Editorial article

Summary

Dear CTT authors and readers,

The initial design for this issue of Cellular Therapy and Transplantation (CTT) was prepared by the Editor-in-Chief, Professor Boris V. Afanasyev who untimely passed away on March 16, 2020. The CTT edition was one of his priorities, which made the journal a recognizable tool of international cooperation, a forum for discussing the most difficult clinical issues and challenging aspects of oncology, hematology, stem cell transplantation, and relevant areas of immunology, molecular biology, cellular and gene therapy.

A wide range of problems highlighted in CTT since 2008, was determined by integrative role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) which applies multidisciplinary diagnostic approaches to improve safety and efficiency of the procedure. This progress in HSCT is based on huge number of new fundamental data obtained in adjacent fields of biology and medicine, then translated into clinical achievements. Now we are more informed about the mechanisms underlying the development of all severe clinical situations in which hematopoietic cell transplants are performed, including leukemias, lymphomas, other conditions with clonal hematopoiesis, bone marrow failure syndromes, immune deficiencies, autoimmune disorders, hereditary diseases. Molecular biology studies enabled us to detect marker genes which could be used for improved diagnostics and risk stratification of the patients.

New options of targeted pharmacological control and immunotherapy permitted us more accurately determine indications for HSCT, thus increasing survival and minimizing possible adverse effects from the treatment. Therefore, the scientific priorities and topics of CTT journal represent a response to the growing needs for new knowledge, wide and effective interdisciplinary interaction.

An essential feature and advantage of the journal is the coverage of new clinical data in both pediatric and adult patients. A constant exchange of knowledge and comparative experience gained in seek children and adults, is mutually enriching and absolutely necessary when assessing the role of age factor in clinical oncology, hematology and hematopoietic cell transplantation. This is another notable tradition which stems from the history of founding and development of Raisa Gorbacheva Memorial Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation established at the Pavlov University in 2007.

The journal is a permanently developing edition, and it presents the whole range of scientific publications – scientific reviews, original clinical and experimental studies, guidelines, and descriptions of rare clinical observations. Among CTT authors, you will always find widely known experts covering major theoretical and clinical problems, along with young researchers and clinicians who focus on their individual topics. This principle is one of the key CTT traditions established by Professor Boris V. Afanasyev, who attached great importance to continuity of generations in fundamental research and clinical practice.

CTT journal traditionally highlights and publishes abstracts of the Raisa Gorbacheva Memorial Meeting Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Gene and Cellular Therapy. Over 14 years, the Symposium has become a renowned scientific forum in the field of blood cancer treatment and hematopoietic cell transplantation. This year, our symposium will take place with the active use of online format on a specially developed platform with virtual and real participation of leading Russian and foreign experts in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy. Despite a required social distancing and difficulties of the face-to-face participation, we again expect a large audience and interesting scientific discussions.

During these hard times for the medical community, the editors wish good health to all our readers and authors, and, especially, faster overcoming the pandemic, hoping for opportunities of future scientific meetings, as well as discussing new experimental data and current clinical problems of hematology, transplantation and adjacent research fields on the pages of Cellular Therapy and Transplantation.