What are ‘cell and gene therapies’?
Cell and gene therapies are novel treatments that use cells from patients or healthy donors to correct or treat an underlying disease. Research into these treatments needs donated cells from healthy donors like you, to make sure that when they reach patients they are safe and effective. Cell and gene therapies are evolving quickly and are offering promising treatments for people with cancer and many other diseases. They have the potential to offer more effective and personalised treatments for diseases which historically are difficult, or were thought to be impossible, to treat.
These treatments could not only save more lives but help to improve patients’ quality of life as well. This means we are now contacting donors to offer them the opportunity to donate their cells to research studies in the field of cell and gene therapies.
Who are you working with?
We will be forming collaborations with leading researchers to support their work and provide opportunities for our incredible donors to help. This will involve working with lots of different types of organisations, including hospitals, academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies. To ensure that Anthony Nolan only supports ethically sound and patient-benefiting research, an independent review board will assess each cell therapy research application before agreeing to collaborate.
The difference you could make
We only offer the option to donate either lymphocytes or peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) to research. By donating your cells, you have the opportunity to impact even more lives. One donation for a research study could unlock new discoveries and help shape the future of treatments.
Your decision
Whether you choose to donate is completely up to you. Discuss the idea of donating with your family before agreeing to the next stage. You can change your mind at any time, and we want to make sure you’re well informed before you decide. If for any reason you decide not to, please let us know as soon as possible.
We’re all very lucky to have amazing medical science in the UK should we ever need it, so this was a chance for me in a small way to give back.
George
Interested in donating for Research?
We are only asking people to donate for research who are already on our stem cell register. If you are a donor on our registry and are interested in donating for research please email us to let us know: cgtdonors@anthonynolan.org.
We don’t have a separate register for research donors. Individuals who are willing to donate cells for a patient in need and eligible to join the Anthony Nolan register can join online at Join the stem cell register.
Being on the Research Donor Panel
What are the first steps?
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Donors who are willing to donate their cells to research will need to be enrolled on to the Research Donor Panel. To be enrolled you will need complete a pre-screening questionnaire with an Anthony Nolan Coordinator over the phone, the call will last around 15-20 minutes. The questionnaire covers your general health as well as your availability and preferences for the use of your cells.
Once you have completed this and it’s been cleared, you will be enrolled on to the Research Donor Panel.
What happens when I'm on the Research Donor Panel?
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Once you are on Research Donor Panel, you can expect to hear from Anthony Nolan every time a researcher requests a donation for their project. We will contact you via email with the date, time, type of donation, and a bit of background on the research project to see if you are available and interested to donate. It's your choice if you want to donate to the request. Please feel free to reach out to the Anthony Nolan Coordinators if you have any questions about the request.
For each request we like to find two donors: a primary and a back-up. Just in case one donor can't donate for what ever reason. The primary and back-up donors will selected based on who responds first to the request.
If you are available and interested, let the Anthony Nolan Coordinators know either by replying to the email or calling them on the number provided. They will tell you if you are the primary donor or the back-up donor, and walk you through the next steps in the donation process.
Going on to donate
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Before you go on to donate, your Anthony Nolan Coordinator will arrange a medical examination at a specialist hospital. The medical is a series of checks and tests to ensure you are able to donate. For further information on the medical, please speak to your Coordinator.
If the primary donor is cleared they will go on to donate for the request. The back-up donor remains on the Research Donor Panel and will be asked first as a priority for any future donation requests. But if the primary donor is not cleared, the back-up donor will do the donation instead. Your Anthony Nolan Coordinator will lead you through each and every step up until your donation.
Your questions
Can I find out the outcome of the research?
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Please ask if you would like to find out more about the research study you’re involved in. We will update you once our gene therapy team have received results from the researchers.
Will I still be able to donate to a patient?
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Of course! You will not be taken off the register and will still be available to be selected as a match for a patient. If you are chosen as a preferred donor for a patient during the course of this study, we can cancel your donation for research at any time as the donation to a patient takes priority. You can also donate more than once, so taking part in this study will not stop you from being chosen as a matching donor in the future. People who donate via PBSC or bone marrow can do so for a maximum of two patients or four times in total. Donating for research will count as one patient.
Will I be getting paid to donate my cells for research?
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You will not receive any payment for donating your cells for research, but any expenses you incur at all for the donation - like travel, accommodation or loss of earnings - will be fully reimbursed.
Will my cells be used in animal testing?
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Anthony Nolan does not conduct animal research in our laboratories. However occasionally, when pioneering research requires it and there is no alternative available, we collaborate with other organisations where animal research is used to develop and improve treatments.
Cancer survival rates have doubled over the past 40 years. This achievement would not have been possible without animal research, which has resulted in the discovery, development and testing of lifesaving treatments. As a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) we support the principle of using animals in research when it is necessary to advance understanding of health and disease and to develop new treatments.
Will the researchers get any of my personal information?
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We will never share your name, address or contact details with the researchers. They may ask for your age and gender, and sometimes your tissue type, ethnicity, and/or infectious disease profile, but this will be anonymised.
Lots of people think that donating is going to be painful, so every time I’ve spoken to someone about it I’ve explained how easy it is.
Emma