Launch of the National Cord Blood Network to Optimize Life-Saving Treatment with Cord Blood
[Cleveland, Ohio, 02/12/2024] – The National Cord Blood Network (NCBN) proudly announces its official launch, signaling a new era of advances and collaboration in cord blood transplantation. The NCBN aims to increase accessibility to life-saving cord blood transplantation for patients with hematologic malignancies in US Transplant Centers as well as optimize cord blood transplant practices.
Led by internationally recognized adult and pediatric transplant specialists Dr. Juliet Barker, Director of the Weill Cornell Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, and Dr. Andromachi Scaradavou, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the NCBN brings together a consortium of transplant programs. The NCBN includes pioneering medical professionals in the cord blood field, and multiple collaborative partners, all united in a shared mission to enhance the utilization of cord blood transplantation across the United States. Marcie Finney, MBA, Cleveland Cord Blood Center, an experienced leader in healthcare administration, will serve as the Administrative Director of the National Cord Blood Network. Leveraging her extensive experience in managing complex healthcare initiatives, Finney will oversee the Network’s operations, ensuring efficient execution of its mission and objectives.
“We are thrilled to have created the National Cord Blood Network, a pivotal platform for driving transformative change in the field of cord blood transplant,” stated Dr. Barker, Chair of the NCBN. “Through strategic collaborations and a shared vision, we aim to redefine the potential of cord blood-derived therapies and extend the reach of this life-saving treatment to many more patients. This will benefit patients with high-risk acute leukemias, those in need of urgent transplantation, and will address health disparities in the transplant field.”
Dr. Andromachi Scaradavou, Co-Chair of the NCBN, added, “The launch of the National Cord Blood Network marks a significant milestone in our collective effort to advance our understanding and application of cord blood transplantation. With a focus on inclusivity as well as cutting-edge research, we are committed to optimizing standards of care in graft selection and transplantation practices.”
The NCBN’s comprehensive approach through multi-center collaborations will not only advance cord blood transplantation but will also increase the utilization of existing high-quality cord blood inventories all with the ultimate goal of establishing cord blood transplantation as a curative therapy for hematologic malignancies in Transplant Centers across the nation. The Network will collaborate with key national stakeholders to maximize the advancements in the field of alternative donor transplantation.
The National Cord Blood Network was established with the generous support and funding provided by the Abraham J & Phyllis Katz Foundation. With a commitment to driving transformative advancements in cord blood transplantation and research, the Foundation’s steadfast support has served as the cornerstone for the Network’s pioneering initiatives.
For more information about the National Cord Blood Network and its transformative initiatives, please visit www.cordbloodnetwork.org.
Contact
Marcie Finney
440-554-4830