Challenges of cell collections for cell therapy manufacturing: what do we want in the bag?

Sandeep Soni, MD has 16 years’ experience in management of patients undergoing stem cell transplants, with hemoglobinopathies and bone marrow failure as niche areas of expertise. He is experienced in the design, management and regulatory requirements for multi-center gene-therapy trials and Phase I studies and is well acquainted with immune effector cell therapies and alternative donor HSCT options.

Dr Soni is actively involved with ASTCT, ISCT and FACT. He is currently co-chair of ISCT’s immune cell and gene therapy committee. Dr Soni’s previous affiliations include the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University and bluebird bio, Inc.

Melinda Caltabiano joined Dendreon in 2017 as Director of Apheresis Operations overseeing Dendreon’s expansive apheresis collection network throughout the United States. She ensures patients have convenient access to cell collection in their communities to facilitate their cancer treatment. She is also partnering with her Dendreon colleagues in China to help grow their apheresis network and bring Dendreon’s life-extending cancer treatment to Asia for men suffering from prostate cancer. Prior to joining Dendreon, Catalbiano spent more than 20 years at New York Blood Center as Director of Clinical Services.

She also served in the United States Peace Corps in Slovakia for two years working on local environmental projects and youth development programs. Currently, she serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for Be The Match and sits on the Diversity and Healthcare Disparities Advisory Group. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College and a master’s degree in public administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.