ASTCT Board Member Spotlight: Sophie Paczesny, MD, PhD
Nucleus: Can you describe your current role and your primary clinical and research interests in transplantation and cellular therapy?
Sophie Paczesny (SP): My work bridges clinical transplantation and translational immunology, with a focus on improving outcomes for patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation. My primary research interests center on identifying drug-targetable biomarkers of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and developing novel immunotherapeutic strategies for both GVHD and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
In particular, my laboratory studies immune stimulatory and regulatory pathways, including the ST2/IL-33 axis, and the role of the tumor microenvironment to better understand immune dysregulation following alloreactivity and in myeloid malignancies. These efforts are designed to translate mechanistic insights into targeted therapies and biomarker-driven approaches that improve patient outcomes.
In addition to my institutional and national roles, I serve as laboratory director for the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT), where I contribute to its strategic planning by helping shape the scientific direction, foster innovation, and support sustainable growth. I also serve as the board liaison to the Finance Committee, where my colleagues and I work to ensure that the society’s resources are responsibly managed and aligned with its mission to advance transplantation and cellular therapy.
Nucleus: How did you first become involved with ASTCT, and what has kept you engaged with the Society over the years?
SP: My involvement with ASTCT began early in my career as I sought a professional home that integrated both clinical transplantation and scientific discovery. Over time, I became increasingly engaged through committee work, collaborative initiatives, and interactions with colleagues who share a strong commitment to advancing the field.
What has kept me involved is the society’s unique ability to foster meaningful collaboration across disciplines and career stages. ASTCT has consistently provided a platform to support innovation, shape clinical practice, and mentor the next generation of leaders in transplantation and cellular therapy.
Nucleus: As an ASTCT board member, what priorities or goals are most important to you?
SP: As a member of the ASTCT Board of Directors, I am particularly focused on advancing translational science and ensuring that innovations in cellular therapy are implemented in ways that meaningfully improve patient outcomes.
A critical priority for me is strengthening workforce development, with a specific emphasis on supporting PhD scientists across the training continuum — from graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to early-stage faculty. These scientists are currently facing unprecedented funding challenges, and sustained support for their training, mentorship, and career development is essential.
Without their contributions, we risk slowing the pace of discovery and potentially losing a generation of highly innovative thinkers whose scientific perspectives are fundamental to advancing the field. I also strongly believe in promoting the standardization of biomarkers and clinical tools, which are essential for accelerating progress toward personalized approaches in transplantation and cellular therapy.
Nucleus: What do you see as the most significant opportunities or challenges facing the field of TCT in the coming years?
SP: This is an extraordinary decade to be in transplantation and cellular therapy, particularly for physicians and physician-scientists, as we are witnessing an unprecedented acceleration in the development of engineered cellular therapies and immune-based treatments. The pace of innovation continues to expand, offering new therapeutic possibilities that were unimaginable only a few years ago.
In parallel, the allogeneic transplantation community has made measurable progress in GVHD prevention and management, with several new FDA-approved therapies. Together, these have significantly reduced the incidence and burden of both acute and chronic GVHD, ultimately improving survival and quality of life for our patients.
Another major opportunity lies in the integration of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics into clinical decision-making and research, an area highlighted at the recent Tandem Meetings | Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT® and CIBMTR® presidential symposium, which holds great promise for optimizing patient selection, predicting complications, and accelerating discovery.
Equally important to me is the continued development of biomarker-driven strategies and immune profiling, which will be essential to delivering truly personalized approaches to transplantation and cellular therapy.
At the same time, several critical challenges remain that require strong and coordinated leadership. These include managing the most severe and refractory forms of GVHD, addressing the unique toxicities associated with engineered immune cells, ensuring equitable access to advanced therapies across diverse patient populations, and navigating the increasing complexity and cost of rapidly evolving technologies.
Another challenge that is particularly important to me is the recruitment and retention of PhD-trained scientists within our field. Sustaining a robust pipeline of discovery scientists is essential to maintaining innovation, yet current funding pressures and career uncertainties place many early-career PhD investigators at risk.
As leaders, we must advocate for stable funding mechanisms, meaningful mentorship structures, and collaborative research environments that support these scientists and recognize their indispensable role in advancing the field.
Addressing these opportunities and challenges will require sustained investment and close collaboration across academia, industry, regulatory agencies, and professional societies.
Nucleus: What advice would you offer an early-career clinician interested in this specialty?
SP: For early-career clinicians considering transplantation and cellular therapy, I would encourage them to remain intellectually curious and to actively seek opportunities that integrate clinical questions with research and innovation.
This is a rapidly evolving field where true progress depends on close collaboration between clinicians and scientists, particularly PhD-trained investigators who bring complementary expertise in biology, technology, and discovery science.
Building strong partnerships with scientists early in your career, along with cultivating meaningful mentorship relationships and networking within professional societies, can be invaluable in shaping both your perspective and your impact.
I would also emphasize the importance of resilience and adaptability, as advances in this field often require persistence and a willingness to embrace new technologies and interdisciplinary approaches. Most importantly, keeping the patient perspective at the center of your work provides enduring motivation and a shared sense of purpose that unites clinicians and scientists alike.
Nucleus: What is something that others at ASTCT may be surprised to learn about you?
SP: Something that may surprise colleagues is how much I value creativity outside of science. I genuinely enjoy writing and refining scientific narratives—whether manuscripts, grants, or presentations—and I view this process as both an intellectual and creative exercise. That said, I never considered myself artistically inclined.
Recently, however, a surgeon colleague, who took up oil painting only a few years ago and who has since become an exhibited artist, challenged me to join her in a series of oil painting classes. I accepted the challenge partly to prove that my more mathematical mindset would make it difficult for me to produce anything visually compelling.
To my surprise, and according to the honest feedback of friends and colleagues, I was wrong. The experience reminded me that creativity can take many forms and that stepping outside one’s comfort zone can be both humbling and rewarding.