Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research  The Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research, or CIBMTR, is a research facility that focuses on hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy research. The center operates a combined research program of the National Marrow Donor Program and the Medical College of Wisconsin. On July 1, 2004, in pursuit of a mission to improve transplantation access and outcomes for patients, the CIBMTR was established. The new organization joined together the research programs of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR) at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In 1972, just four years after the first successful hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), pioneers in the field of HCT realized the significance of what they were undertaking. Several of the pioneers in this evolving science also understood the importance of collaborating to better understand the data being generated at individual centers. Mortimer M. Bortin and several colleagues established the IBMTR at the Medical College of Wisconsin to do just that. Physicians in the field agreed to voluntarily contribute their patient data to this outcomes registry. At the time, there were only about 12 transplant centers and fewer than 50 patients per year worldwide receiving a transplant. In 1986, the U.S. Navy established the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry with one full-time employee housed at the St. Paul, MN, American Red Cross and a sub-contract with the University of Minnesota for computer support and data management. The first donor search was processed in September 1987, and the first National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)-facilitated transplant took place in December 1987. Again, the founders knew the critical nature of collecting outcomes data and conducting collaborative research to improve outcomes, requiring from that very first unrelated transplant that transplant centers report their patient outcomes to the NMDP. Observational research is a core activity of CIBMTR. Investigators are invited to propose studies that utilize CIBMTR's large observational database. These research studies culminate in publications in peer-reviewed journals and move the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) toward improved outcomes and higher quality of life. Since its inception in 1972, CIBMTR data and statistical support have resulted in more than 700 peer-reviewed publications addressing HCT. Studies are conducted within a Working Committee structure. They are guided by Co-Chairs who are experts in the relevant field, and by Scientific Directors who are experienced transplant physicians with MS degrees in biostatistics or related fields.