The foundations for the collaboration between the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit and the world-leading Johns Hopkins University Hospital of the USA were laid during the Medical Symposium organised by the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer on Friday 13 December 2019.
The subject of the Medical Symposium, with the participation of leading Johns Hopkins doctors and scientists in the field of Paediatric Haematology – Oncology of, as well as doctors from the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit, was: “Transplant of hematopoietic cells and latest cell therapies”.
In the framework of the Symposium, it was agreed that: 1) members of the medical and nursing staff of the Children’s Oncology Unit and Johns Hopkins will exchange visits as part of their continuous education; 2) there will be teleconferences between the two Hospitals to discuss difficult cases and 3) the Children’s Oncology Unit will participate in research programs conducted by Johns Hopkins.
The Symposium was opened by Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer ELPIDA, who noted: “I wish to thank the entire scientific team of Johns Hopkins University Hospital who are here today, joining forces with us in the difficult fight against childhood cancer. It is truly a great honour for our Hospital, and naturally for ELPIDA, to be collaborating with one of the largest and most important hospitals in the world. This collaboration opens up a new chapter for us and will contribute decisively to the new research programs and the improvement of the medical and nursing services which our Hospital provides to Greek society.”
Professor Donald Small, Director of the Division of Paediatric Oncology of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in his opening speech highlighted the high level of the health services offered by the Children’s Oncology Unit and congratulated the medical and nursing staff of the Unit on the work they do: “We are thrilled about this collaboration beginning between the two hospitals, because our common goal is to make this a better world for children with cancer. We are truly impressed with what your Hospital offers and the dedication of the medical and nursing staff. Everything you have accomplished within a relatively short time is impressive, and congratulations are in order. Our collaboration from now on will involve the exchange of knowledge, common protocols and training of doctors from Greece in research programs in our Hospital”.
In his speech Manolis Papasavvas, Director of the Agia Sofia and P&A Kyriakou Children’s Hospitals, talked about the importance of the continued support by Mrs Vardinoyannis and the ELPIDA Association for the Oncology Unit. He further elaborated on the benefits from the collaboration between the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis – Elpida’ Children’s Oncology Unit and the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Mrs Vassiliki Kitra, then presented in detail the history and work of the Transplant Unit, which is the sole purely paediatric Transplant Unit in the country, where more than 1,000 transplants have been performed to date in children. She further noted the decisive contribution of ELPIDA to this work.
The proceedings of the Symposium continued with speeches by scientists from both Hospitals. The main subject was the new methods for the transplant of haematopoietic cells and cell-gene therapy for the treatment of malignant and chronic childhood diseases. The main goal of the symposium was to present advanced therapies that focus on using incompatible haematopoietic grafts (haploidentical transplant), taken from the parents of the sick children when there is no compatible sibling donor. This technique was developed by the Johns Hopkins Center, and specialised scientists spoke on this subject.
Additionally, the most recent developments in the field of cell and gene therapy with genetically modified haematopoietic cells were discussed with the American scientists who have extensive experience in these areas.
The conclusions drawn at the end of the Symposium will contribute towards the adoption of these new therapies by the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit of the Agia Sofia Children’s Hospital.
The Symposium continued on Saturday, 14 December 2019, at the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit. (The full programme of the Symposium may be found attached).
The foundations for the collaboration between the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit and the world-leading Johns Hopkins University Hospital of the USA were laid during the Medical Symposium organised by the ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer on Friday 13 December 2019.
The subject of the Medical Symposium, with the participation of leading Johns Hopkins doctors and scientists in the field of Paediatric Haematology – Oncology of, as well as doctors from the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit, was: “Transplant of hematopoietic cells and latest cell therapies”.
In the framework of the Symposium, it was agreed that: 1) members of the medical and nursing staff of the Children’s Oncology Unit and Johns Hopkins will exchange visits as part of their continuous education; 2) there will be teleconferences between the two Hospitals to discuss difficult cases and 3) the Children’s Oncology Unit will participate in research programs conducted by Johns Hopkins.
The Symposium was opened by Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, President of the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer ELPIDA, who noted: “I wish to thank the entire scientific team of Johns Hopkins University Hospital who are here today, joining forces with us in the difficult fight against childhood cancer. It is truly a great honour for our Hospital, and naturally for ELPIDA, to be collaborating with one of the largest and most important hospitals in the world. This collaboration opens up a new chapter for us and will contribute decisively to the new research programs and the improvement of the medical and nursing services which our Hospital provides to Greek society.”
Professor Donald Small, Director of the Division of Paediatric Oncology of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in his opening speech highlighted the high level of the health services offered by the Children’s Oncology Unit and congratulated the medical and nursing staff of the Unit on the work they do: “We are thrilled about this collaboration beginning between the two hospitals, because our common goal is to make this a better world for children with cancer. We are truly impressed with what your Hospital offers and the dedication of the medical and nursing staff. Everything you have accomplished within a relatively short time is impressive, and congratulations are in order. Our collaboration from now on will involve the exchange of knowledge, common protocols and training of doctors from Greece in research programs in our Hospital”.
In his speech Manolis Papasavvas, Director of the Agia Sofia and P&A Kyriakou Children’s Hospitals, talked about the importance of the continued support by Mrs Vardinoyannis and the ELPIDA Association for the Oncology Unit. He further elaborated on the benefits from the collaboration between the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis – Elpida’ Children’s Oncology Unit and the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Mrs Vassiliki Kitra, then presented in detail the history and work of the Transplant Unit, which is the sole purely paediatric Transplant Unit in the country, where more than 1,000 transplants have been performed to date in children. She further noted the decisive contribution of ELPIDA to this work.
The proceedings of the Symposium continued with speeches by scientists from both Hospitals. The main subject was the new methods for the transplant of haematopoietic cells and cell-gene therapy for the treatment of malignant and chronic childhood diseases. The main goal of the symposium was to present advanced therapies that focus on using incompatible haematopoietic grafts (haploidentical transplant), taken from the parents of the sick children when there is no compatible sibling donor. This technique was developed by the Johns Hopkins Center, and specialised scientists spoke on this subject.
Additionally, the most recent developments in the field of cell and gene therapy with genetically modified haematopoietic cells were discussed with the American scientists who have extensive experience in these areas.
The conclusions drawn at the end of the Symposium will contribute towards the adoption of these new therapies by the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit of the Agia Sofia Children’s Hospital.
The Symposium continued on Saturday, 14 December 2019, at the ‘Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA’ Children’s Oncology Unit. (The full programme of the Symposium may be found attached).