AATB has submitted a letter to the FDA reiterating concerns about the final Sepsis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) guidance documents issued on January 6, 2025. While the FDA extended the implementation deadline to May 4, 2025, the guidance remains unchanged, posing significant operational challenges and potential impacts on tissue availability. AATB has requested a meeting with the FDA and urged further revisions or delays. AATB’s full response can be found on the Government Advocacy Correspondences page of the AATB website.

Taking place at the Renaissance Boston Seaport Hotel on May 19-20, this event unites professionals from blood centers, tissue banks, and organ procurement across the country to foster connections, exchange successes, explore cost-saving opportunities, and engage with leading industry suppliers. A specialized Tissue Track awaits AATB Members, with complimentary registration. Secure your spot today!

Join us in celebrating the incredible generosity of living tissue donors who make a profound impact on countless lives. Their selfless gifts aid in healing wounds, restoring sight, and providing comfort to those in need. Birth tissue—like the placenta and umbilical cord—can be donated after a healthy birth to provide life-changing grafts that help treat burns, ulcers, and eye conditions. This Donate Life Month, we honor these remarkable donors and raise awareness about the power of tissue donation.

This month, we honor the incredible gift of life that tissue, eye, and organ donors provide—offering healing, mobility, and second chances to those in need.

Stanford Medicine News Center
Glucose has been found to bind proteins to control gene expression, influencing diabetes, cancer, and regeneration.

Stroke
Persistent no-reflow after successful thrombectomy results in outcomes similar to failed thrombectomy, with poorer functional independence at 90 days.

Phys.org
Chronic mitochondrial stress in neurons triggers TMBIM-2-dependent calcium oscillations, promoting serotonin release and activating intestinal UPRmt.

SciTechDaily
Researchers analyzed genetic mutations in stomach lining cells and found early cancer signals, rare chromosome anomalies (trisomy), and links to inflammation.

EurekAlert!
Persistent Necrosis-induced Caspase Positive (NiCP) cells drive late proliferation, highlighting potential therapeutic targets to enhance tissue regeneration following injuries or necrosis.

Join us October 12-15 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta, GA, for the 2025 AATB Annual Meeting. Registration opens in June.

AATB invites members to shape the future of tissue banking by submitting educational session proposals for the 2025 AATB Annual Meeting. This is your chance to share innovative ideas, highlight emerging trends, and recommend expert speakers who will inspire and educate industry professionals. Don't miss this opportunity to shape the event program—the submission deadline is May 9!

Showcase your innovative research and contributions to tissue banking at the 2025 AATB Annual Meeting! Accepted abstracts, along with digital and physical posters, will be featured at the event, providing a platform to highlight your work among industry leaders. Plus, one winner and one runner-up from each category will be selected to present during the Scientific and Technical Affairs (STAC) track and receive complimentary conference registration. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your research and shape the future of tissue banking—submit your abstract by May 9!

Join us on April 9, for an insightful webinar on “The Impact and Causes of Diseases Transmitted by Tissue & Cell Transplantation.” This session will explore the causes and consequences of disease transmission through tissue and cell transplantation—including semen and eye tissue—while comparing risks to organ transplantation, blood transfusion, and marrow transplantation. Experts will discuss past investigations into fatal cases, recent tuberculosis transmissions, and the critical role of biovigilance in preventing future occurrences. Don’t miss this essential discussion for donor eligibility screeners and chart reviewers!
Target Audience: This webinar is for professionals responsible for screening donors for eligibility and persons involved in donor chart review including physician and non-physician reviewers.

Discover strategies to enhance donor family support in “Leveraging Resources to Support Donor Families” on April 16. Three industry leaders will share how their aftercare teams collaborate across departments and with external partners to increase donation awareness and provide meaningful resources. Learn how they assess family needs, measure impact, and improve donation outcomes in their communities. A valuable session for professionals in donor services, aftercare, and community relations.
Target Audience: This webinar is for entry-level, mid-level, and experienced tissue banking professionals in donor Services, aftercare, and community relations.

Strengthen your expertise in quality management with “Back to Basics: Quality” on April 23. Part of AATB’s Back-to-Basics mini-series, this webinar provides a high-level look at regulatory requirements, best practices, and the implementation of quality systems in tissue banking. Gain insights from real cases and workflows that highlight the critical role of quality management in recovery, processing, and distribution. Designed for tissue banking professionals with 3 to 5 years of experience.
Target Audience: This webinar is for tissue banking professionals with 3 to 5 years of experience in tissue recovery/acquisition, processing, and/or distribution.

Edison, New Jersey: The Senior Education Director Develops and delivers technical training/orientation courses and education materials for contract Recovery Partner personnel and MTF employees involved in donor screening, evaluation, aseptic tissue recovery, and professional and public education.

Tampa, Florida: Manages the Donation Coordinators, a critical department within the Tissue Bank, where all activities directly impact the management of referrals of potential tissue donors.

Nationwide: The National Trainer (NT) supports Phoenix Donor Services (A subsidiary of Surgenex) by coordinating the acquisition of donor birth tissue in compliance with Surgenex, FDA, and AATB policies, procedures, regulations, and standards.