Cryopreservation Best Practices for Cell & Gene Therapy Source Material

Cryopreservation, a cornerstone in the field of cell therapy, is the process of preserving biological source materials at ultra-low temperatures to maintain their viability and functionality for future therapeutic applications. This vital technique presents unique challenges and opportunities, and its successful execution is pivotal to the advancement of cell therapies.

In this webinar, three industry experts will share their experience on the critical importance of cryopreservation, a key step in the manufacturing of today’s cell and gene therapies. Discussing considerations such as processing requirements for different biomaterials, buffer composition, controlled rate freezing, thawing protocols and cold chain logistics, the group will explain why and how cellular source materials are cryopreserved, sharing what they’ve come to embrace as the gold standard of cryo practices, and why experience across cell types and methods matters.

Sharing data collected over decades and recent anecdotal evidence, the group will illustrate the long-term performance and stability of cryopreserved cord blood, bone marrow transplant products and other biomaterials and what it means for the future of cell therapies. The webinar will conclude with a discussion of the Cryopreservation Center of Excellence’s mission to collaborate with leaders from academia and industry to educate, innovate and advance the science of cryopreservation in support of advanced therapeutic development.

Join this webinar to learn about cryopreservation, a vital step in the manufacturing of today’s cell and gene therapies.

Speakers

Emeline Masson-Frenet, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Director, National Cord Blood Program at Comprehensive Cell Solutions, NYBC

Emeline Masson-Frenet earned her PhD in Immunology and Doctorate of Pharmacy from the Universite de Franche-Comte (France). Before moving to the United States, she co-directed laboratory operations performing HLA typing for hematopoietic stem cell and organ transplantation and disease associations. Working with the National Cord Blood Program since 2015, Emeline ensures smooth, accurate operations to improve patient care. In addition to HLA, she specializes in cord blood bank operations, adult and cord blood donor selection for transplantation and cell therapies, clinical studies and data management.

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Ayanna Bryan, PhD, Director of Distribution, National Cord Blood Program at Comprehensive Cell Solutions, NYBC

Ayanna Bryan earned her PhD in Neuroscience from Brandeis University before becoming a Stem Cell Senior Scientist of product development and innovative research at the Americord Registry. Here she created laboratory-based studies to identify and isolate stem cells from the human placenta in support of therapeutic development and regenerative medicine. As CCS’s Director of Distribution, Ayanna has extensive experience in regulatory affairs, laboratory certification, intellectual property and product compliance.

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Rona Singer Weinberg, PhD, Comprehensive Cell Solutions Founding Scientist and Current Consultant, Interim Program Director of CCS’s National Cord Blood Program

Dr. Weinberg has recently transitioned from her role as Executive Director of NYBC’s Comprehensive Cell Solutions (CCS) to an advisory and consulting role for CCS. As executive director, Dr. Weinberg held two New York State Department of Health Tissue Banking licenses and Certificate of Qualification in Hematology and Immunohematology.  She remains active in CCS in an advisory capacity.  Dr. Weinberg has extensive knowledge of cellular therapy product manufacturing, cryopreservation, banking and distribution of cellular therapy products, as well as quality assurance practices. Dr. Weinberg is a member of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB), and International Society for Cell and Gene therapy (ISCT).  She has served on the AABB Cellular Therapy, Current & Emerging Topics Subsection; AABB Cellular Therapy Section Coordinating Committee; and AABB-ISCT Joint Working Group; as an inspector for the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT) and AABB, and participates in the ASH Advocacy Leadership Institute.  Dr. Weinberg was Principal Investigator of the MPN-RC Tissue Bank Core, funded by the National Cancer Institute since 2006, from its inception to 2023. Dr. Weinberg is also an Associate Member of NYBC’s LFK Research Institute, where her research interests focus on hematopoiesis and erythropoiesis, hemoglobinopathies, hemoglobin synthesis, and bone marrow failure syndromes.  Graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and transfusion medicine fellows have been trained in her laboratory at NYBC and previously at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.  Dr. Weinberg earned a BS in Biology from Brooklyn College and a PhD in Biomedical Science from City University of New York at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  She has authored approximately one hundred peer reviewed publications and book chapters.

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