The Mortimer M. Bortin Lecture commemorates the Founding Scientific Director of the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR, forerunner of the CIBMTR), whose foresight and dedication were critical to the development of the CIBMTR as a global resource of HCT research. Lecturers are chosen on the basis of their contributions to our understanding of Graft-Versus-Turmor effects and/or the advancement of clinical HCT Research.

Eliane Gluckman, MD, Ph.D, FRCP, and Emeritus Professor of Paris University

Position Title: Chairperson of Eurocord Education/Training 1965    Biochemistry - Paris University 1966    Immunologie Institut Pasteur 1967    Statistics Paris University 1968    MD Paris University 1972    Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates. 1976    PhD

I am a physician, hematologist and an Professor Emeritus for the University Paris Diderot in Paris, France. From 1976 until 2005, I was the Medical Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Service and Head of the Department of Hematology at Hôpital Saint Louis in Paris, France.  I am a member of several Scientific Societies, including: The European Marrow Transplant Society (EBMT), World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA), Netcord, American Society of Hematology (ASH), American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT), European Hematology Association (EHA). I am a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London) and an honorary professor at the Universities of Bale, Liège and Budapest. I have received numerous awards and distinctions in France and abroad, including the ranks of Commander of The Legion of Honor and Commander of the Order of Merit. Most recently, I have been nominated for the distinction of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit. Also, I received the Grand Prix INSERM, from the Academy of Medicine, ASH's Pioneer in Hematology Award, and the Prizes Ham Wasserman and Don Thomas and Carreras during international congresses. Currently, I am the President and Chairperson of Eurocord/Monacord and the leader of the "International Observatory of Sickle-cell Anemia." For several years, I was president of the European School of Hematology My research interests includes haematopoietic transplantation for malignant and non-malignant diseases, umbilical cord blood, selection of hematopoietic stem cell donors, cord blood banks and, in particular particularly, hereditary hematological diseases such as Fanconi and Sickle Cell Disease. I performed the first successful human umbilical cord blood transplant, with the contribution of my colleague Hal Broxmeyer. I successfully demonstrated that unrelated cord blood could be used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells. I have published more than 800 articles in international peer-reviewed journals.

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In honor of Dr. Thomas, the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture recognizes an eminent physician or scientist, either a clinician or investigator, who has contributed meritoriously to the advancement of knowledge in blood and and marrow transplantation.

Robert S. Negrin, MD

Robert S. Negrin, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation at Stanford Medicine was selected for the 2018 ASBMT E. Donnall Thomas  Lecture A past president of ASBMT, Dr. Negrin is being honored for his exceptional contributions to the field of hematopoietic transplantation, including his profound contribution to understanding of innate and adaptive immunity and its importance in determining outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation.  His efforts to develop novel model systems and technologies, from bioluminescent imaging to novel sequencing approaches, and to apply them to studies of effector and regulatory T cells, B cells, NK cells and other immune subsets have inspired a generation of scientists.  More importantly, they are advancing the possibility that targeted therapies and adoptive immunotherapy will improve outcomes related to both relapse and GVHD. While his scientific contributions are the primary reason for this award, the ASBMT also recognizes his exceptional leadership, and his service as Associate Editor of Blood and as the founding Editor of Blood Advances.