The ACTO times: 2025 summer edition

Akihiro Shimosaka

Dear ACTO members,

Now we are publishing 2025 ACTO Times Autumn edition. I almost start writing the preface for this edition, just received the news, I am very sad to share this news with you regarding Prof. Yao Chan Chen who passed away on Nov. 17, 2025 in Taipei. He was the pioneer in cell therapy as well as hematology who achieved the first allogeneic stem cell transplantation in Taiwan. Recently he is known as novelist writing the novels based on Taiwan history, specially focusing Taiwan original races.

He is the one of four scientists who joined the cell therapy meeting held in Mulhouse, France 1992. He joined this meeting as a member, then later, this meeting became ISCT. So, he was the original members of the ISCT. I met him in Mulhouse first time and since that day, we worked together. He had been a leader in cell therapy and created TACT for the development of the cell therapy in Taiwan. He also tried to involve regulatory agency for the cell therapy development which made success of the new regulation for cell and gene therapy. This regulation became world second regulation for cell and gene therapy in the world.

For ACTO, first, we worked for ISCT Asia and started ISCT Asia regional meeting in 2010. However, ISCT HQ wanted to control everything and financially control everything following ISCT HQ standard. But at that time, Asian country members were not able to manage higher registration fee. After long discussion with opinion leaders of ISCT, ACTO started in 2011 in collaboration with ISCT and other similar society. Prof. Chen had been a key member of the ACTO establishment for the development of cell therapy in Asia via ACTO activity. We lost key valuable member in the field of cell therapy.

Wishing his eternal peace and condolence to his family.

Sincerely

Chairperson, Asian Cellular Therapy Organization (ACTO)

Akihiro Shimosaka, Ph.D.