Meet the Eliane Gluckman Award Winner! Congratulations to Prof. Robb Wynn!

At a time when the future of cord blood therapies in Europe is being actively redefined, the Eliane Gluckman Award Dinner in Madrid brought together leading experts to celebrate innovation, clinical excellence, and decades of scientific progress. Held during the EBMT Annual Meeting under the auspices of the Pediatric Diseases and Cellular Therapies Working Parties, hosted by FamiCord Group the evening highlighted both the legacy of pioneering achievements and the growing momentum to strengthen the role of cord blood in modern medicine.

Although you couldn’t join us in Madrid, we’d love to share a few highlights from Eliane Gluckman Award Dinner, a special event held during this year’s EBMT Annual Meeting at the stunning Palaccio Neptuno in Madrid. The event brought together leading hematologists and stem cell transplant specialists from across Europe to exchange knowledge and explore the future of cord blood therapies.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Eliane Gluckman Investigator Award, established by the Cord Blood Association (CBA) in collaboration with Eurocord and FamiCord Group. This prestigious award honors outstanding contributions to the research and clinical application of cord blood in hematology.

Why is this award so meaningful?

Almost four decades ago, Professor Eliane Gluckman made a groundbreaking decision: she performed the first-ever cord blood transplant on a boy with Fanconi anemia. Back then, it was an experimental procedure – first time performed in Europe. 

We are proud to congratulate Professor Robert Wynn, this year laureate. Professor Robert Wynn, a distinguished clinician and researcher based in the United Kingdom, is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in the clinical application of umbilical cord blood, particularly in pediatric hematology and metabolic disorders. His contributions have significantly advanced the understanding and use of cord blood in treating severe and life-threatening conditions in children. Here, we include a selection of dedicated recordings featuring Professor Wynn’s statements on this subject.

Additionally, the Eliane Gluckman Award—established to be granted annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the clinical use of umbilical cord blood in patient treatment—highlights excellence in this field. The inaugural recipient of this award was Professor Vanderson Rocha.We believe this is just the beginning of a new chapter for cord blood development in Europe – cord blood is used less frequently in Europe comparing to US and Asia with Japan leading the field .