Jean-Antoine Ribeil, MD, PhD to Serve as the Director of the Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease at BMC
Starting September 1, Jean-Antoine Ribeil, MD, PhD, will begin as Director of the Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease at Boston Medical Center. He succeeds Liz Klings, MD, who has led the Center since 2015 and will begin a new role as Director of Clinical Research of the Sickle Cell Center.
Dr. Klings has grown the Center into one of the leading sickle cell programs in the country. Among her accomplishments are the expansion of the clinical trials program, the creation of a sickle cell biobank, and the establishment of Boston Medical Center as a lead site for sickle cell trials for the American Society of Hematology Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Klings also led numerous clinical efforts, including the creation of the sickle cell multi-disciplinary clinic with dedicated patient navigation and social work support. Dr. Klings will continue her local and national leadership in sickle cell disease and also will expand the clinical and research scope of the Pulmonary Hypertension Center, where she will continue to serve as Director.
Dr. Ribeil currently serves as clinical director of the Center and was instrumental in establishing Boston Medical Center as one of the first sites in the country to offer gene therapy to patients with sickle cell disease. Prior to coming to Boston Medical Center, Dr. Ribeil founded and directed the sickle cell referral center at Necker University Hospital in Paris, where he also led early clinical trials of gene therapy. He subsequently served as Medical Director at BlueBird Bio, where he oversaw the registration studies and subsequent EMA and FDA approvals of gene therapy for both sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
We thank Dr. Klings for her outstanding contributions to the sickle cell program, and welcome Dr. Ribeil to this new role.