South, Central American Clinicians

and Investigators Will Study Here

A new ASBMT program will bring clinicians and investigators from South and Central America to study at U.S. and Canadian transplant centers.

The program will begin with two international travel grants in 2007.  “Initially the geographic scope will be limited to the Western Hemisphere,” said Armand Keating, MD, past-president and chair of the ASBMT Committee on International Relations.  “In the future, we want to expand the program to other regions around the world.”

Transplant centers are invited to participate as a host facility.  Hosts must (1) provide housing and (2) agree to accept recipients for at least 30 or up to 90 days.

Each grant recipient will receive $7,500 from ASBMT for transportation, food and incidental expenses.

An ASBMT committee will review and grade applications from host transplant centers and from Central and South American cliinicians and investigators.  Applicants for the travel grants must:

·         Be working fulltime at a BMT facility in Central or South America as a clinician, clinical investigator or laboratory investigator.

·         Have an MD or PhD equivalent degree.

·         Be fluent in English.

·         Agree to consider submitting an abstract for the BMT Tandem Meetings.

·         Submit a letter from his or her BMT program director that endorses participation and explains how this experience will be used to improve the BMT program.

At the conclusion of the study visit, grant recipients will be asked to prepare a report on what was learned as an observer and how this knowledge transfer will help improve their BMT program.  Host program directors also will be asked for an evaluation of the visit.  These will help determine the success of the program and how it is to be continued.

U.S. and Canadian transplant centers interested in hosting an international visitor should submit a letter explaining how they would involve the grant recipient in their program.  It should be addressed to the ASBMT Committee on International Relations, 85 West Algonquin Road, Suite 550, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. 

Questions can be directed to Robert Krawisz at (847) 427-0224 or robertkrawisz@asbmt.org.