LENEXA, Kan., Feb. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mediware Information Systems, Inc., provider of Transtem®, a comprehensive cellular therapy software solution, and Save the Cord Foundation, will feature Michael Boo, J.D., Chief Strategy Officer of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) this month in its exclusive cellular therapy speaker series, "Share the Science." The series focuses on the latest advancements in cellular therapy presented by industry experts.
Michael Boo has been with NMDP since 2001, leading the development of its strategic vision and pursuing an expanded role for NMDP in transplantation and cellular therapies generally. One of his areas of responsibility has been to develop the cord blood program at NMDP. In that role, he has led a team that has worked with the leading cord blood banks and transplant centers to understand the business of public cord blood banking and use.
During this webinar, Boo will speak about building a more effective national inventory of publicly available cord blood units. Given the scarce resources and plateauing demand for unrelated cord blood transplants, a new approach to building the inventory must occur in order to assure high quality units are being banked and methods for maintaining this inventory are pursued.
"Public cord blood banking is at a critical point in time as pressure continues to build inventory while the demand for cord blood units has plateaued or fallen off," said Boo. "The current dynamic of rapidly building inventory has to change to one that focuses more on quality while maintaining diversity in the available registry."
Boo says this webinar will provide an extensive overview of how current cord blood inventory is being utilized for unrelated transplantations, how an effective inventory can be developed to address the needs for umbilical cord blood banking in transplantation while still maintaining the economic health of cord blood banks, and trends that may impact cord blood banking in the future.
The Share the Science with Michael Boo webinar will take place on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 2:00 p.m. EST. Register for free.
About Mediware's Transtem Solution
Mediware® is a leading provider of specialized healthcare solutions with more than four decades of experience developing and delivering innovative software designed to improve efficiencies and address safety concerns while decreasing costs. The Transtem software was designed by cellular therapy professionals to provide a comprehensive solution for cord blood banks, BMT centers, cell therapy labs, and regenerative medicine programs to collect, process, transfuse and track adult and cord blood stem cells used in the treatment of cancer and blood-related diseases. Transtem's unique laboratory and clinical capabilities operate as a comprehensive suite that seamlessly integrates donor, product and patient data, managing the full continuum of care and provide a 360-degree view of treatments and outcomes.
About Save the Cord Foundation
Save the Cord Foundation's vision is to make saving umbilical cord blood the standard of care in birthing hospitals across the US and around the globe. Save the Cord Foundation provides non-bias information to expectant parents and the public about the options for saving umbilical cord blood by public donation, private banking and donation to research. A nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, Save the Cord Foundation was established to create and expand cord blood education and create awareness for the need to preserve and share this valuable, lifesaving medical resource.