Vitalant and UPMC strengthen partnership in cell and gene therapy

Ella Day | September 3, 2025 | News story | |   

Vitalant, a blood and biotherapies provider, is expanding its collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pennsylvania, US, to advance research and services in cell and gene therapy. The partnership centres on strengthening operations at UPMC’s Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) Laboratory, which plays a key role in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation.

As part of the initiative, Vitalant’s Executive Medical Director for Biotherapies, Kevin Land, has been appointed interim medical director of the HSC lab. The facility, accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, the College of American Pathologists and CLIA standards, specialises in the collection, processing and storage of human stem cells for therapeutic use.

Land will provide strategic oversight during a transitional period, ensuring the lab’s services are aligned with growing demands for cell and gene therapies. He will also oversee the search for a permanent medical director, with the role expected to include part-time teaching and research duties within UPMC.

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Abbie Mallon, vice president of the UPMC Laboratory Service Center, said: “Expanding the UPMC and Vitalant partnership will allow us to continue to offer these important services while we think strategically about growth and innovation in this highly specialised field.”

The partnership builds on an ongoing relationship. Vitalant already supplies UPMC with blood products, transfusion services and testing and supports more than 900 hospitals across the US.

Ella Day

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