Senior Vice President, Children’s National Hospital

Dr. Catherine Bollard is the Senior Vice President & Chief Research Officer and the Dr. Robert J. and Florence T. Bosworth Distinguished Professor of Cancer and Transplantation Biology Research and the Director of the Center for Cancer and Immunology Research at Children’s National in Washington DC. She is also a Professor of Pediatrics and of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine at The George Washington University and the Associate Center Director for Translational Research and Innovation at the GW Cancer Center. Dr Bollard is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP). She is a past president of the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT), and the current President of the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). She is currently Editor in Chief of Blood Advances. Dr Bollard has >250 peer reviewed publications and has been independently NIH funded for over 15 years. Her bench and translational research focuses on improving outcomes for patients after transplant and on the development of novel cell therapies for cancer and virus-associated diseases.

Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg

Prof. Dr. Hermann Einsele is the chair of the department of Internal Medicine II which runs one of the largest stem cell transplantation programs in Germany (>250 SCT/year) and plays an active role in national and international clinical trial networks in cellular immunotherapy for cancer. Prof. Einsele pioneered the use of immunotherapy with selected T cells in Europe and currently focuses on the use of antibody- and cell-based immunotherapy to treat residual tumors and infections esp. in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. He is co-chair of the CRC/TR124 (Pathogenic fungi and their human host: Networks of interaction), PI of the EU-FP7 program NanoII, and coordinator of the EU-PF7 program T-Control and Era-Net PathogenoMics.

Prof. Einsele heads the clinical and translational research program on multiple myeloma in Würzburg. He chairs the Deutsche Studiengruppe Multiples Myelom (DSMM) including 40 centers in Germany and the Interdisciplinary Wilhelm Sander Therapy Unit for MM research and treatment at the CCCMF (Therapieeinheit Multiples Myelom: Risikoadaptierte Stratifizierung und interdisziplinäre Behandlung des Multiplen Myeloms). He is the speaker of the CRU216 (Characterization of the Oncogenic Signaling Network in Multiple Myeloma: Development of Targeted Therapies). In addition, he is an active member of the EU FP7 funded consortium Optatio (Interaction between myeloma cells and the microenvironment).

Sara Main is the Lead Nurse for Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, providing strategic and clinical leadership for the Wessex Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Programme. Practising at consultant level, she combines advanced clinical practice with research, education, service innovation and regional leadership to improve the delivery of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies.

Sara’s clinical interests include personalised supportive care, graft-versus-host disease and women’s health in the transplant setting. She is a national educator, invited speaker and advocate for advanced nursing practice, with a particular focus on the contribution of specialist nurses to improving patient outcomes and transforming cancer care.

Dr. Shade Otegbeye is an Attending Physician and Associate Professor with the Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) and the University of Washington School of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, in Seattle Washington. Her clinical practice is in hematopoietic cell transplant and cellular immunotherapy. She is the Facility / Scientific Director of the Therapeutic Products Program at Fred Hutch where she oversees the manufacture of immune effector cell products and other biologic agents for administration in a variety of clinical trials. She has research expertise in cellular immunotherapy, cell therapy product development and clinical manufacturing, cGMP operations, quality and regulation. She holds the Fleischauer Family Endowed Chair in Cell and Gene Therapy Translation at Fred Hutch.

Vice President of Research and Senior Scientific Director, CIBMTR NMDP

Stephen Spellman is the Vice President, Research in the CIBMTR and Clinical Services department at the NMDP and Sr. Scientific Director in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). He oversees the CIBMTR Immunobiology Research Program and is the Principal Investigator for the CIBMTR Research Repository. His research is focused on immunobiologic and immunogenetic factors that influence outcomes following hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy.

Professor of Haematology, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, University of Athens School of Medicine

Evangelos Terpos, MD, PhD is a Professor of Hematology and Director of Stem Cell Transplantation Unit in the Department of Clinical Therapeutics of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.

His research interests include the biology of bone disease in multiple myeloma (MM), the role of modern imaging (WBLDCT and DWI-MRI) for MM, the role of MRD and of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in MM. In the clinical research era, Dr Terpos is the PI in several investigator-initiated, phase 1/2 studies MM and has participated in most phase 3 studies with novel agents in the myeloma field, including ADCs, bispecific and trispecific antibodies. His research work was reported in more than 800 papers in peer-reviewed journals and Dr Terpos has more than 50,000 citations and an h-index of 105 in ISI/Web of Knowledge and more than 65,000 citations and an h-index of 121 in Google Scholar.

Dr Terpos is Councilor in the European Hematology Association (EHA) Board, Chair of the Supervisor Board of the EHA Foundation and member of the Board of the European Myeloma Network (EMN). He is co-chairing the Bone Sub-Committee of the International Myeloma Working Group, he is a member of the Guideline Committees of EHA and of EMN, and he is President of the Greek Myeloma Study Group. He is also a member of the Education and Publication Committees of the International Myeloma Society (IMS).

He has given lectures at ASH, ASCO, EHA, IMS and EMN annual meetings. He is Associate Editor of American Journal of Hematology and of Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia for Myeloma and member of the Editorial Board of HemaSphere and of Blood Cancer Journal.

George and Peggy Payne Distinguished Chair of Oncology; Professor, UNMC Division of Hematology; Director, Lymphoma Research Group

Dr. Julie Vose is an oncology and hematology physician and the director of the Lymphoma Research Group. Her personal research involves treating patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Her clinical areas of focus include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, cellular therapy, and pathway directed agents for treatment and clinical trial research.

Dr. Vose has been involved in oncology and hematology for more than 30 years and she had the honor of serving as the President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in 2016. She has published more than 400 manuscripts on the treatment of patients with lymphoma or related entities.

Clinical and Laboratory Staff Specialist Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Dr Edward Abadir is a clinical and laboratory Staff Specialist Haematologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney. He is Director of Cellular Therapies at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Co-Chair of the Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies Network for New South Wales.

His clinical and research interests focus on immunotherapy and cellular therapies for haematological malignancies, with a strong emphasis on advancing bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy programs and improving access to novel treatments for patients with blood cancers.

Advanced Dietitian in Cancer Care at RBWH and a Metro North Clinician Research Fellow

Dr Sarah Andersen (PhD, AdvAPD) is an advanced accredited practicing Dietitian who currently works as a Senior Bone Marrow Transplant Dietitian at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital as a Metro North Clinician Research Fellow. She has a strong interest in research investigating nutrition during cancer treatment and completed her PhD at the University of Queensland on nutrition support during allogeneic stem cell transplantation in 2021.

Consultant Haematologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Dr Mary Ann Anderson (MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD )is a foundation member of the CART haematologist consultant group at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre having joined the team at the inception of the unit in 2019. Mary Ann obtained her PhD from the University of Melbourne in 2017 where she undertook extensive clinical and laboratory studies of a novel approach to treating B cell malignancies by harnessing apoptotic cell death with the agent now known as venetoclax.

CAR-T Therapy & Lymphoma Survivor

Chantelle Asciak is a Melbourne-based business owner and patient advocate. In September 2022, after six months of misdiagnosis, she was diagnosed with Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma (PMLBCL) at the age of 32.

Her treatment journey included DA-R-EPOCH chemotherapy, RICE chemotherapy, Pembrolizumab immunotherapy and ultimately CAR-T cell therapy in May 2023. Following CAR-T, Chantelle underwent a pioneering robotic-assisted biopsy procedure that confirmed she was cancer-free.

Now approaching three years in remission, Chantelle is actively involved in patient advocacy through Arrow foundation, Lymphoma Australia and CAR-T patient advisory initiatives. She is passionate about sharing the patient perspective and highlighting the life-changing impact of cellular therapies on patients and their families.

Clinical and BMT Haematologist, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Associate Professor Ashish Bajel is a clinical and BMT Haematologist, at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He is the disease group co-lead for acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. He oversees the umbilical cord blood and haplo-identical stem cell transplant programs at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is a member of disease group committees in the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) and CIBMTR. He is actively involved in clinical and translational research aimed at developing new treatments for acute leukaemia and improving outcomes in allogeneic transplant.

Adam Bryant is a Senior Staff Specialist Haematologist at Liverpool Hospital in South Western Sydney (SWS) and a Conjoint Senior Lecturer with the University of New South Wales. He is the current President and NSW Councillor of the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand.

At Liverpool Hospital, Adam leads the Myeloma and Plasma Cell Disorders Unit and serves as Deputy Director of the Transplant and Cellular Therapies Unit, where he is overseeing the development of the hospital’s standard-of-care CAR-T cell program for myeloma.

Through the SWS Local Health District’s Haematology Clinical Research Unit, Adam has been Principal Investigator for numerous myeloma clinical trials, both industry-sponsored and collaborative. He is also a member of the Myeloma Working Party of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group and the Medical and Scientific Advisory Group (MSAG) of Myeloma Australia.

Group Leader of Cancer Therapies, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

Professor Rachel Conyers is a leading paediatric oncologist and clinician-scientist who heads the Cancer Therapies group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and serves as Director of the Children’s Cancer Centre at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. An internationally recognised expert in pharmacogenomics, she has pioneered research in rare toxicities and established the first adaptive platform trial in paediatric stem cell transplantation, BANDICOOT.

Senior Clinical Pharmacist (Haematology and Oncology), The Alfred Hospital

On completing the Master of Clinical Pharmacy (Monash University) in 2008, John Coutsouvelis took on the position of senior clinical pharmacist in oncology and haematology at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. His responsibilities include overseeing the provision of clinical pharmacy services to the medical oncology, radiotherapy, clinical haematology and bone marrow transplant units. In 2009, John was appointed as a senior clinical lecturer (adjunct) for Monash University, co-ordinating and contributing to various graduate programs offered from within the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. In November 2022, John completed his PhD evaluating the use of supportive care medicines in cancer treatment.

Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician, Austin and Eastern Health

Dr Genevieve Douglas serves as a Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician at Austin and Eastern Health in Melbourne. Her clinical expertise spans lymphoma and acute leukaemia management, with particular focus in allogeneic stem cell transplantation and AML. Providing care for patients as clinical lead for AML at Eastern Health, managing transplantation, and leading the haematology survivorship clinic at Austin Health, Dr. Douglas orchestrates comprehensive multidisciplinary care, ensuring continuity across the treatment and survivorship spectrum. Her current research includes a PhD investigating patient-defined success metrics in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, reflecting her commitment to advancing patient-centred outcomes in cellular therapy.

Registered Nurse, Community Leader & Stem Cell Donation Advocate

Mitch Eldridge is a Registered Nurse with a clinical background in cardiology and currently serves as a Service Manager within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, leading teams and supporting service delivery, workforce capability, and community outcomes across the Sunshine Coast region.

In addition to his healthcare career, Mitch holds a leadership role within the State Emergency Service (SES), reflecting his commitment to community service, emergency preparedness, and supporting resilient communities. He is also a passionate advocate for donation, volunteering as an Event Supervisor with Stem Cell Donors Australia and serving as a Donor Champion for Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.

Consultant Haematologist, The Alfred Hospital

Dr Sam Fiorenza (MBBS, PhD, BSc(Hons), MPH, FRACP, FRCPA) is a consultant haematologist at the Alfred Hospital, deputy director and medical lead of cell therapy at Epworth HealthCare in Melbourne and a senior postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Sydney with Prof Cameron Turtle. His interests include, expanding the gamut of possibilities that cell therapy can offer to patients with haematological malignancies, the health economics of CART cell therapy and the microbiome during stem cell transplant therapy. Sam holds a PhD in cellular immunotherapy and a Master of Public Health. Sam also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship funded by The Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand in CART at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle, USA.

Head of Myeloid Diseases Service, Alfred Health

Associate Professor Shaun Fleming is the head of the Myeloid Diseases Service at Alfred Health and a conjoint associate professor at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases at Monash University. He has a particular interest in acute leukaemia and cellular therapies and leads the leukaemia trial program at The Alfred. His research interests include clinical trials, measurable residual disease monitoring and application of machine learning and artificial intelligence to the prognostication and classification of blood disorders.

President, ANZTCT

Professor Nada Hamad (BSc, MSc Forensic (hons), MBBS (hons), FRACP, FRCPA, SpeCetClinRes (Onc)) is a senior staff specialist bone marrow transplant, cellular therapies (TCT), clinical and laboratory haematologist at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. She is President of Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies and chairs a number of national and international committees in the field of TCT. She is a Conjoint Prof at the University of New South Wales Sydney and Adjunct Prof at University of Notre Dame Australia. Her clinical research interests are in malignant haematology and TCT. Nada is also an intersectional feminist with an academic interest in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in medicine and holds a number of national and international EDI leadership positions.

Consultant Haematologist and Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapies Physician, Christchurch Hospital

Dr Min-Hi Han BSc, BBiomedSc (Hons), MBBS (Hons), FRACP is a Consultant Haematologist and Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapies Physician at Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.

She has expertise across malignant and benign haematology. She completed Advanced Haematology training across Australia and New Zealand, including at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Christchurch Hospital, followed by a Stem Cell Transplant Fellowship at Auckland City Hospital and a Visiting Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston).

Min-Hi is Chair of the ANZ Donor Special Interest Group (SIG), which works to strengthen donor selection, access and outcomes for patients undergoing stem cell transplantation across Australia and New Zealand. Her clinical and research interests include graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), survivorship, and improving equity of access to stem cell transplantation. She has presented her work at national and international meetings including HSANZ, ANZTCT and the International Chronic GVHD Symposium, and is committed to collaborative, evidence-based care that supports long-term patient outcomes and quality of life.

Clinical Haematologist, Princess Alexandra Hospital

Dr Sasanka Handunnetti is a clinical haematologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Brisbane. She has an ongoing clinical and translational research interest in CLL and indolent B cell lymphomas, with a focus on novel therapeutic combinations.

Staff Specialist, Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Associate Professor Andrea Henden (BSc, MBBS (Hons), FRACP, FRCPA, PhD) is a clinical Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Brisbane and a holder of a Metro North Clinician Research Fellowship. She has a clinical interest in transplantation and cellular therapies, and their infectious complications. Andrea is also a research officer in the Translational Cancer Immunotherapy Laboratory at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. Her research focuses on transplant immunology and current active projects include cellular therapies for COVID-19 and other infections, and the role of the microbiome on T cell function in the context of transplantation. She is the Principal Investigator on a number of Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials bringing novel immunotherapies to the clinic, with a focus toward treating complications of bone marrow transplantation.

Previous Head of Haematology, Prince of Wales Hospital and University of NSW, Sydney

Professor Mark Hertzberg MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA is an immediate previous Head of Clinical Haematology at Prince of Wales Hospital and University of NSW, Sydney. He is a past President of HSANZ (Haematology Society Australia New Zealand); a previous Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the ALLG (Australasian Leukaemia Lymphoma Group) and ALLG High Grade Lymphoma Group; a current ALLG Board Member; an HSANZ Pitney Travelling Fellow. His research interests are in the areas of lymphoma, clinical trials, molecular monitoring of blood cancers. He received his Order of Australia in January 2022 for services to Haematology research and education.

Quality Manager – Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Fiona Stanley Hospital

Celeste Hill has been Quality Manager for the Fiona Stanley Hospital Blood and Marrow Transplant Program in Western Australia since 2015, developing and preparing the Program inclusive of collection facilities and onsite Processing Laboratory to achieve FACT Accreditation in 2019. Celeste has a background as a BMT Scientist working in Haematology for the last 19 years with primary focus in bone marrow transplant and cellular therapies over the last 11 years.

Celeste is passionate about quality improvement in cellular therapies and encouraging connection and collaboration within the cellular therapy community in Australia.

Clinical Professor, University of Sydney and Senior Staff Specialist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Professor Joy Ho FRACP, FRCPA is Professor and Alan Ng Chair in Haematology at the University of Sydney, and Head of Department and Director of Research at the Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH), Sydney. She is Clinical Lead of the Haematology CAR-T Program, Head of the Myeloma Unit at RPAH, and Founding Director of the Sydney Blood Cancer Research Institute.

She is a leading clinician-scientist in blood cancers and cellular therapies, with extensive experience in translating novel CAR-T, myeloma and lymphoma therapies into clinical trials in Australia. She also heads the RPA Thalassaemia Unit, which delivered Australia’s first gene therapy trial.

Joy has held major national and international leadership roles, including President of the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ), and senior positions within the International Myeloma Society, Myeloma Australia, the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG), and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). She also holds leadership roles within the American Society of Hematology (ASH), including international committee positions.

Her contributions have been recognised through numerous awards, including the HSANZ Carl de Gruchy Oration, Albert Baikie Memorial Medal and Kanematsu Memorial Award. She has authored widely cited publications in myeloma, lymphoma, cellular immunotherapy and haemoglobinopathies.

Lead Pharmacist – Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, St Vincent’s Health Network, Sydney

Dr Karim Ibrahim is a Senior Clinical Pharmacist with over 15 years of leadership experience in haematology and bone marrow transplantation. He holds a Doctor of Clinical Pharmacy from the University of Queensland and specialises in the management of haematological and oncological malignancies, with a focus on supportive care in bone marrow transplantation, infectious diseases, and HIV-related cancers.

He is a Conjoint Senior Lecturer at the St Vincent’s Healthcare Clinical Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Medicine and Health, and is actively involved in education and mentoring of pharmacy and clinical trainees. His work spans clinical practice, teaching, and service development in complex haematology and transplant settings.

Social Worker, Metro North Health, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Georgia Janas is a social worker specialising in haematology and bone marrow transplant services at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She works within the Haematology and BMT Department, supporting patients and families navigating complex and often prolonged treatment pathways.

Her clinical focus is on psychosocial care in oncology and haematology settings, with particular attention to distress, caregiver burden, and the long-term emotional and practical impacts of stem cell transplantation. She is committed to improving holistic care through multidisciplinary collaboration and earlier identification of patient and family needs throughout the treatment journey.

Clinical Haematologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital

Associate Professor Amit Khot is a clinical haematologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he is Stream Lead for Myeloma and Autologous Transplant and Co-Lead of Clinical Research within the Barrie Dalgleish Centre for Myeloma and Related Blood Cancers.

He trained in Internal Medicine in India and the United Kingdom, where he became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians, and completed specialist training in laboratory and clinical haematology in London, obtaining Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists. He subsequently undertook a clinical research fellowship in early phase clinical trials in cell therapies and myeloma at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

Amit has extensive experience in clinical trials and translational research across myeloma, lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cell therapies. He has authored publications in leading international journals and presented widely at national and international conferences. His current research interests include novel therapeutics, immunotherapies, and improving outcomes in high-risk haematologic malignancies, with active collaborations in prehabilitation and supportive care.

Clinical Nurse Consultant, Myeloma, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Tracy King PhD, MN, RN is Clinical Nurse Consultant for Multiple Myeloma at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She has over 35 years’ experience in blood cancer and bone marrow transplant nursing, with more than 25 years dedicated to supporting people living with myeloma and their families.

Tracy provides specialist clinical guidance, education and supportive care across the patient journey, from diagnosis through to long-term management. Her research focuses on improving patient experience, particularly the impact of high-dose steroids and the use of patient-reported outcomes to guide care.

She holds a Master of Nursing (Leadership) and a PhD and is actively involved in national and international myeloma nursing and advocacy groups. She is also undertaking further studies to expand her scope of practice as a Nurse Practitioner.

Professor, Deakin University, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

Professor Nicole Kiss APD, PhD, AdvAPD, FDietitian leads a research program focused on improving the recognition and management of cancer-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) and malnutrition. She is the lead investigator of the EPICCS (Establishing Pathways to Improved Care for Cancer-related Sarcopenia) program, which is developing and implementing screening tools for sarcopenia across clinical services and policy settings.

Nicole has secured more than $18M in competitive research funding, led the development of two clinical guidelines, and authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications. She was recognised as a Victorian Young Tall Poppy in 2022.

She is a Fellow of Dietitians Australia and a clinician-academic specialising in nutrition and cancer. She is Deputy Director of the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University and co-leads the Exercise and Nutrition for Cancer research group.

Lymphoma Care Nurse, Lymphoma Australia

Emily Knights has ten years of experience as a haematology nurse, specialising in lymphoma clinical trials. Most recently, she worked at Barwon Health’s Cancer Services Trials Unit in Geelong, where she led lymphoma studies investigating new treatments, including bispecific antibodies. In this role, she supported regional Victorian patients and their families through every stage of trial participation—helping them understand treatment options and ensuring compassionate, evidence-based care.

Emily completed her graduate certificate in Cancer and Haematology Nursing while working as an inpatient and outpatient nurse at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. She was then employed as a research nurse with the Parkville Cancer Clinical Trials Unit where she gained experience coordinating early-phase lymphoma and CAR-T therapy trials. She continues to share her expertise through education, publications, and conference presentations. Emily is passionate about bridging research and patient care to bring the latest lymphoma treatments to those who need them most.

Chief Executive Officer, Arrow Foundation

Richelle Koller (BBA, CA) is the Chief Executive Officer of Arrow Foundation (“Arrow”). With over a decade of leadership in the charitable sector, Richelle has a deep passion for not-for-profit causes and a wealth of charitable experience. In addition to her role as CEO, Richelle also serves as the Company Secretary on the Arrow board. In this capacity, she upholds the highest standards of governance, ensuring that Arrow operates with integrity and transparency. Richelle’s professional journey has shaped her particular interest in managing growing organisations. Her extensive experience and skills enable her to devise and implement strategic plans, leveraging her expertise to turn organisational visions into reality.

Paediatric oncology clinician-researcher, Children’s Health Queensland

Dr Rachael Lawson is a paediatric oncology clinician-researcher at Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service and an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland. Her research focuses on optimising drug dosing to individualise treatment and improve outcomes for children with cancer, with particular expertise in pharmacogenomics, therapeutic drug monitoring and model-informed precision dosing in paediatric oncology and stem cell transplantation.

Haematologist, Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals

Associate Professor Cindy Lee is a haematologist at the Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals, where she is the co-lead of the myeloma program. She trained in Perth followed by an EBMT fellowship in targeted radiotherapy in Myeloma in the UK. She is a member of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Group (MSAG) for Myeloma Australia, International Myeloma Society, the writing committees for the Centre for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Registry (CIBMTR) and the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (WBMT), as well as the myeloma scientific working group for the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG).

Haematologist and stem cell transplant physician, Auckland City Hospital

Dr Clinton Lewis MD, FRCPC, FRACP is a haematologist and stem cell transplant physician at Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand. Originally from rural Alberta, Canada, he completed his MD at the University of Calgary, haematology training at McMaster University, and a clinical fellowship in stem cell transplantation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Since relocating to New Zealand, Clinton has taken an active role in regional and national transplant planning and service development within Aotearoa New Zealand. His clinical and research interests include stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis and other myeloid diseases, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and advancing transplant systems and standards. He is also involved in coordinating the FACT programme at Auckland City Hospital.

Clinical Haematologist, Eastern Health and Alfred Hospital

Dr Olga Motorna is a clinical haematologist and Myeloma Lead at Box Hill Hospital. She also holds consultant appointments at the Alfred Hospital, Epworth Healthcare, and the Eastern Haematology and Oncology Group.

Olga obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Hope College in Michigan, and following a year of research at the Van Andel Cancer Research Institute, she moved to Ireland where she completed her medical degree at Trinity College Dublin. She relocated to Melbourne in 2012 and undertook her physician and specialist haematology training at Monash Health and the Alfred Hospital. She went on to complete a PhD at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, investigating mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in multiple myeloma, and was awarded an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship and the HSANZ New Investigator Scholarship. Olga combines her passion for patient-centered care with a strong commitment to research, serving as principal investigator on numerous myeloma and amyloidosis clinical trials.

Associate Professor Carmel O’Brien is the Chief Scientific Officer for the national allogeneic donor registry, Stem Cell Donors Australia. Carmel brings extensive scientific experience in stem cell research and advanced biomedical technologies, and executive leadership roles encompassing public health, start-up tech, enterprise industry, Governments, and not-for-profit sectors. Carmel holds an adjunct appointment with the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (Monash University), is a former Board Director of ABMDR, and a current Director with Fight Cancer Foundation. She is current co-Chair for the ANZTCT/Stem Cell Donors Australia Donor Special Interest Group and the registry’s representing member to the ANZTCT Scientific Committee.

Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Haematology Service, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital

Yvonne Panek-Hudson (RN.MN. GradDip Cancer Nursing) is a Nurse Practitioner in the clinical haematology service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & the Royal Melbourne Hospital, clinical lead for the Allogeneic BMT long term follow up service & Associate director of nursing for haematology & medical oncology. Yvonne has a special interest in late effects experienced by patients after Allogeneic BMT, particularly screening, risk reduction and supporting self-management. Yvonne is also interested in sexual health issues, chronic graft versus host disease and post-transplant rehabilitation. Yvonne has led and been involved in research studies focussing on innovative shared care models of long term follow up and strategies to optimise post transplant recovery including exercise programs. She has completed a research study supported by the VCCC nursing research hub that explored facilitators and barriers to transitioning from paediatric to adult long term follow up. Professionally, Yvonne is passionate about the development of nurse-led models of care and the implementation and professional development of specialist nursing roles.

Haematologist and Stem Cell Transplant Physician, Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre

Dr Travis Perera (MBChB, FRACP, FRCPA) is a Haematologist and Stem Cell Transplant Physician at the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre. After completing training in New Zealand in 2013, he undertook a bone marrow transplant (BMT) fellowship at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, focussing on biomarkers in graft versus host disease and post-transplant relapse prevention. Travis returned to Wellington, New Zealand in 2018, where he now leads the Acute Leukaemia disease group and co-leads BMT. Travis is actively involved in clinical research and is current chair of the NZ Haematology Research group, Principal investigator on a number of clinical trials, and the New Zealand representative on the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma group Scientific Advisory Committee. He is passionate about improving drug access for New Zealanders and co-leads the ALLG NZ Medicines Access Committee, which has this as its primary aim.

Clinical/Laboratory Haematology Advanced Trainee Haematology, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Biography coming soon

Staff Specialist in Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead

Dr Madeleine Powys is a paediatric haematologist, oncologist and bone marrow transplant (BMT) clinician based at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and the University of Sydney. She works across clinical care, clinical trials and translational research in childhood cancers, with a particular focus on haematology, cellular therapy and advanced therapeutics.

Madeleine completed her medical degree at the University of Melbourne and specialist training in paediatric haematology and oncology in Australia, with clinical experience across major tertiary centres including Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She is involved in BMT and stem cell transplantation services and contributes to clinical research programs and trial development in paediatric oncology and cellular therapies.

BMT Physician and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist and Director of WA Paediatric & Adolescent TCT Program, Perth Children’s Hospital

Dr Shanti Ramachandran (MBBS, MD (Masters Degree), FRACP) has been a Blood and Marrow Transplant Physician and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Perth Children’s Hospital, Western Australia (WA) and has been the Clinical Program Director of WA Paediatric and Adolescent Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program since 2018. She is the Deputy Chair of the national Transplantation and Cellular Therapy in Children subgroup of Australia and New Zealand Children’s Haematology Oncology Group. Shanti is a senior lecturer at the School of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia. She is an active member of the transplantation and Primary Immunodeficiency (TAPID) group, ANZTCT and HSANZ nationally and internationally the CIBMTR (committee member for non-malignant disease), PTCTC (committee member of Late effects Strategy Group and Non-malignant Strategy Group (Inborn Error of Immunity), Children Oncology Group (COG) for various clinical trials, committee member for COG HSCT/immunology Late Effects Taskforce, ASTCT (Paediatric Cancer Working Group), Asia Pacific BMT group.

Deputy Director of Clinical Haematology and Head of the BMT Service, the RMH and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Director of the ACRF Translational Research Laboratory, the RMH

Professor David Ritchie MBChB, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA is Deputy Director of Clinical Haematology and Head of the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Service at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Director of the ACRF Translational Research Laboratory at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology at the University of Melbourne.

David leads the MRV Centre for Research Excellence in Bone Marrow Biology and has supervised more than 20 higher degree students. His research focuses on the immunology and immunotherapy of blood cancers, allogeneic transplantation, and bone marrow failure. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications and is an active contributor and reviewer for leading journals including Blood, Blood Advances, Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cell.

He is a past President of the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand and past Deputy Chair of the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group, with extensive international presentations across ASH, EHA and EBMT meetings.

Senior Clinical Pharmacist – Haematology, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Phil Selby has been a senior clinical pharmacist with the acute leukaemia and bone marrow transplant service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital since 2018 and has worked as a clinical pharmacist in the hospital setting in South Australia since 2010. In 2024, he completed his PhD on the prevention and management of cytomegalovirus and fungal infections in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. His specific interests include infections in patients with haematological malignancies, therapeutic drug monitoring, management of acute leukaemia’s and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. He is also currently working at the University of South Australia as a Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy Practice.

Clinical Equity Lead Te Whatu Ora Waikato, Te Manawa Taki region and Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Agency

As a Clinical Equity Lead, Clinical Haematologist, cancer researcher and current PhD student with the University of Auckland, Dr Myra Ruka has shown leadership in advancing Māori Health Equity and Kaupapa Māori led practices in tertiary healthcare services and cancer research.

Through her roles as co-chair of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato Clinical Equity Leadership, Waikato Clinical Procedures Committee and member of the Board of Clinical Governance Myra has provided strategic direction and led local and regional service planning efforts, resulting in significant equity gain. She co-led the design and implementation of a Kaupapa Māori service at Te Whatu Ora Waikato working collaboratively with Māori leaders, kaimānaki (patient navigators), patients, whānau (family) and the organisation, to address waitlist inequities in planned care services.

She serves as a board member of Hei Ahuru Mowai (Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa) and is the Clinical Equity Lead at Te Aho o Te Kahu (The Cancer Agency).

Myra’s leadership is also evident in her current PhD research project, co-designing and implementing a Māori led Cancer service in Te Whatu Ora Waikato. Her commitment to advancing equity and culturally safe practices in cancer research is further demonstrated through collaboration with Cancer Trials New Zealand and Hei Ahuru Mowai and her role as equity research advisor for CAR-T cell therapy research at the Malaghan Institute, Wellington.

Chief Executive Officer, Stem Cell Donors Australia

Lisa Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Stem Cell Donors Australia. She spent a decade as a senior executive in Australia’s National E-Health Transition Authority and brings a wealth of experience in working with government and stakeholders to fund and deliver collaborative outcomes. In her various roles across both government and the private sector, Lisa has directed national implementation programs, and has led strategy and business development functions, as well as stakeholder engagement and communications.

Head of Malignant Haematology, Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Service, The Alfred Hospital

Professor Andrew Spencer MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA is Head of the Malignant Haematology, Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Service at The Alfred Hospital, Professor of Haematology at Monash University, and Head of the Myeloma Research Group (MRG) in Melbourne, Australia. An internationally recognised leader in multiple myeloma research, he established a major translational research program and early phase haematology clinical trials unit at The Alfred, with more than 140 open trials and 400 registered patients.

Professor Spencer has authored more than 320 peer-reviewed publications with over 32,000 citations and is a frequent invited speaker at international meetings on genomics, therapeutics and disease monitoring in multiple myeloma. He chairs the ANZ Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (MRDR) and the APAC MRDR, founded the Australasian Myeloma Research Consortium (AMaRC), and serves on the advisory boards of the International Myeloma Foundation, International Myeloma Working Group and European Myeloma Network.

Head of Lymphoma Service, Alfred Health

Professor Constantine (Con) Tam MBBS (Hons), MD, FRACP, FRCPA is Head of the Lymphoma Service at Alfred Health and Professor of Haematology at Monash University. Following dual training in Haematology and Haematopathology, he completed a Leukaemia Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Prior to joining Alfred Health, he served for more than a decade as Disease Group Lead for Low Grade Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Con is internationally recognised for his leadership in developing novel therapies for blood cancers. He was the global lead for the BTK inhibitor zanubrutinib, overseeing its development from first-in-human studies in Melbourne through to international registration trials. He also designed and led the first global study combining ibrutinib and venetoclax, with results published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In 2015, he became the Australian lead investigator for the pivotal tisagenlecleucel CAR T-cell study in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, contributing to public funding of CAR T-cell therapy in Australia.

Con has authored more than 240 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Journal of Clinical Oncology and Blood. His work has been cited more than 17,000 times, and he currently serves as Lymphoma Editor for Blood Advances.

Clinician scientist – Haematology, BMT and Cell Therapy, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Associate Professor Siok Tey is a clinician scientist. She is a senior staff specialist in haematology and bone marrow transplantation at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She is also Clinical Director of Genetically Modified Cellular Therapies, overseeing their research and clinical implementation within Cancer Care Services.

Siok trained in clinical and laboratory haematology in Brisbane before undertaking a research fellowship at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine (USA), followed by a PhD in anti-viral T-cell immunity and a post-doctorate in bone marrow transplant immunology, both at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. She is currently a Laboratory Head at QIMRB Berghofer, where her research interests are the development of novel cellular therapies and their translation into clinical trial and implementation.

Siok was the Brisbane lead for the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence – Centre for Blood Transplant and Cell Therapy (2018 – 2022). She served as Co-Chair of the Stem Cell Transplant Working Party of the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG, 2023- 2026). She is the current Australia/New Zealand Regional Vice President of the International Society of Cell and Gene Therapy (2026 – 28). She has served on the Editorial Board of Blood Advances. She has published in leading journals including New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Science, Nature Immunology, Lancet Oncology and Blood.

Honorary Conjoint Principal Fellow, The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Associate Professor Philip Thompson MBBS, FRACP is a clinical haematologist specialising in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), lymphoma and cellular therapies. He is internationally recognised for his leadership in clinical trials and translational research investigating novel targeted therapies, immunotherapies and CAR T-cell approaches for blood cancers, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for patients with relapsed and refractory disease.

Clinical haematologist and NHMRC Clinical Fellow, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital

Professor Andrew Wei (MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FRCPA) is a clinical haematologist, haematopathologist and NHMRC Clinical Fellow specialising in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital. He also holds a joint appointment as the Metcalf Family Fellow and Laboratory Head in Blood Cells and Blood Cancer at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, where his research focuses on novel venetoclax combinations and mechanisms of resistance in AML.

Andrew completed his medical degree at University of Melbourne and his PhD at WEHI, investigating apoptosis in blood cancers. He has chaired the Acute Leukaemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Working Party of the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group since 2009 and is internationally recognised for his leadership in AML clinical trials, particularly targeting TP53-mutated disease and measurable residual disease (MRD). He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and serves on international advisory boards and editorial boards including Blood and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Clinical Nurse Consultant, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Ashley Whitechurch (RN, BN, Dip Onc.) is a Clinical Nurse Consultant with expertise in indolent lymphoma, chronic leukaemia and myeloproliferative neoplasms. She has extensive experience working within haematology in both a regional and remote setting. She is passionate about nurse led care and nurse led research in the area of novel and oral therapies.

Executive Director, ANZTCT Registry

Leonie Wilcox (RN,MN, BSc) has been the manager of the Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies Registry (formerly ABMTRR) since 2006. Over this time, she has seen its growth and development as a clinical quality registry, acquisition of Commonwealth funding and inclusion of the national CAR-T registry. She has a passion for accurate data as the backbone for clinical quality monitoring and improvement and continues to support the TCT community in achieving its goals in providing high quality data driven care.

Professor Erica Wood AO (MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, FAHMS) is a Haematologist, Head of the Transfusion Research Unit and Co-Director of the Division of Acute & Critical Care in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. She is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow and leads major national research programs focused on transfusion medicine and optimising immunoglobulin use. Her group also manages Australian and New Zealand national registries for myeloma, lymphoma and related diseases.

Erica consults at Monash Health and holds an honorary appointment at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Internationally recognised for her leadership in blood safety and haemovigilance, she chairs the World Health Organization Advisory Group on Blood Regulation, Availability & Safety and has held senior leadership roles with the International Society of Blood Transfusion, the International Haemovigilance Network and the Australian & NZ Society of Blood Transfusion. She previously chaired the TGA’s Advisory Committee on Biologicals and is a member of the Commonwealth HPC Sector Clinical Advisory Group.

In 2023, Erica was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to transfusion medicine, haemovigilance and haematology, and elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

Head of Haematology, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Professor David Yeung (BSc (Med), MBBS (Hons), FRACP, FRCPA, PhD) is the head of haematology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor at the Adelaide Medical School; and SA Cancer Council Beat Cancer Project Clinical Investigator at the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute. David received his haematology and BMT training in Sydney, before completing his PhD studies in Adelaide on the optimal use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) as targeted therapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). David’s clinical research portfolio as principal investigator include several frontline TKI studies conducted through the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group. He is a board director of Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies.