Children are a uniquely vulnerable patient population, often requiring tailored treatments that differ from the care an adult receives for the same condition. On Feb. 12, from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., the Pediatric Track at the 2025 Tandem Meetings | Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT® and CIBMTR® in Honolulu will feature international experts tackling topical issues related to complex diseases.

“The pediatric program is really focused on the problems that today’s children face, which I think is a unique and defining aspect of this part of the conference,” said Michael Verneris, MD, professor of pediatrics and director of bone marrow transplantation and cellular therapy at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, one of the track planners.

The pediatric plenary session, Stem Cell Transplant Approaches in Infants — Not Just Really, Really Young Adults, beginning at 8:10 a.m., will delve into the multifaceted approaches to transplants with infants. Five speakers will explore the developmental impacts of transplants in infants, the optimal timing, stem cell sources, and conditioning intensity for stem cell transplantation in infants with genetic disorders.

Concurrent sessions will follow the plenary from 10:30 a.m.-noon.

“One session tends to be more laboratory-translational focused, while the other is more translational-clinical focused,” Verneris explained. “We try to balance the two off one another, but both have strong translational and clinical value.”

Cells or Drugs: The Future of Antiviral Therapy in Transplant will compare the benefits of cellular therapies versus drug therapies for antiviral prophylaxis and treatment, including updates on virus-specific T-cells, an overview of current and future antiviral drugs, and practical approaches to integrating antiviral modalities. The other concurrent session, Pediatric Chronic GVHD — A Comprehensive Perspective, will examine essential considerations for pediatric graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

“The unique aspects of chronic GVHD in children are apparent in that some of the criteria that are used for diagnosis really don’t apply well to children,” Verneris said.

Presenters will address topics ranging from the biology of pediatric chronic GVHD to the academic performance of children with this transplant complication to novel treatment approaches for this population.

A pair of concurrent sessions will also be held from 1:45-3:15 p.m. Making Gene Therapy will deliver updates on gene therapy in children, including discussions of common targets for gene therapy in multigenic pediatric disorders, apheresis techniques, and access to care. Beyond HLH: Transplant for Many Other Pediatric Inflammatory Diseases will examine a group of rare inflammatory disorders that pediatric patients sometimes require transplants to treat, such as systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inborn errors of immunity, and primary immune regulatory disorders. This emerging topic encapsulates a focus for the pediatric program at the 2025 Tandem Meetings.

“People spend a fair amount of time defining the Pediatric Track to be timely while also looking toward future opportunities for advancement or optimization,” Verneris said.

Pediatric Track Agenda

The 2025 Tandem Meetings will take place on Feb. 12-15 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. The most up-to-date Pediatric Track agenda and the full 2025 Tandem Meetings program are available on the online meeting platform. All Pediatric Track sessions take place in Room 313 ABC of the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, unless noted otherwise. Formal sessions will be available for on-demand viewing for registered attendees following the live presentations.

Wednesday, Feb. 12

• 8-8:10 a.m. – Welcome
• 8:10-9:45 a.m. – Plenary: Stem Cell Transplant Approaches in Infants – Not Just Really, Really Young Adults
• 9:45-10 a.m. – New Investigator Awards Session
• 10-10:30 a.m. – Morning Break, Exhibit Hall 2
• 10:30 a.m.-noon – Concurrent: Cells or Drugs: The Future of Antiviral Therapy in Transplant
• 10:30 a.m.-noon – Concurrent: Pediatric Chronic GVHD – A Comprehensive Perspective, Room 312
• noon-1 p.m. – Lunch, Exhibit Hall 2
• 1-1:45 p.m. – Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1:45-3:15 p.m. – Concurrent: Beyond HLH: Transplant for Many Other Pediatric Inflammatory Diseases, Room 312
• 1:45-3:15 p.m. – Concurrent: Making Gene Therapy
• 3:15-3:30 p.m. – Afternoon Break, Level 3 Concourse
• 3:30-5:30 p.m. – Pediatric Best Abstracts