Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant
The Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Team is a nationally recognized group of health care professionals located at Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children.
The team provides exceptional care for adults and children with life-threatening diseases and in need of bone marrow and stem cell transplantation - procedures that restore immature, blood-producing stem cells. This may be done as a first line of treatment for diseases such as cancer, or to replenish stem cells destroyed by high doses of chemical and/or radiation therapy.
Through collaboration in national and local clinical trials, the team combines multidisciplinary research, education and patient care to offer hope to bone marrow and stem cell transplant patients and families.
The specific research goals of the team center on:
- stem cell biology (the scientific study of cells from which other cell types can develop)
- alternate or unrelated donors
- germ cell tumors (a tumor that begins in cells that produce sperm or eggs)
- and gene therapy (the treatment of cancer by altering a gene)
A Leader in Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation
IU Simon Cancer Center is a leader in multidisciplinary research, education, and patient care in many areas, including bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. This leadership is evidenced by a number of accomplishments.
Indiana University performed its first allogeneic (taken from a human donor) bone marrow transplant in January 1985 and its first autologous (taken from the patient's own tissues) bone marrow transplant in July 1986. Since then the number of bone marrow transplants accomplished at IU has steadily increased.
The use of alternate donors has been actively researched at Indiana University and has a long standing relationship with the National Marrow Donor Program.
Also, Indiana University is a leader in the use of cord blood taken from the umbilical cord at birth. We processed and stored the first cord blood used in the world for transplantation, and are one of six transplant centers designated by the National Institute of Health for conducting studies in cord blood transplantation.