Presentation Description:  The blood retained in the placenta after birth, cord blood, is a rich source of young blood-making stem cells which have been shown to be an excellent option for transplantation in children/young adults who do not have a sibling match.  This talk highlighted the key steps in the journey from birth of the cord blood donor to use in transplantation.

This presentation provided an overview of the biology of cord blood, issues related to cord blood banking – both private and public, and the use of cord blood as an alternative donor source in pediatric transplantation.

Speaker:

Donna Wall, MD
Director
Manitoba Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Winnipeg, MB