Closing the Knowledge Gap: Foundational Cord Blood Education for Healthcare Professionals (27EL-706)

Please note: AABB reserves the right to make updates to this program.

• Topics: Accreditation, Administration, Biotherapies, Collection, Cord Blood, Donor Consent, Donor Screening, Genomics, Inventory, Management Operations, Modifications, Outcomes/Engagement, Patient Transfusion, Personnel, Processing, Quality, Quality Systems, Release/Distribution, Standards, Storage, Transportation, Testing, Therapeutic Goals, Transfusion Process
• Intended Audience: Laboratory Professionals, Nurses, Physicians, Research Scientists
• Teaching Level: Basic, Intermediate

• Director/Moderator: Charis Ober, Executive Director, Save the Cord Foundation, Tucson, AZ
  Speakers:

  • Maegan Capitano, PhD, Assistant Professor, Director of the Flow Cytometry Core, IUSCCC Director of the Hypoxia Core, IU-CCEH Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
  • Joan Snelz, MSN-Ed, RN, RNC-OB, ACUE, Assistant Clinical Professor, Northern Arizona University; NCLEX Success Manager, Grand Canyon University; Director of Nursing, Save the Cord Foundation, Tucson, AZ
  • Shandre Niameogo, BSN, MSN, MPH, Research Nurse, Valleywise Medical, Phoenix, AZ

• Program Description

  Despite decades of use, cord blood remains underutilized in clinical practice, in part due to persistent gaps in knowledge among healthcare professionals. Many providers lack familiarity with the fundamentals of cord blood collection, processing, terminology, and real-world use cases—limiting their ability to effectively consider or discuss this resource in patient care.

  This eCast is designed as a foundational educational primer to address these gaps. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of cord blood basics, including key terminology, collection processes, and the current landscape of clinical and emerging uses, with a focus on improving literacy and confidence among healthcare professionals.

  In addition, the program will highlight common misconceptions, barriers to utilization, and opportunities for engagement within the cord blood ecosystem, including clinical, operational, and career pathways.

  This program serves as an introductory foundation for attendees who wish to build toward more advanced discussions of cord blood applications, including transplantation, transfusion, and emerging cellular therapies, which will be explored in subsequent programming.

  Learning Objectives

  After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Define key terminology related to cord blood collection, processing, and clinical use.
  • Describe the basic processes involved in cord blood collection, storage, and availability.
  • Identify common knowledge gaps and misconceptions that contribute to underutilization.
  • Recognize the current landscape of cord blood use at a high level, including established and emerging applications.
  • Describe practical barriers affecting access, awareness, and adoption.
  • Explore roles and career pathways within the cord blood field.

  Registration

  Registration includes access to both the live and on-demand version of this eCast.

  If you are a facility interested in participating in this eCast, simply complete the Group Viewing registration form and AABB will provide detailed instructions to share with your team approximately one week prior to the live program (each team member to register for the program utilizing a promocode). For single viewers, simply click on the Register button below to register.

  Please note: registration for the live eCast will close 1 hour prior to the eCast start time. If you register after this time, you will receive access to the on-demand eCast when it is available.

  Single Viewer	Register
  Group Viewing	Register

  Continuing Education Credit

  This activity is eligible for one and one quarter (1.25) continuing education credit/contact hours for Physicians, California Nurses, California Lab Personnel, Florida Lab Personnel and General Participation credit. AABB reserves the right to reduce or increase the number of credits granted based on the final activity duration. For more information on each credit type please visit our Continuing Education Credits webpage.

  There is no financial support for this activity.

  

  In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), which is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

  Physicians (ACCME): AABB designates this live activity for a maximum of one and one quarter (1.25) AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. AABB designates this enduring activity for a maximum of one and one quarter (1.25) AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  Claiming Credit
  Live Activity - Upon completion of the live activity, you will receive instructions to complete your evaluation, which is necessary to claim credit and receive your certificate of attendance/completion (credit must be claimed by the date provided in the instructions). The evaluation can be found by logging into the AABB Education Platform.

  Enduring Activity - Once the enduring (on-demand) program is available, you will receive instructions to access the AABB Education Platform. Upon completion of viewing the enduring activity, you will need to complete the evaluation, which is necessary to claim credit and receive your certificate of completion (credit must be claimed by the date provided in the AABB Education Platform).

  Program & Credit Expiration Dates:

  • Live Activity Program Date: February 10, 2027; Credit Expiration Date: March 10, 2027
  • Enduring Activity Program Dates: February 10, 2027 – February 9, 2030; Credit Expiration Date: February 9, 2030

  Disclosure Declaration

  It is the policy of the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, and scientific rigor and integrity in all of its CE activities. Faculty must disclose to the participants any relationships with commercial companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. AABB has evaluated, identified, and mitigated any potential conflicts of interest through a rigorous content validation procedure, use of evidence-based data/research, and a multidisciplinary peer review process. The following information is for participant information only. It is not assumed that the presence of such relationships will have a negative impact on the presentations.

  Disclosures for the planners of this event can be found here. Disclosures for the program faculty, peer reviewers, and AABB personnel are provided at the beginning of the program.

  Faculty Biographies

  Charis Ober is the Founder and Executive Director of Save The Cord Foundation, a United States-based 501(c)(3) non-profit charity. She is a global advocate for umbilical cord blood education, awareness, research and legislation. Mrs. Ober is a graduate of the University of Arizona and has more than 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical and biotech sales, marketing and product development. Mrs. Ober lives in Tucson, Arizona with her family.