Nonprofit Cord Blood Council Launches to Strengthen National Public Cord Blood Banks and Advance Innovation in Transplant and Cord Blood–derived Cell Therapy

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SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 20, 2026--

The Cord Blood Council (CBC), a new capacity building nonprofit, has launched to support the nation’s public cord blood banks. The organization develops and provides shared resources to National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI)–funded, FDA licensed public cord blood banks and the clinicians, researchers, and patients who depend on them.

The CBC was created to modernize and unify critical capabilities across the cord blood community. By coordinating expertise, infrastructure, and data, the organization aims to strengthen operational performance, expand access to high quality cord blood units, and accelerate the use of cord blood in both established transplant medicine and emerging cord blood–derived cell and gene therapies.

The Cord Blood Council’s work spans:

• Business practices and operational excellence
• Process optimization and workflow modernization
• Inventory research and strategic forecasting
• Customer education and training
• Product performance research
• Marketing and public education
• Shared data analytics and evidence generation

“Cord blood has been a cornerstone of life-saving transplant medicine for decades, and its potential in next generation therapies is only growing,” said Christina Melief, Ph.D., philanthropist, cord blood champion, and the organization’s CoFounder, President, and CEO. “The Cord Blood Council brings together the tools, data, and collaboration needed to help public banks thrive and to ensure patients and researchers have access to the highest quality cellular starting material. This is about strengthening the entire system so innovation can move faster and reach more people.”

With its national scope and collaborative model, the CBC is positioned to serve as a unifying resource for public banks, transplant centers, researchers, and therapy developers. The organization’s programs are designed to reduce duplication, improve efficiency, and generate shared insights that elevate the field as a whole.

The CBC invites partners across the transplant and cell therapy ecosystem to engage, collaborate, and help shape the next era of cord blood innovation.

For more information or to connect with the organization, visit cbcouncil.org.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120683587/en/

Media Contact: Megan Leonhard, 509-264-8042,[email protected]

KEYWORD: WASHINGTON UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RESEARCH GENETICS PHILANTHROPY STEM CELLS BIOTECHNOLOGY GENERAL HEALTH HEALTH OTHER PHILANTHROPY SCIENCE ONCOLOGY

SOURCE: Cord Blood Council

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PUB: 01/20/2026 07:00 AM/DISC: 01/20/2026 07:00 AM

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