Dear BSBMTCT member,

We hope you are all well. It has been another busy month for BSBMTCT, with a number of important developments across the Society. We wanted to share some brief updates with you.

Building the future of transplantation and cellular therapy data

We wanted to give members a brief early update on an exciting programme that we hope will help shape the future of transplantation and cellular therapy in the UK.

Working with Anthony Nolan as lead organisation and BSBMTCT as delivery partner, we have submitted a joint bid to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Discovery Fund through NHSBT for £314,949 to undertake the discovery work and develop an evidence-based business case for a new, integrated UK transplantation and cellular therapy data ecosystem.

We are also working with Sanofi on additional support for the programme as a Collaborative Working Project, with discussions now at an advanced stage.

Building on the recommendations of the UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum (UKSCSF), the proposed programme builds on the strengths of the existing BSBMTCT Registry and the many other valuable data assets across the transplant and cellular therapy community. The ambition is not simply to replace or enhance the existing Registry, but to explore how these assets can be better connected to provide a more comprehensive picture of the patient journey, improve outcomes and quality, reduce inequalities, support research and innovation, and reduce the data collection burden on centres.

We have not yet received formal confirmation of either funding arrangement, so we are not able to announce the programme as funded at this stage. However, the bids are progressing very positively, and we are hopeful that confirmation will follow shortly. We look forward to sharing more with members about this important programme once the funding position is confirmed.

Department of Health and Social Care Review and Survey

Many of you will know that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is undertaking an independent review of stem cell donation in the UK at the request of the Minister responsible for this portfolio. A number of stakeholders, including BSBMTCT, have already been contacted and interviewed as part of the review.

An in-person stakeholder meeting will take place on 17 November, providing an opportunity to review the evidence gathered to date and discuss emerging findings and recommendations.

In addition, DHSC has launched a survey to seek further perspectives and insights from healthcare professionals, as well as patients and donors.

Healthcare professionals can complete the survey here: Unrelated stem cell transplantation: survey for healthcare professionals – Fill in form

Please note that BSBMTCT has had no input into the survey and will not have access to individual survey responses.

BSBMTCT AI and Technology Champion

BSBMTCT has officially launched the nomination round for a new AI and Technology Champion role on the Executive Committee.

The Champion will:

• Provide strategic leadership on AI, digital innovation and emerging technologies.
• Identify opportunities to improve services, research and education through technology.
• Build partnerships and stimulate innovation across the Society.
• Ensure developments remain clinically relevant, ethically robust and aligned with Society priorities.

The Champion will not be expected to develop AI systems personally. Instead, the role will be to help the Society identify priority problems that technology could address, build partnerships, stimulate innovation, advise committees and ensure that technological developments remain clinically valuable, ethically robust and aligned with our strategic objectives.

 Nominations close at midnight on Friday 2 October. If you have not seen the nomination papers and would be interested in the role, please contact our Head of Registry, Julia Lee, at julia.lee@kcl.ac.uk.

Clinical Trials Sub-Committee (CTSC) Meeting

 Our next CTSC meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday 23 September 2026, from 11.00am–3.00pm.

The agenda and joining details will be shared shortly. We look forward to discussing our current and future studies together.

 BSBMTCT Education Day – Thursday 5 November 2026

We are looking forward to our next Education Day, which will be held on Thursday 5 November 2026.

The agenda is now available and registrations are open.

View the agenda and register here – Collaborative Conferences

 BSBMTCT Membership Invoices 2026

Thank you to everyone who has already paid their first membership invoice of £3,250.

All allograft centres will receive a second invoice of £2,200 during October 2026.

  Changes to staff emails and contacts

Please let us know if there have been any changes to your team or contact details so that we can keep our membership records up to date.

There is no limit to the number of staff members you can add to your BSBMTCT membership.

Please send any changes or additions to Alex Slade at alex@collaborativeconferences.co.uk.

 Your views are vital to us

BSBMTCT is a membership organisation, and our role is to listen to you, our members.

If you have any thoughts, ideas or anything else you would like to share with us, please do get in touch with Julia Lee at Julia.Lee@kcl.ac.uk and/or David Reynolds at David.1.Reynolds@kcl.ac.uk.

Dates for your Diary for 2026 and 2027

Our very best wishes, Deborah Richardson, Eduardo Olavarria, Fiona Dignan, Harpreet Kaur, Victoria Potter, David Reynolds & Julia Lee