Abstract Topics

Haematopoietic Stem Cells

This category accepts abstracts on basic and translational cellular and molecular biology research into haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Studies may also concern developmental aspects of stem cell biology and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into HSPCs. Studies on cytokines and their receptors or other molecules controlling haematopoiesis are also welcome.

Stem Cell Mobilization, Collection and Engineering

This category accepts abstracts on mobilisation of HSPCs and lymphocytes in the clinical setting; cell collection through apheresis, marrow harvest or cord blood obtainment; cell purification, cryopreservation, purging or expansion; and genetic modification of cells.

CAR-based Cellular Therapy – Preclinical

This category accepts abstracts on engineering, expansion and optimisation of CAR-T cells for preclinical cell therapy research; in vitro and in vivo (animal models) assays to functionally evaluate CAR-T cells including direct tumour killing/activity, cytokine production and memory responses.

CAR-based Cellular Therapy – Clinical

This category accepts abstracts on clinical investigations into therapeutic applications of CAR-T cells or other CAR cells (e.g. NK cells) in oncology and other fields. Abstract addressing the challenges of CAR-based cellular therapy (improving effectiveness, CAR-T cell persistence and reducing toxicity of the therapy) are also welcome.

Cellular Therapies other than CARs

This category accepts abstracts on clinical investigations into therapeutic applications of cellular therapies other than CAR-T cells in oncology and other fields. Abstract addressing the challenges of cellular therapies (improving effectiveness, effector cell persistence and reducing toxicity of the therapy) are also welcome.

Experimental Transplantation and Gene Therapy

This category accepts abstracts on experimental models to develop innovative approaches to transplantation, and to study the biological basis of engraftment, rejection, chimerism, disease relapse and toxicities. Abstracts on research into experimental gene therapies, including gene addition, gene editing and other gene targeting approaches applicable to haematological disorders are also welcome.

New Drugs and Cell-based Immune Therapies

This category accepts abstracts on basic preclinical research into novel drug development (drug repurposing, compound library screening, in vitro and in vivo validation of compounds identified in screening) and cellular therapies (target identification, cell engineering) or their combinations.

Non-haematopoietic Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

This category accepts abstracts on research into non-haematopoietic stem cell applications in regenerative medicine. Abstracts on preclinical research into the cell types and the use of stem cells or their derivatives to promote the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissues are also welcome.

Stem Cell Source

This category accepts abstracts on bone marrow, peripheral blood, cord blood, placental tissue, adipose or other tissues as a source of stem cells. Abstracts on methods of stem cell identification and isolation are also welcome, including research into mesenchymal cells and induced pluripotent stem cells.

Stem Cell Donor

This category accepts abstracts on donor selection, HSCT outcomes with related versus unrelated donors, donor-recipient matching strategies and the outcomes with matched versus mismatched donors, outcomes with younger versus older donors, donor registries and strategies to encourage adherence to donor registries amongst ethnic minorities.

Graft-versus-host Disease – Preclinical and Animal Models

This category accepts abstracts on preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) models to study the pathophysiology of GvHD and to develop and preclinically validate novel GvHD prevention and treatment strategies. Abstracts on the role of microbiome and metabolism are also welcome.

Graft-versus-host Disease – Clinical

This category accepts abstracts on risk factors and translational research to clinically validate novel methods to prevent and treat GvHD. Abstracts on dietary interventions and regenerative approaches are also welcome. Clinical results on prophylaxis and treatment of both acute and chronic GvHD transplant series are also welcomed.

Infectious Complications

This category accepts abstracts on infectious risks of HSCT, including hospital-acquired infections, infection types, measures to decrease infectious complications (implemented prior to HSCT, during the pre- or post-engraftment phase and in late phase after HSCT) and infection treatments. Abstracts on general infection control measures related to healthcare (e.g. staff behaviour) and environmental infection control are also welcome.

Non-infectious Early Complications

This category accepts abstracts on the prevention and treatment of early complications (e.g. haemorrhagic cystitis, endothelial damage syndromes including engraftment syndrome, idiopathic pneumonia syndrome, diffuse alveolar haemorrhage, thrombotic microangiopathy and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease, growth retardation, endocrine problems, cataracts).

Non-infectious Late Effects, Quality of Life and Fertility

This category accepts abstracts on secondary cancers and autoimmunity, late organ-specific complications, quality of life impairment, sexual and fertility concerns including fertility preservation schemes and issues around return to work/school. Abstracts on approaches to ensure survivors’ long-term wellbeing and lifelong follow-up based on patient-specific exposures are also welcome

Conditioning Regimens

This category accepts abstracts on research into conditioning regimens (total body irradiation, myeloablative conditioning, reduced-intensity conditioning, reduced-toxicity conditioning and non-myeloablative) used in different transplant settings, and on improving short- and long-term toxicities related to conditioning.

Minimal Residual Disease, Tolerance, Chimerism and Immune Reconstitution

This category accepts abstracts on all recipient-related aspects of HSCT: minimal residual disease detection, tolerance induction, chimerism monitoring, mixed chimerism reversal, lineage-specific chimerism and immune reconstitution monitoring.

Paediatric Issues

This category accepts abstracts on the specifics of HSCT in the paediatric setting (consent and assent issues, HSCT procedures tailored to young patients, specific toxicities, short- and long-term complications, holistic approaches, options for fertility preservation in boys and girls).

Acute Leukaemia

This category accepts abstracts on HSCT and cellular therapies (CAR-T, CAR/NK, NK, CIK cells) to treat acute leukaemias: biomarkers and disease characteristics for the HSCT/cellular therapy eligibility, outcome prediction and improvement and relapse prevention. Abstracts on chimerism detection, GvHD prevention and treatment, ways to harness graft-versus-leukaemia are also welcome.

Aplastic Anaemia

This category accepts abstracts on HSCT approaches to treat aplastic anaemia and related disorders: basic, preclinical, translational, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of aplastic anaemia and other acquired and inherited bone marrow failure syndromes that impact HSCT eligibility and outcomes. Abstracts on immunosuppressive therapies to treat aplastic anaemia and related disorders are also welcome.

Autoimmune Diseases

This category accepts abstracts on translational research related to autologous/allogeneic HSCT and other cellular therapy approaches (CAR-T, MSC, T_regs) as a means of treatment of severe autoimmune diseases. Abstracts on re-inducing self-tolerance by resetting the immune system are also welcome.

Myeloproliferative Neoplasm

This category accepts abstracts on translational research related to myeloproliferative neoplasm and tailored conditioning strategies to extend eligibility and to predict and improve outcomes of HSCT in this disease group. Abstracts on chimerism detection, GvHD prevention and treatment and ways to harness disease control are also welcome.

Haemoglobinopathy

This category accepts abstracts on translational research related to clinical presentation of thalassaemias, sickle cell disease or trait and other haemoglobinopathies and tailored HSCT and gene therapy approaches to treat patients in this disease group.

Inborn Errors, Granulocyte and Osteoclast Disorders

This category accepts abstracts on clinical presentation, immunologic characteristics and the molecular and genetic underpinnings of inborn errors of metabolism, granulocyte and osteoclast disorders and on improving the outcomes of HSCT for inborn errors of metabolism and metabolic diseases. Abstracts on gene therapy approaches are also welcome.

Immunodeficiency Diseases and Macrophages

This category accepts abstracts on clinical presentation, immunologic characteristics and the molecular and genetic underpinnings of immunodeficiency diseases and on how to improve the outcomes of HSCT. Abstracts on the role of macrophages in the immune system and in immunodeficiency diseases are also welcome.

Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

This category accepts abstracts on all aspects of lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and, in particular, on autologous and allogeneic HSCT and cellular therapies (CAR-T, CAR/NK, NK, CIK cells) to treat them: biomarkers and disease characteristics for the HSCT/cellular therapy eligibility and outcome prediction and improvement.

Multiple Myeloma

This category accepts abstracts on all aspects of multiple myeloma and plasma cell disorders, and, in particular, on autologous and allogeneic HSCT and cellular therapies (CAR-T, CAR/NK, NK, CIK cells) to treat them: biomarkers and disease characteristics for the HSCT/cellular therapy eligibility and outcome prediction and improvement.

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

This category accepts abstracts on all aspects of myelodysplastic syndromes and, in particular, on allogeneic HSCT and cellular therapies (CAR-T, CAR/NK, NK, CIK cells) to treat them: biomarkers and disease characteristics for HSCT/cellular therapy eligibility and outcome prediction and improvement.

Chronic Leukaemia and Other Myeloproliferative Disorders

This category accepts abstracts on all aspects of chronic myeloid leukaemias and other myeloproliferative disorders and, in particular, on autologous and allogeneic HSCT and cellular therapies (CAR-T, CAR/NK, NK, CIK cells) to treat them: biomarkers and disease characteristics for HSCT/cellular therapy eligibility and outcome prediction and improvement.

Solid Tumours

This category accepts abstracts on HSCT and cellular therapy (CAR-T) to treat solid tumours. Abstract on tailored conditioning strategies to fit the needs of patients with refractory solid tumours and on graft-versus-tumour effect are also welcome.

Data Management

This category accepts abstracts on all research pertaining to effective data management crucial to HSCT quality. The specific subjects include management of databases, registries, data from translational research and randomised controlled trials, HSCT data collection, collation, interpretation and quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, ethical conduct and monitoring of HSCT data acquisition.

Statistics

This category accepts abstracts on the development and application of biostatistics in the context of HCST for research planning, analysis and presentation of the results. Abstracts on the role of biostatisticians in assuring the best methodological standards are also welcome.

Quality Management

This category accepts abstracts on development, review and improvement of methods and standards for each step of the HSCT procedure to foster robust quality and consistency as well as error prevention in clinical practice.

Topics to consider are:

- Issues concerning implementation and maintenance of a Quality Management system, including handling challenging standards

- Quality improvements and learning through audit and outcome analysisAssessment methods for competencies

- Validation and change control

- Pathways to accreditation

- Experiences of HSCT in resource-constrained settings

Patient Advocacy: Patients' Reported Outcome and Expectations

This category accepts abstracts on research into patient-relevant issues: patients’ reported outcomes and patients’ health expectations. Abstracts that address ways to engage patients and increase awareness of the unmet needs of individuals who received HSCT, their caregivers and transplant teams are also welcome.

Psychological Issues

This category accepts abstracts on research into the short- and long-term psychological morbidity and health-related quality of life of patients who underwent HSCT, their relatives and caregivers. Abstracts on psycho-oncological interventions and a multidisciplinary approach to HSCT are also welcome.

Pharmacology

This category accepts abstracts on pharmacological research in the context of HSCT, such as pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies, novel approaches to conditioning, adverse effect identification and prevention and infectious and non-infectious complication prevention. Abstracts on organisational issues of on-site pharmacies are also welcome.

Care of the Carer (Healthcare Team and Caregiver)

This category accepts abstracts on pharmacological research in the context of HSCT, such as pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies, novel approaches to conditioning, adverse effect identification and prevention and infectious and non-infectious complication prevention. Abstracts on organisational issues of on-site pharmacies are also welcome.

Complementary Therapies

This category accepts abstracts on the delivery of complementary therapies (relaxation training, meditation, mindfulness, massage therapy, music therapy, etc.) by nursing staff in the setting of HSCT and cellular therapy.

Donor Care

This category accepts abstracts on topics related to donor care, donor rights and physical and mental wellbeing before and after donation of stem cells (both adults and minors). Abstracts can also be for qualitative and quantitative research done with donors and healthcare professionals to capture their experience and individual aspects of the donation process. Abstracts on donor care needs of potential donors and other family members who are not HLA-identical or eligible are also welcome.

Ethical Issues

This category accepts abstracts on the ethical issues faced by nurses in the setting of HSCT and cellular therapies, e.g. informed consent, ethical dilemmas in HSCT patient care and the allocation of resources.

Impact of New Therapies on Patient Care

This category accepts abstracts on new therapies, including cellular and gene therapies or novel indications, and their impact on patient care, qualitative and quantitative research on innovative therapeutics in terms of drugs, techniques, nursing care; patient experience.

Education and Training

This category accepts abstracts on education and training programmes, identification of gaps in professional preparation and skills needed, and on how to maintain skills and competencies in the field of HSCT and cellular therapies.

Management

This category accepts abstracts on nurse management, leadership and professional issues in the field of HSCT and cellular therapies.

Outpatient Developments and Ambulatory Care

This category accepts abstracts on all aspects of the outpatient model of care, in which specialised HSCT and/or cellular therapy care is delivered to patients in their homes, or in the outpatient setting for illnesses/procedures that would normally require hospitalisation.

Advanced Care Planning, Palliative and End of Life Care

This category accepts abstracts on needs assessment, developing and implementing advanced care planning (fostering early discussion and consideration of patient’s end-of-life treatment preferences), palliative approaches and end-of-life care.

Patient Safety and Standards of Care

This category accepts abstracts on researching, improving and implementing procedures to enhance patient safety prior to, during and after HSCT or cellular therapy and to develop and maintain high standards of care.

Psycho-social Issues

This category accepts abstracts on the short- and long-term psycho-social morbidity and health-related quality of life of patients who underwent HSCT or cellular therapies, their relatives and carers from the nursing perspectives. Abstracts on the role of nurses in the multidisciplinary teams involved in HSCT are also welcome.

Vaccination, Infection Control and Prevention

This category accepts abstracts on nursing aspects and involvement in vaccination programmes, infection control measures to prevent hospital- and community-acquired infections, developing standard operating procedures to minimise the risks of infections.

Quality of Life, Late Effects, Survivorship Care and Health Promotion

This category accepts abstracts on initiatives to optimise long-term outcomes and quality of life, mitigate late effects and deliver holistic care to survivors of HSCT, cell and gene therapy and to promote health in this category of patients.

Symptom Management and Supportive Care

This category accepts abstracts on early recognition and monitoring of signs and symptoms of possible complications encountered by patients who undergo HSCT and cell therapies, including GvHD. Abstracts on the delivery of palliative andsupportive care (behavioural and pharmacological interventions to reduce treatment-related fatigue and improve quality of life) are also welcome.

 Cell and Gene therapy (CART, IEC)

This category accepts abstracts on nursing implications and specific care needed when caring for individuals who underwent cellular therapy using CAR-T or immune cells.

Quality Management and JACIE

This category accepts abstracts on securing quality of nursing, obtaining JACIE accreditation and maintaining regulatory requirements in HSCT centres. Abstracts on the impact of JACIE on the quality of care delivered by nurses in the setting of HSCT and on the general implications of JACIE for nurses are also welcome.

Transplant and CAR-T Coordination, and Early Follow-up

This category accepts abstracts on pre- and post-transplant/cellular therapy care coordination, and programmes aimed at providing practice frameworks to enable monitoring of patients after transplant or cellular therapies.

Advanced Nursing Practise

This category accepts abstracts on the development of advanced nursing practice in the setting of HSCT and cellular therapy considering these roles or skills, e.g. bone marrow sampling, HLA typing, transplant recipient care. Abstracts on improving workflow efficiency and patient care delivery through leadership, evidence-based practice and nursing practice are welcome

 Nursing Research in Transplant, Cell and Gene Therapy

This category accepts abstracts that provide evidence on which to base new standards of care, helping to enhance safety and efficacy of nursing practice in a vulnerable patient population. Abstracts on systematic analysis of procedures to examine how resources are used and the effect care has on patients’ outcomes and quality of life are also welcome.

 Artificial Intelligence and Digital Solutions in HSCT Nursing

This category accepts abstracts on the use of digital solutions and artificial intelligence to modernise and standardise aspects of patient and donor care. Abstracts on ethical and legal considerations of digital solutions are also welcome.

Patient and Donor Information and Education

This category accepts abstracts on the development of novel approaches to provide therapy-specific knowledge delivered by nurses to patients and donors on what to expect before, during and after transplant or cell therapy.

Paediatric and AYA/TYA Care

This category accepts abstracts on all age-appropriate aspects of care for paediatric patients and adolescent/teenage and young adults, and service adaptations to meet the changing needs of patients and their families to help the transition into adulthood in the context of long-term follow-up post-HSCT.

Outreach Programmes for HCT, Cell and Gene Therapy in Low Resource Settings

This category accepts abstracts on designing and organising educational HSCT nursing events in low- and middle-income countries with limited access to HSCT and cellular therapies. Abstracts on collaborations with non-profit organisations and outreach missions are also welcome.