This presentation will explain and set in context the 1984 award winner’s lab's scientific discovery of a method for isolating stem cells from other blood cells. CD34 has been used in over 15,000 scientific papers, as well as thousands of clinical hematopoietic transplants. Thus, the discovery and application of CD34 for identification and purification of hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells was a critical step enabling further stem cell research in the laboratory and transplantation of purified stem cells in patients. However, there were many problems in crossing the "translational divide". Much stem cell research today investigates the genes and molecular pathways that regulate "stemness" properties of stem and progenitor cells, and this will be described in the session. The lessons from the "CD34 Wars" will be explained and applied to current issues involving pluripotent stem cells, such as human embryonic stem cells.

Initiated in 1954 to honor Karl Landsteiner, MD, whose lifetime research laid the foundation for modern blood transfusion therapy, this award recognizes a scientist whose original research resulted in an important contribution to the body of scientific knowledge. The scientist who receives the award shall have an international reputation in blood transfusion medicine or a related field.