Phyllis Warkentin, MD
Chief Medical Officer of FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy)
Dr. Phyllis I. Warkentin is a founding member and the chief medical officer of FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy). Since the organization's inception in 1996, she has served as a board member. Dr. Warkentin has also been the director of the unrelated bone marrow transplantation program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center since 1988 and a professor of pediatrics and pathology/microbiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center since 1994. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Warkentin completed her residencies in pediatrics and pursued fellowships in pediatric hematology/oncology and blood banking. Her extensive contributions to the medical field, particularly in cellular therapy and bone marrow transplantation, showcase her dedication to advancing research and enhancing patient care.
Panelist: Albert Ribickas
Assistant Director of Cell Therapy Facility Operations, Moffitt Cancer Center
Al Ribickas is the Assistant Director of Cell Therapy Facility Operations at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He is board certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathology as a Medical Technologist, a Specialist in Blood Banking, and as a Hemapheresis Practioner. Al has worked on the production of various cellular therapies clinical trial products, and the implementation of commercial FDA approved products.
Panelist: Patrick Hanley, PhD
Director of the Cellular Therapy Program at Children’s National Hospital
Dr. Hanley, Chief and Director of the Cellular Therapy Program and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Children's National Hospital and George Washington University, has 16 years of experience translating 550+ cellular therapy products across 25 protocols into clinical practice. He's VP-North America of ISCT, on its board, and co-founded the Early Stage Professionals committee. Dr. Hanley is the commissioning editor of Cytotherapy and a board member of FACT. He advises various cell and gene therapy biotech companies and, in his free time, engages with scientists and Bills fans on Twitter, enjoys soccer, cycling, cooking, and traveling.
Co-host: Tom Whitehead
Co-Founder of the Emily Whitehead Foundation
Tom Whitehead is a keynote speaker, author, and co-founder of the Emily Whitehead Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for pediatric cancer immunotherapy research. Tom and his wife Kari founded the Emily Whitehead Foundation in honor of their daughter Emily who was diagnosed at age five with an aggressive form of leukemia that failed to respond to chemotherapy. As a last hope, Emily was enrolled in a clinical trial and became the first pediatric patient in the world to receive CAR T-cell therapy. The therapy worked and Emily is now 11 years cancer free and considered cured.
Co-host: Gil Edwards
Senior Director, Cryogenic Products at Azenta Life Sciences
Gil Edwards is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in mechanical engineering and product development. Currently serving as the Senior Director of Cryogenic Products at Azenta Life Sciences, he has successfully led teams and managed complex projects throughout his career. Gil's expertise is endorsed by colleagues and peers, making him a valuable asset in his field. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and has a strong track record of achievement, notably as the General Manager at Abeyance Cryo Solutions (now part of Azenta).
The Patient’s Journey from Collection to Administration of a CAR-T Product
Presenter: Albert Ribickas, BMT laboratory and Patient Product Handling Team Manager, Moffitt Cancer Center
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Hospital Apheresis Considerations
Presenter: Lizette Caballero, Associate Director, Clinical Cell Therapy Lead, Janssen
For more than 24 years Lizette worked in the cellular therapy field, first managing the cellular therapy laboratory at Florida Hospital, Orlando, FL (1996-2011), and the Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Laboratory at UCSF, San Francisco, CA (1996-2020). She joined Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson) as an Associate Director, Clinical Cell Therapy Lead (CTL). Lizette serves as a cross-functional, point of contact within Janssen for operational and technical aspects of collections and cryopreservation of apheresis cells used to manufacture chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T).
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Cryobiology & Formulation Considerations for Best In-Practice Allogenic Cell Therapy Manufacturing
Presenter: Katie Pollock, Associate Director, Head of Formulation and Cryobiology, Bristol Myers Squibb
Katie Pollock, PhD is a cryobiologist specializing in formulation, fill finish, container closure, and cryopreservation of cellular therapies. She currently serves as Associate Director, Head of Formulation and Cryobiology in the Cell Therapy Development Organization at Bristol Myers Squibb. During the last 6 years at Juno/BMS, she has contributed to cryopreservation development and support on 8 cell therapy commercial, clinical, and pre-clinical pipeline products.
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Labeling & Tracking Advanced Materials
Presenter: Karen Moniz, Technical Director, ICCBBA
Karen is a broad-spectrum blood bank specialist with decades of management experience in a variety of settings including donor centers, academic medical centers, community hospitals, reference laboratories, military settings, and information technology. She was an early advocate for the use of ISBT 128 labeling to support the globally unique identification of medical products of human origin (MPHO).
Guest: Stephan Grupp, MD, PhD
Chief of the Cell Therapy and Transplant Section, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Dr. Stephan Grupp is the Chief of the Cell Therapy and Transplant Section and Director of the Kelly Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He is a pioneer in CAR T-cell studies, overseeing many trials including the development of the FDA-approved CTL019 (Kymriah). Dr. Grupp's translational research in pediatric cancer cell therapy is shaping the future of treatment. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Stem Cell Lab, previously chaired the Stem Cell Committee of the national Children's Oncology Group and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Join us for his expert insights in the field of pediatric oncology.
