FIRST NATIONAL COURSE ON CAR-T THERAPY LAUNCHED AT THE NATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH RADIOLOGICAL CENTRE

The National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation has launched the country’s first educational course fully dedicated to CAR-T therapy. The program kicked off at the A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre, –  branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of the “National Medical Research Radiological Centre” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and is designed as an intensive one-week training. The course combines fundamental knowledge of the immunological basis of the method, practical aspects of cell modification, and the clinical application of CAR-T cells.

The program opened with a lecture by Lyudmila Grivtsova, Head of the Department of Clinical Immunology, focusing on the structure and functions of the immune system, as well as the mechanisms of tumor surveillance and immune response. A separate section was devoted to the manufacturing of CAR-T products: experts from the GMP-compliant biotechnology research and production complex gave a detailed overview of the process of modifying cells using chimeric antigen receptors, along with quality control standards and the regulatory and legal framework surrounding this field.

Particular emphasis was placed on clinical practice: patient preparation before CAR-T cell infusion, post-therapy monitoring strategies, and evaluation of treatment effectiveness and tolerability. A series of lectures led by Professor Alexander Potapov, Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Clinical Pharmacologist Alexey Maksimov, and specialists from the departments of hematology, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation covered in detail the approaches to preventing and managing potential complications, including acute immune reactions.

The course was developed by Natalia Falaleeva, Head of the Department of Drug Therapy, Vasily Shuvaev, Head of the Hematology Department, and Vladimir Petrov, Head of the Scientific and Educational Department. It represents a logical continuation of the Centre’s ongoing efforts to advance high-tech personalized medicine.

The NMRRC is the first medical Сentre in Russia to receive a certificate of compliance for drug manufacturing according to the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards of the Eurasian Economic Union. This status confirms the Centre’s license to produce cell-based products and significantly expands its capabilities in the field of genetic engineering. CAR-T therapy is one of the most advanced approaches to treating malignant tumors. The method is based on using a patient’s own T lymphocytes, which are modified in the lab to recognize specific tumor antigens. Once administered, the engineered cells seek out and destroy cancer cells — even in cases where the disease has proven resistant to chemotherapy, radiation, or previously used targeted therapies.