Episode notes
In this episode, Prof André Baruchel discusses the role of CAR T-cell therapy in children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). He reviews current indications for CAR T-cell treatment, including relapsed and refractory disease, and explores whether CAR T could move earlier in the treatment pathway. The discussion also examines how CAR T-cell therapy compares with transplantation, blinatumomab, and other salvage strategies, as well as the factors that influence long-term outcomes and relapse risk. The conversation highlights key questions surrounding the role of allo-HSCT in the…
Podcast
EHA Unplugged
European Hematology Association · Tech & Science · English
In these EHA-produced podcasts, experts share with you their hematology knowledge and stories. With "EHA Unplugged" we would like to give you the opportunity to unplug from your computer screen, while still learning, by listening to interviews, clinical cases, monologues, and more.
More from EHA Unplugged All episodes →
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S6 · E24 · 18 Sep 2026 · 22 min
What Can We Learn About AML from Clonal Haematopoiesis? | EHA 2026 Research Excellence Award
In this episode, Prof George Vassiliou, recipient of the 2026 EHA Research Excellence Award, discusses how his research has advanced our understanding of clonal haematopoiesis and its relationship to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). He explains how blood stem cells evolve over time, why specific driver mutations promote clonal expansion, and how genetic profiles can help identify individuals at low, intermediate, or high risk of developing myeloid malignancies. The discussion also explores efforts to translate these discoveries into clinical prevention strategies. Prof Vassiliou highlights…
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S6 · E23 · 15 Sep 2026 · 21 min
Improving MPNs management: EHA2026 Lifetime Achievement Award
In this episode, EHA 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Prof Claire Harrison reflects on a career dedicated to advancing the understanding and management of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). She reviews the major scientific and clinical developments she has witnessed over more than two decades, including the discovery of JAK2, MPL and CALR mutations, the evolution of diagnostic criteria, and the emergence of targeted therapies for MPNs. The discussion explores landmark studies that helped shape current clinical practice, including PT-1, COMFORT-II and MAJIC-PV, as well as the…
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S6 · E21 · 9 Sep 2026 · 18 min
CAR T Toxicities in Focus: What We Have Learned from Registry Data
In this episode, Dr Annalisa Ruggeri discusses how registry data are helping clinicians better understand, monitor and manage CAR T-related toxicities. She explains how insights from more than 16,000 patients recorded in the European Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (EBMT), have helped improve early toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and ICANS awareness and management as well as helped recognise and address longer-term effects. She further explores the growing understanding of immune effector cell-associated hematotoxicity (ICAHT) and the importance of risk prediction and…
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S6 · E20 · 6 Sep 2026 · 21 min
Life After YERM: How the Young EHA Research Meeting Shaped Careers
In the final episode of our mini-series celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Young EHA Research Meeting (YERM), we explore how the meeting acts as a powerful launching pad for scientific careers. We talk to 2018 YERM speakers Dr. Lorena Arranz and Dr. Mattias Carlsten to hear about their experiences presenting their research at YERM. Looking back on their journeys, they share valuable advice and lessons learned at YERM to help guide today's early-career researchers. Guests: Dr Mattias Carlsten, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden Dr. Lorena Arranz, University…
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S6 · E19 · 6 Sep 2026 · 19 min
Discover YERM: The Young EHA Research Meeting and Your Place in It
Welcome to our mini-series celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Young EHA Research Meeting (YERM) with an introduction to its history and mission. We sit down with co-founder Prof Ruud Delwel and current organizer Prof Marlies Vanden Bempt to discuss how YERM is tailored to empower early-career researchers. Together, we reflect on a decade of growth and share their vision for the future of YERM. Guests: Prof Ruud Delwel, Erasmus Medical Centre, The Netherlands Prof Marlies Vanden Bempt, KU Leuven, Belgium Host: Rhiannon Newman, MSc, University of Helsinki and Young EHA committee Learn…
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S6 · E17 · 25 Aug 2026 · 21 min
Getting Patients to CAR T: Referral Systems in Europe
In this episode of EHA Unplugged, Prof Marion Subklewe discusses one major challenge facing CAR T-cell therapy in Europe: ensuring that eligible patients are referred for treatment. She explains how access has improved since the first CAR T-cell approvals, but highlights that many eligible patients still do not receive these potentially curative therapies. The discussion explores differences between European healthcare systems, barriers to referral, and persistent misconceptions about patient eligibility. Prof Subklewe advocates for structured referral pathways and multidisciplinary boards…
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S6 · E16 · 21 Aug 2026 · 21 min
Outpatient CAR T in Europe: Lessons from Barcelona
In this episode, Dr Alexandra Martínez Roca and Dr Beatriz Merchán Muñoz discuss how their team at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona has developed a fully outpatient programme for CAR T-cell therapy. They explain the evolution of their at-home programme, from outpatient transplantation and supportive care to outpatient CAR T administration, and describe the key clinical and logistical requirements for patient selection. The discussion explores caregiver training, monitoring for cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, and the importance of dedicated multidisciplinary teams. The guests also…
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S6 · E15 · 18 Aug 2026 · 18 min
Smarter CARs: Using AI to Improve Chimeric Antigen Receptor Design
Artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities in the design of next-generation immunotherapies. In this episode of EHA Unplugged, Dr Andrea Schmidts discusses how AI-driven approaches are reshaping the development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, particularly at the design stage of the CAR receptor binding domains. Dr Schmidts explains how structure-based AI models can generate entirely new protein binders, moving beyond the traditional reliance on monoclonal antibody–derived fragments. The conversation explores how these tools enable large-scale exploration of CAR…
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S6 · E14 · 17 Aug 2026 · 19 min
What is Real-World Evidence Revealing About CAR T Therapy?
In this episode, Prof Benoit Tessoulin examines how real-world evidence from the French DESCAR-T registry is expanding our understanding of CAR T-cell therapy beyond clinical trials. He explains how the registry captures data from patients considered for CAR T-cell treatment, including those who do not ultimately receive therapy, and explores what these data reveal about patient selection, treatment outcomes, bridging therapy, and comparisons between different CAR T-cell products. The discussion also examines how real-world populations differ from clinical trial cohorts, in what measure…
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S6 · E13 · 31 Jul 2026 · 23 min
Hematology Portraits: Prof Frank Leebeek
In this episode Prof. Frank Leebeek reflects on his career in hematology, highlighting a lifelong commitment to bridging clinical practice and research. From his early interest in fibrinolysis during medical school to his current role as Chair of the Department of Hematology at Erasmus Medical Center and Board member at EHA, Prof. Leebeek shares how a dual commitment to research and patient care has shaped his path. The conversation explores key milestones in bleeding disorders research, including large-scale studies on von Willebrand disease that helped improve awareness, diagnosis, and…
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