Chairman Letter
Dear Esteemed Colleagues and Healthcare Professionals,
It is my distinct honor and privilege to welcome you to the official website of the 3rd Kuwait Pediatric Stem Cell and Cellular Therapy Conference, an event that stands at the forefront of medical innovation and collaboration.
As the Chairman of this conference, I am thrilled to invite you to join us on the 23rd and 24th of January 2024 for an immersive experience designed to inspire, educate, and foster the exchange of groundbreaking medical knowledge.
The field of pediatric stem cell and cellular therapy is in a constant state of evolution, and the challenges we face are ever more complex. The 3rd Kuwait Pediatric Stem Cell and Cellular Therapy Conference seeks to address these challenges by bringing together some of the brightest minds, researchers, practitioners, and experts from around the globe.
Our collective mission is to explore innovative solutions, share groundbreaking research findings, and collectively advance the frontiers of medical science. Our conference theme is about stem cell transplant, Gene therapies, and CAR-T Reflects our dedication to tackling the most pressing issues in healthcare today. Through a series of keynote presentations, scientific sessions, workshops, and interactive discussions, we aim to empower you with the latest insights, strategies, and tools that will make a meaningful impact on your practice and research.
In addition to the rich scientific program, our conference offers a unique opportunity for networking and collaboration. You will have the chance to connect with peers, establish new partnerships, and engage in discussions that can lead to transformative discoveries and solutions in the world of medicine. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed panel of speakers, dedicated organizing committee, and generous sponsors whose unwavering support has made this conference a reality. Together, we are poised to create an event that will leave a lasting imprint on the field of medicine.
As you explore this conference website, you will find valuable information about registration, the conference program, abstract submissions, and more. I encourage you to make the most of this digital platform to stay updated on all conference-related activities and announcements.
Thank you for considering the 3rd Kuwait Pediatric Stem Cell and Cellular Therapy Conference as your destination for professional growth and knowledge enrichment.
We look forward to welcoming you to our conference and experiencing the collective brilliance and passion that will define this event.
Sincerely,
Head of Paediatric haematology oncology and Stem cell transplant Department
Speakers
Sondus Alsharidah
Chairperson, Director of Pediatric SCT program in Kuwait
Head of pediatric SCT unit in NBK Children’s Specialized Hospital,
Committee head for Stem Cell and tissue principles and technical and administrative standards.
Head of committee for Central Policies for secondary and tertiary care, member of COVID-19 inspection team in MOH, Vice-president of SCD higher committee, president of Kuwait Pediatric association. Treasurer of Kuwait Thalassemia league. Member of international bodies: EBMT, ISCT, ASTCT, ASHI, ARSHI. Graduated from Dublin, Ireland RCSI, double qualification for pediatrics’ (Kuwaiti board and MRCPCH), fellowship in pediatric hematology and SCT UK. Established the pediatric SCT in 2020, initiated the treatment of CCP in Kuwait 2020.Research interest in the field of benign hematology, thrombosis haemostasias and stem cell transplantation.
Rabi Hanna
Dr. Rabi Hanna, MD, is the director of the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Hematology
Dr. Hanna is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric hematology-Oncology. He earned his medical degree from Aleppo University Faculty of Medicine in Aleppo, Syria. His post-graduate training in USA includes a pediatric residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, Washington. His specialty interests include treatment of children with leukemia / Lymphoma and solid tumors that require Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation to consolidate the treatment for their malignant disease, and he also very interested in treatment of inherited non-malignant disorders like primary immunodeficiency like SCID or other inherited metabolic diseases which Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation could offer the potential to restore normal hematological and immunologic function.
Mohamad Mohty
Professor of Hematology at Sorbonne University, and head of the Clinical Hematology and Cellular Therapy Department at Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France
His research is focused on the role of key immune effectors in hematologic diseases, and their interactions with novel immune and cellular therapies in the treatment of hematologic malignancies.He has strong expertise in clinical research and deep knowledge in the field of stem cell transplantation, and therapy of leukemia and multiple myeloma. Over the last 10 years, he played a key role in the approval of different hematology drugs.Pr Mohty has been always driven by a strong entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, and currently involved in deciphering new frontiers in hematology, especially the role of microbiome restoration therapy using biotherapeutics, made of a high diversity microbiome, to treat blood cancers.
Pr Mohty has a large worldwide network for cooperation and collaboration in hematology. He is past-president of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the current chairman of the Acute Leukemia Working Party of EBMT. He is also the founder and chairman of the “International Academy for Clinical Hematology
Arti Nanda
As’ad Al-Hamad Dermatology Center, Kuwait Dermatology, M.D., D.N.B.E.
Consultant Dermatologist; Head of Unit Pediatric Dermatology; Teaching Consultant for Undergraduates (Attached to Faculty of Pediatrics, Kuwait University), Teaching Consultant for Postgraduates (Attached to Kuwait Institution of Medical Specialization)
She has more than 30 years of working experience in Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology Secretary-General & Board of Director, International Society of Pediatric Dermatology. Consultant Dermatologist & Head of Unit, Ped. Dermatology Consultant In-charge of Sick-kids & Genodermatoses Clinic; Autoimmune Bullous Diseases Clinic; & Cutaneous lymphoma clinic, As’ad Al-Hamad Dermatology Center, Kuwait Teacher for Undergraduates & postgraduates Research Coordinator & Asst. Program Director, Dermatology Board, Kuwait Institute of Medical Specialization
Josu De La Fuente
Professor of practice (cellular and Gene Therapy) Consultant Haematologist at Imperial College London, He completed his general training in paediatrics in different hospitals in London and following membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health,
He trained in haematology at Imperial College and Great Ormond Street Hospital achieving membership of the Royal College of Pathologists. During this time he developed an interest in red cell disorders, bone marrow failure and transplantation. After a period of research in human developmental haemopoiesis as an MRC Clinical Research Fellow leading to a PhD, he was appointed in 2006 to lead the paediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Programme at St. Mary’s Hospital, which specialises in transplantation for haemoglobinopathies and bone marrow failure, and has been innovative in the use of alternative donors. He has also developed a unique clinical and research programme for Diamond Black fan anaemia patients and is part of the IBFM Study Group steering committee for chronic myeloid leukaemia. He is a member and haematology lead in the Paediatric Medicine Clinical Reference Group of NHS England developing national standards of care.
Michael Grimley
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Medical Director, BMT and Immune Deficiency
Cancer and Blood Disease Institute
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
He has been interested in medicine for as long as I can remember. My medical school experiences with the children solidified my feeling that pediatrics was the area I related to best. As a bone marrow transplant physician, he believes that each patient is unique. he uses a cooperative approach to treatment, in which he is a partner with the treatment team, the patient and their family. His research involves finding treatments for and prevention of viral infections in immunocompromised patients
Jeremy Rubinstein
Division of Oncology
Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
As a pediatric oncologist, he is specialized in treating pediatric leukemia and lymphoma, emphasizing the use of cellular therapy. Cellular therapy involves modifying a patient’s own cells or cells from a donor to fight disease. He was inspired by the strength and bravery of children going through cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Salem H. AlShemmari
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Kuwait University Consultant, Department of Hemato-Oncology, Kuwait Cancer Control Center
As a hematologist, He has built his professional career on the advancement of the well-being of patients with hematological malignancies and other malignancies, advancement of palliative care services, through practice, teaching, and research.
In practice, He has contributed to efforts that served patients well, including designing and practicing at Sheikha Badriya Medical Oncology Center, Behbahani Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, and more recently. at the new Kuwait Cancer Center. As far as teaching is concerned, he taught at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
contributed to the Hematopathoiogyand the Rematorosy Fellowshipand Programs.
His research focus is based on exploring the epidemiology and prognosis of patients with hematological malignancies through several research grants.
Furthermore, he enhance the implementation of the precision-medicine concept in practice through biomarkers research
Ahmed Alaskar
Ahmed Alaskar is a Consultant and Professor, Adult Hematology & Stem Cell Transplantation, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. He is also the Executive Director, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center and the President of Saudi Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (SSBMT).
Dr. Alaskar gained his MBBS from King Saud University and completed medical trainings at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada where he obtained both the Canadian and the American Boards of Internal Medicine and of Hematology and Stem Cells Transplantation.
Dr. Alaskar assumed numerous administrative tasks and positions since 2001. He was the Director, Inpatient Services at King Abdulaziz Medical City – Riyadh and the Program Director of the Saudi Board Preparatory Course for Internal Medicine. He led the Department of Oncology at its establishment stage in 2005/2006 while he continued to be the Head, Division of Adult Hematology & Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation until March 2015. He was one of the founders of the Saudi Scientific Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was elected twice to be the President of the society. He was then appointed as Deputy Executive Director, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center from May 2010 and became the Executive Director in September 2013 until present.
Dr. Alaskar has more than 100 publications and involved in numerous local and national committees and member of several International Societies.
Ali Al-Ahmari
Pediatric Hem/Onc Fellowship, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 2005; Saudi and Arab Boards of Pediatrics, 2001
Consultant,Director, Histiocytosis ProgramDirector, Pediatric Hem/Onc Fellowship Program
King Faisal Specialist Hospital Director, Histiocytosis Program & Director, Pediatric Hem/Onc Fellowship Program
King Faisal Specialist Hospital
Zainul Aabideen
Dr. Zainul is a highly skilled and experienced in Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and bone marrow transplant. He received his Degree in Medicine at Calicut University in Kerala, India, subsequently he took his Post – Graduate degree in Paediatrics from the University of Mumbai.
In 2001, Dr. Zainul moved to the United Kingdom where he specialized and undertook further training and experience in paediatric haematology, paediatric oncology and Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation in various hospitals in UK.
- Royal Marsden Hospital, London, IK
- University College Hospitals of London UCLH London
- Imperial College London UK
- Manchester Children Hospital Manchester UK
- Alder Hey Children Hospital Liverpool UK
- Great North Children Hospital Newcastle UK
Dr. Zainul gained his master’s degree in Paediatric Oncology at Birmingham University as well as Certificate in Medical Education at Manchester University. Subsequently, he completed his International Fellowship in Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation at Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
He worked previously as Consultant Pediatric at University Hospital of Coventry (UK) and Warwickshare and Royal Oldham Hospital (UK) before moving to UAE.
In the UAE, He had worked at Department of Pediatric hematology and Oncology Tawam Hospital as Consultant, Al Ain, before he joined at Burjeel Medical City, as head of pediatric hematology, oncology and BMT.
Aside from his commitment to further advance his experience and knowledge in the field of Paediatrics, Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation in the United Kingdom he also published articles and actively support by sharing his knowledge to the community by participating international conference across countries. He is also Chairman of Emirates Paediatric Haematology, Oncology Conference in the last 5 years and chairman of Emirates Paediatric BMT Congress in the last 2 years.
Maha Feda
Dr. Maha Feda, through her keen interest and international experience and training, had become the first Saudi female to be board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Holding a Canadian Fellowship in Musculoskeletal Rehab and Chronic Pain Management, her expertise and experiences has opened avenues to implement her experiences in creating a positive impact in the geographical regions where she worked including Saudi Arabia, Australia, Denmark, Canada, and UAE treating both adults and pediatrics.
AeRang Kim
AeRang Kim, M.D.,
Ph.D.Principal Investigator
Education
- Fellowship, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University/National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, (2008)
- Residency, Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, (2004)
- Ph.D., Clinical Investigation, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, (2009)
- M.D., University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, (2001)
- B.A., Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, (1996)
Biography
AeRang Kim, M.D., Ph.D., is a member of the solid tumor faculty at Children’s National Hospital and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics. Dr. Kim’s specializes in sarcomas and developmental therapeutics. Her research focuses on the development of novel therapeutics for pediatric cancer including pre-clinical testing of novel agents, pharmacokinetic analysis, developing innovative methods for toxicity monitoring and clinical trial design. She serves as the principal investigator of multiple early phase trials in pediatric oncology, sarcomas and NF1 associated tumors.
Andrew R. Gennery
Appointments
01/2020 to date Sir James Spence Professor of Child Health
06/2018 to date Professor/Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Immunology & Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Newcastle University Translational Clinical Research Institute
Panel / Committee / Board Membership and Advisory Roles
2017 to 2019 Deputy Dean of Clinical Medicine, Newcastle University
2010 to date Director of the Northern Deanery Academic Foundation Programme
2013 to date RCPCH Academic Regional Representative (Northern)
2013 to date Member RCPCH Academic Executive Committee
2012 to date Director, Paediatric Extracorporeal Photopheresis, Great North Children’s Hospital
2012 – 2016 Chair, ESID/EBMT IEWP
2016 to 2020 Chair, ESID CWP
2019 to date CIBMTR Co-Chair of Primary Immune Deficiencies, Inborn Errors of Metabolism and other NMMD Working Committee
2017 to 2020 Chair, ERN-RITA Guidelines Working Party
2019 to date Member, Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Clinical Reference Group
2008 to date Human Tissue Authority Designated Individual – Newcastle upon Tyne Foundation Hospital Trust Therapeutic Tissue Bank
2008 to date Member of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology Blood Transfusion Task Force formulating Guidelines on the use of irradiated blood products
I am a Professor in Paediatric Immunology and Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and Honorary Consultant for the Northern Supra-Regional Bone Marrow Transplant Unit for SCID and related disorders, at the Great North Children’s Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, clinically qualified and active. I spent a year of post-doctoral studies working with Anne Durandy and Alain Fischer in the Necker Hospital in Paris and was involved in the discovery of Cytidine Deaminase one of the first genes to be discovered involved in class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation.
I have been a consultant in Newcastle for 19 years. I have pioneered Paediatric immunology research at the university. My research interests include immunoreconstitution following haematopoietic stem cell transplant for primary immunodeficiency, long-term outcomes of transplantation for primary immunodeficiency (and in particular, Chronic Granulomatous Disease and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency), DNA repair disorders and their appropriate treatment and Di George Syndrome. More recently, I have adapted new methods of T cell depletion for patients with primary immunodeficiency and established extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of children with graft versus host disease. I have discovered important mechanistic insights relating to the action of extracorporeal photopheresis. I am exploring the use of defibrotide for treatment of non-VOD endothelial cell activation disorders post-HSCT.
Anant Vatsayan
Anant Vatsayan, MBBS, is a Blood and Marrow Transplant attending at Children’s National Hospital, Washington D.C. He is an assistant professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Before joining Children’s National, Dr. Vatsayan did a 2-year fellowship in Cellular Therapy/Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York. He is a board-certified pediatric hematologist/oncologist. He did his Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. His research interests include BMT/cellular therapies for pediatric high-risk hematologic malignancies. He is the Clinical Lead for the Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) therapy program at Children’s National Hospital. His other interests include novel transplantation techniques like TCR alpha/beta T cell-depleted BMT, graft versus host disease, and BMT for high-risk inherited bone marrow failure syndromes like Fanconi anemia.
Mohammed Essa
Eager to contribute to the field of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and cellular
therapy. Ambitious to lead the region and collaborate with national and international colleagues to cure
children with cancer and inherited hematological disorders.
Steven Dublin
Heads European Cell & Gene Therapy Commercial Operations at Bio-techne as Senior Manager. In this role, he serves as subject matter expert and commercial leader for advanced therapies manufacturing and analytics tools with the goal of connecting Bio-techne’s product and services innovations with the needs of basic researchers and clinicians throughout Europe and the Middle East.
With over 15-years’ experience in the commercial development of companion diagnostics, iPSC-derived disease models and clinical tools for manufacturing cell therapies, he is dedicated to helping bring advanced therapies that address unmet medical needs to patients worldwide.
Steven obtained his PhD from Emory University, USA in chemistry and completed his postdoctoral training at the Georgia Institute of Technology, USA in building new technologies for genome engineering and molecular biosensors.
Jenny Stjernberg
Leads Commercial Operations as EMEA Director for ScaleReady as part of the Global Leadership Team, and is based in Europe. In her role, she collaborates closely with the US Commercial Team and together, they set the tone globally enabling ScaleReady to challenge the way cell and gene therapy programs operate to adopt a simpler and consistent solution that centres around platform, process, and therefore, product continuity.
Prior to ScaleReady, Jenny spent 5 years successfully managing large sales and marketing teams within several cell and gene therapy companies. This, combined with her first-hand experience as a scientist and as a clinical account manager has enabled her to gain a unique global perspective that spans the needs for academic research process development and commercial manufacturing operations.
Jenny’s career-long background in science began by obtaining her Master’s Degree in Medical Biology from Linköping University in Sweden, alongside achieving a Ph.D. in Medical Science, studying how cell-cell interactions in the bone marrow supports the haematopoietic progenitors in their lineage decision.
Moderators
Muna Burahma
Dr. Muna Hamad Burahma
Consultant in pediatric hematology oncology department NBK Children’s hospital Sabah specialized health area
Head of the department from 2014-2022
A-member of pediatric and thalassemia league under Kuwait medical association and also a board member in I want to learn society . Has many publications in the field of pediatric hematology oncology .
Nisreen Khalifa
Dr. Nisreen M. Khalifa is a Consultant Pediatric Oncologist in the Solid Tumor Unit at the NBK Children’s Hospital in Kuwait. Dr. Khalifa received her MD degree in 1992 from Assiut University in Egypt and completed her training in General Pediatrics in Assiut University Hospitals. She received her MSc degree in Pediatrics from Assiut University in 1997. Dr. Khalifa started her career in Oncology at the South Egypt Cancer Institute in Assiut University in 1998. She trained at National Cancer Institute. Cairo University before receiving her PhD in Pediatric Oncology in 2006 and becoming a faculty member at the South Egypt Cancer Institute. Dr. Khalifa joined the Pediatric Unit in the Medical Oncology Department at the Kuwait Cancer Control Centre in 2007. She later joined the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Department at the NBK Children’s Hospital as a consultant. Over her 22 years of practice, Dr. Khalifa has developed experience in solid tumors in children including sarcomas, brain tumors and malignant lymphomas.
Yaser Abdullah
Dr. Yaser Abdullah
• Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MB ChB), University of Bristol, United Kingdom, June 2005
• Kuwait Board in Pediatrics (KBPED), September 2013
• Pediatric Hematology Oncology fellowship at the University of Ottawa, Canada, July 2020.
• Subspecialist Affliate of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Currently works as Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Consultant at the NBK Children’s & Al-Adan Hospitals
Samar Ousia
Dr. Samar Ousia
Professor of internal medicine – clinical hematology and stem cell transplantation at Ain Shams university Cairo Egypt
Consultant adult hematology and stem cell transplantation at Kuwait cancer control center
Atlal Allafi
Consultant Dermatologist, Head of Dermatology Department at As’ad Al-Hamad Dermatology Center Chair of Dermatology Council Vice President of Kuwait Society of Dermatologists
Ahmed Abdelsalam
• Pediatric Oncology/Hematology Consultant.
• Stem cell therapy & BMT Specialist.
· MSc. & MD. degree in Pediatric Oncology/Hematology – National Cancer Institute – Cairo University, Egypt.
. Member of EBMT, SIOP, ESPHO & POEM.
Maha Bourusly
Dr Maha Jassim Bourusly is a pediatric consultant at the department of hematology and oncology at the NBK Children’s Hospital in Kuwait. Dr Maha received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Kuwait University, 1990, She received her Diploma in child health, Dublin (DCH) 1994. And Kuwait Board in Pediatrics (PGTP) 2002. And MRCPCH (UK) 2003. Dr Maha Joined the department of hematology and oncology at the NBK Children’s Hospital in Kuwait in 2003. Over her 32 years of practice, Dr. Maha has developed experience in general Pediatrics and pediatric hematology and leukemia, and shared these experiences through scientific literature and mentoring young pediatricians . She headed the Thalassemia league up until recently, and currently VP Pediatric league, Kuwait Medical Association. She is also board member and Co- founder of I want to learn society, an initiative to teach children at hospital with chronic debilitating illnesses.
Eman Al Mattar
Dr. Eman Al Mattar
A Pediatric Consultant at the department of Hematology and Oncology at the NBK Children’s Hospital Kuwait. Covering Leukemia off therapy
Clinic and Platelets disorder Clinic.
Dr. Eman Received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Kuwait University, She received her Diploma in Child health, Dublin ( DCH) and Kuwait Board in Pediatrics ( PGTP )
Kareema Altahou
A pediatric senior specialist at the department of pediatric hematology / oncology /SCT
NBK Children’s hospital in Kuwait
Dr. Al Tahou joined the pediatric stem cell transplant unit at NBK Children’s hospital in Kuwait in 2011 .
She later joined the pediatric oncology unit at the NBK Children’s hospital in Kuwait in 2019
Dr.Al Tahou has developed experience in general pediatric , pediatric oncology and pediatric stem cell transplantation .
Education :
– MBBS Arabian Gulf university / Faculty of medicine and medial sciences in Bahrain in 1990
– Diploma in child health (DCH ) / National University of Ireland in 1994
– E.C.F.M.G certificate / USA 1999
– Pediatric Residency training certificate issued from Miami Children’s hospital, Miami, FL./ USA Sept .2002
– American Boarf in pediatric ,2008
– Fellow of the American academy of pediatric ,2009
– Physician license – medicine .Board of medicine / Michigan ,USA in Oct 2010
The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre
The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre is a multidisciplinary public space owned by the Amiri Diwan striving to entertain, educate and inspire the people of Kuwait. It will offer a range of events – in music, theatre, film, workshops and spoken word – for every generation and sector of society.
JACC provides a space for dialogue to share and showcase skills and knowledge, giving younger voices a forum in which to speak. The cultural centre is a platform for educational and cultural exchange; moreover, it functions as an influential entertainment and culture powerhouse and productive space for the region.
Kuwait’s cultural identity has always been rooted in a modern, avant-garde and experimental tradition. We wish to return to this identity at JACC and establish ourselves as the model space for all cultural events and activities, on national, regional and international levels.
Sponsored by
Organized by:
Appsvenue For Events
Email Us
Organized by:
