News Hub

Virginia Picanço-Castro
Research Coordinator
Fundação Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto (Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto), University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

Andrés Caicedo
Associate Professor
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ)
Quito, Ecuador
ORCID: 0000-0001-8821-0333

Samuel C F Couto
PhD – Laboratory Coordinator
Fundação Pró-Sangue (Blood Center of São Paulo), University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

Photos of ISCT SCA Region Committee Members at ISCT 2025

ISCT 2025 in New Orleans delivered vibrant, cutting-edge science, and South & Central America (SCA) was firmly on the map. Delegates from Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Peru contributed high-impact data presentations, enriched policy round-tables, and forged new collaborations—underscoring the region’s expanding influence in the global cell- and gene-therapy community. Their visible engagement highlights the momentum SCA is building toward ever-stronger representation and leadership within ISCT’s mission to advance safe, effective therapies worldwide.

Why Participation Matters

Active engagement with ISCT’s global platform is transformative for the emerging CGT ecosystem in South & Central America. Direct access to international thought-leaders accelerates scientific and clinical training, strengthens regional capacity, and drives adoption of best practices in GMP manufacturing, regulatory strategy, and trial design. Face-to-face dialogue with this year’s ISCT award honorees—Bruce Levine, Wade Atkins, and Lizette Caballero—underscored our leadership’s commitment to expanding the region’s footprint within the Society and inspired new avenues for collaboration. Equally important, the dynamic contributions of rising stars such as Alissen Haro, Abigail Benavides, and Lilia León signal a bright future for SCA science. Together, these connections are catalyzing partnerships and equipping our community to bring safe, innovative cell and gene therapies to patients across the region.

Scientific Highlights from South & Central America

• CAR-T/CAR-NK Innovation
  Brazilian groups showcased streamlined CAR-T manufacturing workflows, early clinical outcomes, and first-generation CAR-NK platforms—demonstrating both creativity and pragmatic solutions
  to regional scale-up and access barriers.
  
  
• Regulatory Harmonization
  Latin-American regulators and policy specialists detailed converging frameworks across the region, emphasizing cross-border alignment as the key to efficient trial activation and product approval.
  
  
• Frontier Technologies
  Investigators unveiled advances in gene editing, iPSC-derived cell therapies, and other next-generation platforms, underlining SCA’s commitment to staying at the cutting edge of CGT science.
  
  
• MSC “Education” Strategies
  New studies explored conditioning mesenchymal stromal cells with targeted stimuli—such as controlled mitochondrial transfer—to boost their regenerative potency and therapeutic consistency.
  
  
• Award-Winning iPSC Work
  The iPSC Abstract Award went to “Generation of HLA-DR⁺ CD1c⁻ CD14⁻ XCR1⁺ dendritic cells expressing CAR from induced pluripotent stem cells as an alternative cancer therapy,” highlighting the region’s leadership in translational iPSC research.

Training and Knowledge Exchange Opportunities

SCA delegates also had the chance to attend high-impact training sessions:

• Cell & Gene Therapy Immune Monitoring and Immunobiology Workshop
• Cell Therapy Manufacturing: Strategy & Optimization Workshop
  
  

These sessions provided invaluable hands-on learning experiences and direct interaction with subject matter experts.

The ISCT Signature Series Program offered SCA attendees a unique opportunity to engage directly with thought leaders at the forefront of cell and gene therapy (CGT). These high-level forums provided exclusive, front-row access to sector-defining conversations that are shaping the global future of CGT. ISCT 2025 brought together influential voices from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies through a series of cross-disciplinary, integrated events, including:

• ISCT Global Regulators Summit
• ISCT Commercialization Signature Series
• ISCT Exosomes Signature Series
• ISCT iPSC Signature Series

The active participation of the South and Central America region in ISCT 2025 demonstrates the growing relevance and potential of our community in the global CGT landscape. Engaging with international peers fosters new collaborations, enhances regulatory and clinical capabilities, and ultimately ensures that our patients benefit from the latest advances in safe, effective, and accessible therapies.

We look forward to strengthening our regional voice, expanding scientific excellence, and continuing to build bridges with the global ISCT network.

The Road Ahead for SCA

As South & Central America’s CGT ecosystem accelerates, bringing tailored ISCT workshops to our countries is the next strategic step. Targeted programs in GMP manufacturing, immune analytics, and regulatory science—delivered in partnership with local universities, hospitals, and biotech hubs—will:

1.     Deepen technical expertise across the SCA membership.

2.     Forge stronger bridges between academia, industry, and regulators.

3.     Fast-track the development of safe, innovative therapies for our patients.

The excitement ignited in New Orleans is only the beginning. By expanding ISCT-backed training and institutional collaborations throughout the region, we will cement SCA’s role as a dynamic contributor—and future leader—in the global cell- and gene-therapy landscape.