Éliane Gluckman is a world-renowned French hematologist and pioneer in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. She currently serves as Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris Cité, Director of the Monacord Research Group at the Monaco Scientific Centre, and President of the Eurocord Association based at Saint Louis Hospital in Paris. After establishing herself at Hôpital Saint-Louis where she created the hematology service in 1973, she rose to become Head of the Department of Hematology and Medical Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Service, positions she held until 2005. Dr. Gluckman's distinguished career spans over five decades, during which she has been instrumental in developing bone marrow transplantation from an experimental procedure to a standard treatment for numerous blood disorders.
Professor Gluckman's most groundbreaking achievement came in 1988 when she performed the world's first successful umbilical cord blood transplant, a revolutionary innovation that transformed treatment options for patients with hematological malignancies and genetic disorders. This pioneering work demonstrated that unrelated cord blood could serve as a viable source of hematopoietic stem cells, opening new frontiers for treating conditions like leukemia, Fanconi anemia, and sickle cell disease. Her research has driven critical advances in understanding and managing bone marrow failure and other hematopathies, with her work forming the foundation for modern hematopoietic stem cell transplantation protocols. Today, cord blood transplantation is a standard procedure worldwide, having saved countless lives that would otherwise have been lost to blood disorders.
Beyond her clinical and research achievements, Professor Gluckman has been instrumental in building international collaborations through her leadership of Eurocord and Monacord, which have become vital hubs for research into risk factors and treatments for hematological diseases. She has mentored generations of hematologists and transplantation specialists, shaping the field through her presidency of the European School of Hematology from 2001 to 2015. Recognized with prestigious honors including the Wallace H. Coulter Lifetime Achievement Award and France's Commander of the Legion of Honor, she remains actively engaged in advancing stem cell transplantation, particularly for sickle cell disease and other genetic blood disorders. Professor Gluckman continues to investigate immunogenetic factors involved in transplant complications, ensuring her pioneering legacy endures through ongoing contributions to improving patient outcomes worldwide.
