March 2025

This edition of CellSource is sponsored by Vitalant .

BIOTHERAPIES NEWS: Highlights and Top Stories

BIOTHERAPIES AT AABB: Community and Association News

Cell Notes: A Monthly Column by Christina M. Celluzzi, PhD, MS, CABP(H), director, biotherapies, at AABB 

Vitalant Q&A: Solutions for the Next Major Health Care Challenge 

Christina Celluzzi, PhD, MS, CABP(H) , interviewed Becky Cap , MBA, senior vice president, biotherapies, at Vitalant in this sponsored edition of AABB’s CellSource newsletter, March 2025. 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to your current role at Vitalant. 

I have been in life sciences my entire career and have always been drawn to new and emerging markets – clinically and commercially. I started at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute when bone marrow transplant was being considered for high-risk solid tumor indications. I began consulting to work on new product commercialization strategy and was involved in some of the hottest category-creating drugs, including Gleevec and Keytruda. I worked on monoclonal antibodies as their indications expanded from oncology to autoimmune diseases. Now, I am working in cell and gene therapy as some of our cell therapies are, similarly, expanding from oncology indications into treatment for autoimmune disease patients. Building new services and new treatment options for patients is a passion for me. Vitalant offered the opportunity to contribute to the development of the cell and gene therapy market in a way that overcomes barriers to patient access in their communities.

Read the full interview on the AABB website as they discuss solutions for the next major health care challenge >

Advancing Biotherapies Together: The Return of The Biotherapies Pavilion at the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting 

Join us for the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting in San Diego., Oct. 25-28, where you'll discover new research and breakthroughs you won't want to miss. This event convenes blood and biotherapies professionals to share cutting-edge research, unique perspectives, networking with colleagues and practice-changing solutions. The 2025 AABB Annual Meeting will be held at the San Diego Convention Center, located in the Marina District in downtown San Diego. Registration for AABB members and exhibitors opens June 18. General Registration opens June 25. Sign up to be notified when registration opens. 

AABB is pleased to announce the return of the Biotherapies Pavilion at the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting. AABB introduced the inaugural biotherapies pavilion at our 2023 Annual Meeting as a specially designed networking space in the Exhibit Hall. The space provides biotherapies companies with new and curated opportunities to network with key audiences in the field and gain access to all that the AABB Annual Meeting has to offer. Returning to the Biotherapies Pavilion this year are industry expert open-mic conversations – a highlight from the 2023 and 2024 meetings, where 45-minute sessions have featured topics such as: 

• Simplifying Quality Audits with Tracey Hlucky, CQA, CMQ/OE (ASQ) , Kite Pharma  

• Maintaining and Retaining a Qualified Cell Therapy Workforce with Ignacio Núñez , CellReady™  

• Emerging Challenges and Solutions in the CGT Supply Chain with Mark Sawicki , Cryoport Systems  

• and more! 

AABB is excited to welcome several participants to the Biotherapies Pavilion and networking space during the 2024 AABB Annual Meeting:  

• BioBridge Global , a family of nonprofits includes South Texas Blood and Tissue, QualTex Laboratories and BBG Advanced Therapies. BioBridge Global is an AABB corporate partner and this year’s tote bag sponsor.  

• Eurofins CellTx , an FDA-registered laboratory for screening human cells, tissues, and cellular- and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps). 

• Versiti Inc. , an AABB institutional member based in Wisconsin, and previous Biotherapies Pavilion participant. 

• Vitalant , an AABB corporate partner based in Arizona and previous Biotherapies Pavilion participant. 

AABB is offering limited availability Biotherapies Pavilion connection packages and sponsorship opportunities. These packages provide the opportunity to network with attendees and decision makers in the biotherapies field while gaining access to AABB’s community.  

AABB encourages interested organizations to inquire as soon as possible, as spots for 2025 are selling out fast! Register your interest via AABB’s online enquiry form or email the AABB team at businessdevelopment@aabb.org.

Celebrating a Year of CABP Sample Exam Question Sets 

This time last year, AABB releases of two sample exam question sets to help candidates prepare for AABB’s Certified Advanced Biotherapies Professional (CABP) Credentialing Program’s certification exam.  

Developed by experts, each set includes 100 downloadable, printable sample questions that cover content across the exam’s seven domains. Each set also includes an answer key with detailed rationales for each question. While the sample questions do not appear on the CABP exam, they proportionally cover learning objectives as outlined in the exam syllabus and serve as an essential study aid on the path to the prestigious CABP certification. Questions Set 1, Questions Set 2 and a bundle of both are available in the AABB Store. 

Bonus Offer: AABB is currently providing the CABP exam prep bootcamps video series complimentary to all CABP candidates with a completed and approved CABP exam application. (All CABP applications are subject to AABB approval. AABB reserves the right to end this offer at any time.)  

For more information on the CABP and how to apply, please visit AABB’s “Becoming a CABP” web page >

Come See Us at ISCT 2025 

AABB is thrilled to join ISCT, International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy at #ISCT2025, taking place May 7-10 in New Orleans, La..  

Stop by the AABB booth #921 to chat with Jeff Wren , CABP, AABB’s vice president of biotherapies, and Christina Celluzzi, PhD, MS, CABP(H) , AABB’s biotherapies director, to learn more about how partnering with AABB can help make biotherapies safe, effective and available worldwide. Also make sure to add to your ISCT agenda: 

• AABB will be speaking on the role of blood centers and pharmacies during a roundtable discussion, Enabling Patient Access - Preparing Local Sites for the CGT Wave, taking place May 7 at 2:15 p.m. 

• Join the Regulatory, Quality, and Patient Access Oral Abstract Session May 8 at 5 p.m.to hear about AABB's new CGT Standards for Pharmacy with the abstract: Addressing Gaps in Pharmacy Standards for Cell and Gene Therapy Management 

To set up a meeting or to learn more about AABB’s products and services advancing biotherapies, visit AABB’s biobooth web page >

In case you missed it:  

The AABB Cell and Gene Therapy Standards for Pharmacy will optimize and advance quality and safety for the receipt, storing, handling and dispensing of approved cell and gene therapy (CGT) products and biotherapies under pharmacy management. 

Find out more on the AABB website and register to be notified when available >

AABB Announces Charles River Laboratories as New Corporate Partner  

AABB is excited to welcome Charles River Laboratories as a new AABB corporate partner. 

Charles River Laboratories provides essential products and services to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government agencies and leading academic institutions throughout the world accelerate their research and drug development efforts. It helps clients improve and expedite the discovery, early-stage development and safe manufacture of new therapies for patients who need them. 

“Charles River Laboratories is a global leader in providing high-quality cellular starting materials and comprehensive clinical services, backed by scientific rigor and regulatory expertise. Its commitment to excellence accelerates innovation and expands access to life-saving treatments. As a new AABB corporate partner, Charles River aligns with our mission to advance biotherapies worldwide, and we are thrilled  to collaborate on promoting accreditation and standards to support the development of safe and effective cell and gene therapies.” said Jeff Wren, vice president, biotherapies at AABB. 

Did you know?  

AABB's established and highly successful Corporate Partner Program is a flagship offering within AABB's corporate services portfolio. The program connects organizations with decision makers in the blood and biotherapies field while showcasing their commitment to advancing quality for donors and patients. As a corporate partner, institutional members gain access to exclusive benefits designed to support their goals and amplify their impact in the blood and biotherapies community.

Learn more on the AABB website >  

AABB BIOTHERAPIES NEWSFEED: More Updates From the Field 

Read more from the AABB Newsfeed, an essential resource offering the latest news, analysis, commentary and updates on critical topics for the blood and biotherapies community. 

AABB MEMBERS ZONE: Biotherapies Resources and Events 

 2025 Leadership Meeting Series Begins This Month 

The AABB Leadership and Administrative Subsection is launching a 2025 leadership meeting series focusing on The Ultimate Guide to Developing Leaders by John C. Maxwell on March 27. 

Sessions will take place virtually from 3-4 p.m. ET on the fourth Thursday of each month. While the subsection encourages participants to attend the full series, each session is designed as a stand-alone experience. 

These free seminars are open to AABB members only. Members who are not yet part of the Leadership and Administrative Subsection can join by updating their member profile and subscribing to the subsection. 

The March session will be facilitated by Kerry O’Brien, MD. For questions, contact AABB’s Standards and Quality Initiatives Department at standards@aabb.org 

AABB Accepting Lab All-Star Nominations 

In celebration of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 20-26), AABB invites the blood and biotherapies community to recognize outstanding laboratory professionals by nominating them as AABB Lab All-Stars. AABB will feature honorees on its social media channels, and five nominees will receive complimentary access to a single-viewer AABB eCast.   

To nominate a colleague, please complete this short nomination form. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, April 11. You must be an AABB member to submit a nomination, but nominees are not required to be an AABB member.   

AABB Update on Cellular Therapies Subsection Activities 

As a benefit, AABB members can enroll in AABB subsections, which meet monthly, to enrich their professional experience and to keep informed about happenings in the field of cellular therapy. 

Asia Pacific Group (APG): Guest speaker, Stephan Kadauke, MD, PhD , medical director, Cell and Gene Therapy Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , presented on AI Applications Within the Cell Therapy Field. 

Cord Blood (CB) Subsection: Team leaders discussed cord blood issues in the news. 

CT Current & Emerging Topics (CT-CET) Subsection: Team leader Yvette Tanhehco , MD, PhD, MS, CABP, associate professor of Pathology and Cell Biology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center , led the group in discussion on electronic documentation practices. 

Quality, Regulatory & Management (QRM) Subsection: Subsection team leader Melissa Marlowe CHS, MBA, vice president, Clinical Services at Vitalant , presented on expansion of cell therapy laboratory services from blood centers. 

Spanish Language Subsection (SLS): The SLS is led by Maria De Los Angeles Muniz , MD; co-leader in transfusion medicine JOSE A PEREZ-CARRILLO, MD. DBA. MHA , specialist in clinical pathology and epidemiology and director of the blood bank of Clínica Colsanitas , Colombia; and Carlos Ferrari Rebolledo , laboratory head at VidaCel , Chile. 

The SLS discusses transfusion medicine and cell therapy to include topics of interest to all our members. AABB invites Spanish-speaking members of the blood and biotherapies community to become a member of AABB and continue to grow the SLS. Past presentations can be viewed by AABB members on the AABB subsection projects webpage. 

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Join AABB to gain access to essential benefits, including professional development opportunities, critical tools and resources, and opportunities to collaborate with leaders in the field. Be a part of a diverse community of health care professionals working to make transfusion medicine and biotherapies safe, available and effective worldwide. Find out more on the AABB website.