Dr, Hisham Abdel-Azim working in a clinical science lab

This Center of Excellence is led by Hisham Abdel-Azim, MD, MS, division chief of Transplant and Cell Therapy/Hematological Malignancies

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded $9 million to Loma Linda University Health  to create a Community Care Center of Excellence (CCCE) in the Inland Empire and Desert Region. This Center of Excellence is led by Hisham Abdel-Azim, MD, MS, division chief of Transplant and Cell Therapy/Hematological Malignancies.

The CCCE program is the first of its kind designed to make regenerative medicine clinical trials and treatments accessible for Californians. “This funding ensures underserved populations will have local access to cutting-edge cell, gene, and regenerative medicine therapies (CGRMT), such as CAR T cell therapy,” Abdel-Azim said.

Grant funding will also support a state-of-the-art transplant and cell therapy Good Manufacturing Practices lab that not only serves cancer patients but extends to other non-malignant diseases such as neurological and immune disorders. The lab will allow for onsite cell manufacturing capacity and build a robust team to offer cutting-edge treatments and trials for a wide range of conditions, including cancers, sickle cell disease, and various neurological and immune disorders.

“We now have the ability to join forces with academic and industry experts to bring world-class technologies directly to the underserved Inland Empire and desert region patients,” Abdel-Azim said. “We're changing the way we do medicine in collaboration with our colleagues in neurology and neurosurgery among various other specialties.”

Loma Linda University Transplant and Cellular Therapy is the only program in the region accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, making Loma Linda University Health the only center in the vast Inland Empire geographic region offering these advanced, personalized therapies for adults and children.

Loma Linda University Health is the first and only provider in the Inland Empire and desert region offering cell, gene, and regenerative medicine therapy for both children and adults.

Learn more about transplant and cellular therapy online.