Aleksandar Babic, MD, PhD

Saint Louis University (SLU)

Bone marrow transplantation is currently used as a treatment option for a variety of malignant and non-malignant diseases. The critical component of each bone marrow transplant graft are Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC). Currently, adult bone marrow and adult peripherally collected hematopoietic progenitor cells are two most frequently utilized source of HSC for transplantation. To achieve optimal engraftment and survival rates following allogeneic HSC transplantation high level of genetic compatibility between the donor and the recipient is required, which limits the pool of available donors for each transplant. To increase availability of HSC for transplantation, alternative sources of HSCs have been explored. Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) is one of such sources. Our research interest is in evaluation of outcomes of UCB transplantation achieved with units manufactured at St. Louis Cord Blood Bank.