"When you are treating the cells, you have pretty much the life of a patient in your hands," Vincent told ScienceBoard.net at the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) 2022 annual meeting in San Francisco. "It's so precious. You cannot have a problem."

However, cells delivered to a manufacturing facility and then back to a clinic are prone to damage, loss, and risk of cross contamination. In addition, cells can originate from unhealthy patients that are exposed to prior chemotherapeutic agents.

While automation and standardization are the goal, Vincent makes the case that the quality of the cells vary depending on the health and age of the patients as well as the previous treatments they have received. "There's so much more that we need to understand at the biological level. To try to standardize today, the major problem is also that it's so complex. There are so many opportunities for mishandling," he said.

Watch the video below to learn more.