Executive Vice President Fred Hutch Cancer Center Seattke, Washington, United States
Disclosure(s):
Fred Appelbaum, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Nobel Prize winner E Donnall Thomas faced enormous challenges on the path to developing bone marrow transplantation. His initial idea - birthed from the wreckage of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – was met with derision from most of the medical community. Through focus, persistence, and teamwork, he and his colleague were eventually able to overcome the major obstacles to human marrow transplantation, resulting in a therapy that has saved millions of lives. Thomas’ pioneering legacy continues to shape treatment options for a host of deadly illnesses to this day.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the major obstacles Thomas faced as he first attempted human marrow transplantation
Understand the major advances that have been made in the field of bone marrow transplantation
Discuss the personal qualities that allowed Thomas's success
