Ibrahim Yakoub-Agha
EBMT CIC 277
Lille, France"Together we shape the future of EBMT.
With over 30 years of experience in hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy, I have dedicated myself to bridging clinical care and scientific research. If elected as EBMT President, I aim to simplify the organization, enhance its scientific role, and ensure its financial sustainability. I will advocate for regulatory changes and strengthen collaborations with industry and healthcare systems to ensure innovative therapies are accessible to all. EBMT must be a transparent, dynamic force, bringing value to all members and advancing the therapies that improve patient care across Europe and beyond."
My Manifesto
It has been my good fortune to have worked in the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy for more than 30 years. Throughout my career, I’ve done my best to combine clinical care and scientific research, as reflected by more than 600 publications to date.
Since 2008, I have served as the Director of the Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program at Lille University Hospital. I also served as President of the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SFGM-TC) from 2012 to 2016.
My involvement with the EBMT spans many years, from participating as a member in Working Party meetings to taking on leadership roles, including Chair of the Chronic Malignancies Working Party (CMWP) from 2018 to 2022. Currently, I chair the EBMT Practice Harmonization and Guidelines Committee.
These experiences have given me valuable insight into the leadership qualities required to guide collaborative groups and how to inspire people to reach their full potential. I have a deep understanding of how the EBMT operates, as well as its strengths and areas for improvement.
Thanks to the leadership of EBMT presidents, our society has gained global prominence in cellular therapy. Today, the EBMT plays a vital role in advancing these therapies, with a tight focus on serving the needs of our patients and community.
In my many discussions with colleagues from EBMT centres, several important issues have emerged. A key concern is that the necessary expansion of our society's activities, along with the growing complexity of its structures and branches, is not always clearly understood by members. This lack of clarity risks creating a sense of disconnect between the EBMT and its community.
If elected as EBMT President while remaining fully committed to the society’s primary mission of advancing science and education, my top priorities would be the following:
- Restructure and Simplify EBMT Operations: My goal is to bring the EBMT closer to its members by making its structures more transparent, easier to navigate, and, most importantly, accessible to all. The EBMT belongs to all of us and every member should be able to fully benefit from its resources and initiatives.
- Enhance EBMT's Scientific Role: We must prioritize EBMT’s scientific role through key initiatives. First, I will concentrate on definitively resolving the registry challenges and enhancing the quality of data reporting, management, and analysis. Additionally, we should accelerate the EBMT harmonization and guidelines to advance clinical practices across all centres.
- Ensure Financial Sustainability: I will work tirelessly to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of EBMT by boosting revenue, expanding diverse income streams and eliminating unnecessary expenses that are not aligned with our scientific mission.
- Advocate for Regulatory Simplification: As a major player in the field, EBMT must position itself as a proactive force with national and European regulatory agencies to advocate for the simplification of regulations. This is of relevance to the upcoming SOHO regulations in 2027. This will help accelerate academic research and the development of innovative therapies, ensuring their rapid dissemination across all EBMT centres and beyond.
- Collaborate with industry partners, regulators, and national healthcare systems: EBMT should ensure that innovative cellular therapies are accessible to all European citizens. It is essential to secure cost-covering reimbursement for these therapies across all participating centres.
- Global Reach: Drive forward our established and future pathways for collaboration, enhancing the global position of our society.
Other objectives:
- Encouraging greater involvement of young colleagues across Europe by providing structured mentorship opportunities with experienced transplanters.
- Building on recent changes to make EBMT publications more inclusive by recognizing contributions from smaller centres.
- Continue to create an inclusive environment across our community and proactively embrace equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Enhancing the role of nurses in patient care through advanced training and research into innovative nursing practices.
- Leading in the use of web-based platforms for scientific and educational dissemination, while promoting virtual meetings to reduce carbon emissions.
- Supporting the development of remote and hybrid inspection models of JACIE accreditation to enhance the accreditation process.
- Enhancing communication with patients and donors by making EBMT information more relevant and accessible.
Were I to be elected to lead this prestigious professional society, I commit to doing my very best to work for our collective benefit and respectfully request your vote in these upcoming elections.
Note: The online voting period will run from Tuesday, 18 March 2025, to Monday, 31 March 2025. Principal Investigators (PI's) from active EBMT member centres will be able to cast their vote online for their preferred candidate within the open positions. The elections results will be announced live at the General Assembly Meeting on Tuesday, 1 April (07:45 am CET), during the 51st Annual Meeting of the EBMT. Instructions on how to vote will be sent out to PI's closer to the voting start date.