting if deemed necessary.

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