In this episode of MedNews Week, presented in partnership with OncoDaily TV, Hannah Levy and Adina Moushi sit down with Muhammad Bilal Abid, Director of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Abid shares his journey into hematology and oncology, the mentors who shaped his career, and his philosophy of mentorship and developing the next generation of physicians and clinical investigators.
The conversation then explores the rapidly evolving field of CAR-T therapy, particularly in aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Dr. Abid discusses how CAR-T has transformed treatment since 2017, the growing role of bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates, clinical trials, and the potential of in vivo and allogeneic CAR-T therapies.
Dr. Abid also addresses the major challenge of equitable access to cellular therapies, including geographic barriers, community versus academic care, reimbursement, financial burden, and the importance of stronger partnerships between academic centers, industry, community practices, and policymakers.
The discussion also covers what happens after CAR-T treatment, including infectious complications, prolonged cytopenias, hypogammaglobulinemia, B-cell aplasia, vaccination, antimicrobial prophylaxis, and strategies for improving long-term survivorship and infection prevention.
Finally, Dr. Abid reflects on what he hopes to leave behind: mentoring future investigators, advancing scientific innovation, and bringing cutting-edge cancer therapies closer to underserved and rural patients in Texas.