On March 30, the city of Florence—birthplace of the Renaissance—welcomed the grand opening of the 51st Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT 2025). As one of the most influential global events in hematology, this year’s Annual Meeting brought together over 5,000 experts and scholars from around the world to explore the latest advances in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy.On the opening day, Hematology Frontier had the honor of speaking with Professor Jun Ma, Director of the Harbin Institute of Hematology and Oncology. In this exclusive interview, in this exclusive interview, Prof Ma highlights the key themes of the Annual Meeting, China’s growing presence on the international stage, and the disruptive potential of AI, while offering an insightful perspective on the future of hematopoietic transplantation in China.Hematology Frontier: Prof. Ma, welcome back to the EBMT Annual Meeting. What are your impressions this year? Are there any highlights that Chinese experts should pay particular attention to?
Prof. Jun Ma: This marks our fourth time attending the EBMT Annual Meeting since the pandemic, and it’s the largest edition yet. According to official figures and the EBMT Annual Meeting Chair, more than 5,800 participants attended this year’s event. The size of the Chinese delegation has also grown significantly—roughly one to two times larger than in previous years. Nearly 100 Chinese experts registered, and over 80 attended in person. Chinese researchers contributed to around 20% of the oral and poster presentations at the Annual Meeting.
The EBMT Chair made a special point of acknowledging China’s integration into the global scientific community—especially highlighting China’s outstanding contributions to CAR-T cell therapy. In this area, China now stands alongside Europe and the U.S. as a major force on the international stage. Naturally, CAR-T cell therapy has become one of the key topics at this year’s meeting.
At present, we are focusing on three major categories of advanced therapies:
- Cell Therapy, including autologous CAR-T, allogeneic CAR-T, universal CAR-T, as well as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapies.
- Gene Therapy, which has evolved from early retroviral vectors (RV) and transgenic technologies to the current highly anticipated mRNA platforms. Gene therapy is playing an increasingly prominent role in the treatment of hematologic diseases, cancers, and rare disorders.
- Stem Cell Therapy, which has seen over 4,000 clinical trials conducted globally. However, only a small proportion have reached routine clinical application. While stem cells are not a panacea, their use in rare diseases and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is becoming more established. In other areas, more robust research is still needed. At this Annual Meeting, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains a central theme, but applications such as joint repair, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, and anti-aging are also discussed.
Historically, EBMT’s primary focus has been hematopoietic stem cell transplantation—including fully matched, haploidentical, autologous, and cord blood transplantation. In recent years, however, cell and gene therapies have taken center stage, forming what is now widely referred to as CGT (Cell, Gene, and Stem Cell Therapy). Notably, cell therapy-related content accounts for over 20% of this year’s program.
Under the leadership of Academician Xiaojun Huang and the “Beijing Protocol,” stem cell transplantation in China has entered a new era where “a donor exists for every patient.” Each year, more than 100,000 transplants are performed globally, offering curative potential for diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and other hematologic malignancies.
In the realm of cell and gene therapy, the United States has approved 13 CAR-T products and nearly 40 CGT-related drugs. China has approved 6 CAR-T products, and the momentum is rapidly building. We anticipate new regulatory review procedures and guidance documents to be released later this year. Attendance at this year’s meeting has increased by more than 30%, largely due to the heightened focus on cell and gene therapy.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is now moving in lockstep with advances in CGT. This year’s Annual Meeting has drawn clinicians, basic scientists, biotech executives, and translational medicine experts alike, all driven by a shared interest in pushing the boundaries of modern medicine.
In short, China has become an integral part of the global community. Strengthening international collaboration is not only essential to advancing medical science in China—it is also a meaningful way to contribute to global progress in treating hematologic cancers and rare diseases. We remain committed to our principle of “putting life first”, keeping patients at the center, and striving for higher cure rates and improved quality of life. I look forward to seeing more breakthroughs from this Annual Meeting that bring hope to patients around the world.
Hematology Frontier: At this year’s Annual Meeting, the volume and quality of research from Chinese expert teams have been truly impressive. Which studies stood out to you, and how would you assess China’s global standing and contributions in hematopoietic transplantation?
Prof. Jun Ma: This year, Chinese scholars contributed to approximately 20% of all presentations at the Annual Meeting. China’s progress in cell therapy is particularly noteworthy—especially in the development of CAR-T, CAR-NK, universal, and autologous cellular therapies, where advances have been rapid.
One of the most significant breakthroughs has been in the treatment of myeloid leukemia, and clinical research on CD7 CAR-T therapy for relapsed/refractory T-cell lymphoma is already underway. Moreover, China has approved six CAR-T products, surpassing Europe in number. These products cover multiple disease areas including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
Recently, China and the United States jointly approved a clinical trial using mesenchymal stem cells to treat acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)—a landmark step in international cooperation. In the field of gene therapy, China is also expected to soon see its first gene therapy product approved for clinical use.
When I spoke with the EBMT Chair, they highlighted China’s remarkable contributions in both cell therapy and haploidentical transplantation. They expressed high expectations that China will continue to bring new technologies and practical solutions to global medicine in the years to come.
This year’s Chinese delegation includes many of our leading experts in transplantation and cellular therapy, such as Academician Xiaojun Huang, Prof. Depei Wu, Prof. Qifa Liu, Prof. He Huang, and Prof. Erlei Jiang. Their participation reflects a shared goal: to engage in deep, meaningful exchange with the international community and to translate these efforts into better outcomes for Chinese patients.
Academic exchange is a driving force behind medical progress. As we often say, “Science knows no borders, and academic pursuit has no end.” Through open dialogue and global collaboration, we can unlock new possibilities for treating hematologic and lymphoid malignancies. We look forward to tomorrow’s presentations from the Chinese delegation, which will surely deliver new highlights and contribute valuable Chinese wisdom and innovation to the international academic community.
Hematology Frontier: Earlier this year, China’s homegrown AI model DeepSeek made global headlines. At this Annual Meeting, several sessions have focused on AI applications. In your opinion, how might AI transform the field of hematopoietic transplantation?
Prof. Jun Ma: AI technology has seen explosive growth in recent years. While it cannot yet replace human physicians, especially top-tier specialists with decades of clinical experience, its potential is undeniable. China has made notable strides in AI innovation, and we are actively integrating AI, computing, robotics, and big data into modern medical practice—an essential step toward personalized care.
Evidence-based medicine aims to provide a solid foundation for future treatments. In this context, AI enhances the precision, centralization, and specialization of data, offering new possibilities for both rare and common diseases.
At this year’s Annual Meeting, four high-level AI forums have focused on how countries—particularly in Europe and the U.S.—are applying AI to hematology and lymphoma care. In morphology and pathology, AI has already found broad applications. For instance, in malignant lymphoma, which includes 148 subtypes, traditional human analysis could take up to four years to update classification data. With AI, that cycle is now reduced to three months.
AI also excels in pathologic subtyping, immunohistochemistry, next-generation sequencing, and genetic mutation analysis, delivering faster and more accurate results to inform clinical decision-making.
In lymphoma, AI can significantly aid in pathologic classification, genetic profiling, and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring. In leukemia, MRD is widely used to assess the likelihood of cure and predict relapse. With big data, we can better understand recurrence patterns and treatment efficacy across subtypes, providing critical support for clinical decisions.
That said, we must remember that AI cannot function alone. True progress comes from human–AI collaboration—combining the clinical intuition and judgment of doctors with the analytical power of machines. This synergy is what will ultimately advance science and bring us closer to curing cancer.
We look forward to integrating AI into the full spectrum of hematologic and lymphoid malignancy care. Globally, this area is rapidly evolving. By working alongside AI, physicians can enhance diagnostic accuracy, treatment selection, and prognostic assessment. As an emerging discipline, it requires multi-dimensional thinking: we must harness the strengths of AI while avoiding over-reliance. Only then can AI truly fulfill its promise in hematology—benefiting patients, empowering physicians, and contributing to global health.
Hematology Frontier: Finally, based on your exchanges with international experts and institutions, what gaps still exist in China’s hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and CAR-T therapy efforts? What areas should we focus on going forward?
Prof. Jun Ma: China has achieved remarkable progress in hematologic diseases and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. For example, Academician Xiaojun Huang’s haploidentical transplantation technique has been recognized with international patents, and our innovations in arsenic trioxide and all-trans retinoic acid therapy are at the global forefront.
However, in the field of cell therapy, China still lags in terms of patent output. The United States holds nearly a thousand related patents, while China’s innovation pipeline remains limited. Many of our studies are still in the “me-better” phase, and true First-in-Class innovations are rare. My hope is to see China develop its own cell therapy platforms and CGT (cell, gene, and tissue therapy) technologies.
When we founded the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), we established the guiding principle of “unity, collaboration, pragmatism, and innovation.” These eight characters complement each other and are all essential. Yet today, we still face a significant gap in original innovation. While we’re capable of catching up and even overtaking others in some areas, we must do so steadily and methodically, building a strong foundation step by step.
I strongly encourage our young scientists, clinicians, and experts in translational medicine, basic science, and biology to work together and form large, interdisciplinary teams. We must adopt a patient-centered, innovation-driven approach to advance China’s cell therapy capabilities and secure a place for China on the global stage.
Although this year we contributed 20% of the Annual Meeting presentations, and cell therapy topics made up 50% of the sessions, we must remain sober in our self-assessment. Compared with developed nations and world-class biomedical research institutions, there is still a notable gap. One of China’s greatest weaknesses lies in the lack of collaboration, cohesion, and translational spirit. As a result, even high-quality research published in top-tier journals like Cell or Nature often fails to translate into clinical applications.
I once analyzed Nobel Prize recipients and found that 17 laureates with clinical backgrounds all received the award for innovations tied to new drugs or breakthrough therapies—such as mRNA technology, HIV combination therapy, DNA technologies, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This underscores a critical truth: clinicians are the core drivers of translational medicine—they are the front-line soldiers of medical advancement.
Only through collaboration, communication, unity, and innovation can China bring its cell therapy and transplantation technologies to world-class standards and contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to global healthcare.
I sincerely hope that senior, mid-career, and young hematology experts across China can join forces, united in purpose and pragmatic in approach, to innovate together and build a brighter future for Chinese medicine.
Professor Jun Ma
Director, Harbin Institute of Hematology and Oncology
Chief Physician | Professor | Doctoral Supervisor
Current Roles:
- Director, Harbin Institute of Hematology and Oncology
- Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
- Vice Chair, Asian Clinical Oncology Society (ACOS)
- Chair, Leukemia Expert Committee, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
- Head, Expert Panel for Lymphoma Specialty Development Program, National Health Commission Center for Capacity Building and Continuing Education
- Editor-in-Chief, Leukemia & Lymphoma Journal
Former Positions:
- Former Chair, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
- Former Vice Chair, Hematology Branch, Chinese Medical Association
