Workshop on Immune Reconstitution after Stem Cell Transplantation

The purpose of this workshop is to review the uses of adoptive cellular immune therapy and methods available to evaluate the effects of these therapies. The success of hematopoietic transplants is dependent on the reconstitution of the donor's cellular immune response. Donor cellular immunity must be brisk enough to protect the host from viral infections and to prevent disease relapse, but not so brisk as to cause graft-versus-host disease. In some cases after transplant, the recipient is given either unmanipulated or manipulated donor lymphocytes to treat Epstein Barr virus (EBV) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection or induce a graft-versus-leukemia or graft-versus-tumor effect. In addition, some hematologic malignancies and other cancers are being treated with manipulated T cells or with cellular vaccines designed to induce tumor-directed cytotoxicity. While the use of the novel cellular transfusion products is expanding, the monitoring and assessment of these interventions has been inconsistent. This workshop will review current approaches to studying immune reconstitution after stem cell transplantation and identify areas of research in need of research support and development.

Time                                  Topic                                                                                         Speaker

8:00-8:10 a.m.                Welcome                                                                                        Liana Harvath

Biology of Immune Reconstitution                                                                              Moderator: H. Heslop

8:10-8:30 a.m.                Immunologic basis of the alloresponse                                              John Barrett

8:30-8:50 a.m.                B cell immune reconstitution after allogeneic transplants                     Jan Storek

8:50-9:10 a.m.                T cell immune reconstitution after allogeneic transplants                     Dan Douek

9:10-9:30 a.m.                Enhancing immune reconstitution after transplants with cytokines       Crystal Mackall

9:30-9:50 a.m.                Break

9:50-10:10 a.m.              Donor Th2 cells for the prevention of GvHD                                    Dan Fowler

10:10-10:30 a.m.            Suicide genes to prevent GvHD                                                       Richard O'Reilly

10:30-11:10 a.m.            Panel Discussion

Enhancing the Immune Response                                                                              Moderator: J. Barrett

11:10-11:30 a.m.             Immune therapy for EBV infections                                                 Helen Heslop

11:30-11:50 a.m.             Immune therapy for CMV disease                                                    H. Einsele

11:50-1:00 p.m.              Lunch

1:00-1:20 p.m.                Immune therapy for AML                                                                Jeff Molldrem

1:20-1:40 p.m.                Immune therapy for B cell malignancies                                           John Gribben

1:40-2:00 p.m.                Naked DNA modified T cells to treat lymphoma                              Mike Jensen

2:00-2:20 p.m.                NK allorecognition: biology and clinical application in transplants    Michael Caliguri

2:20-2:40 p.m.                Break

2:40-3:00 p.m.                Minor antigens and GvL                                                                  Stan Riddell

3:00-3:30 p.m.                Panel Discussion

Regulatory Issues                                                                                                         Moderator: E. J. Read

3:30-3:50 p.m.               What a cell processing lab can and can't do for immune therapy           Adrian Gee

3:50-4:10 p.m.                A regulatory approach to donor derived lymphocytes:
                                       Current considerations.                                                                      Ellen Lazarus

4:10-4:20 p.m.                A regulatory framework for manipulated cellular products                    Donald Fink

4:20-4:50 p.m.               Panel Discussion

To register, e-mail or telephone any of the following:

Liana Harvath, Ph.D., NHLBI harvathl@nhlbi.nih.gov, 301-435-0063

Traci Mondoro, Ph.D., NHLBI, mondorot@nhlbi.nih.gov, 301-435-0052

David Stroncek, M.D., CC DTM dstroncek@mail.cc.nih.gov