From Stem Cell Transplants, to CAR T-cell Therapy

In the Communications, Marketing and Register Development teams we create and build vital connections with our supporters, volunteers and donors. Our work raises both awareness and funding. Most importantly of all, it helps to attract and inspire the lifesaving donors who are at the heart of everything we do, from transplants to research.

We attract, inform, inspire and support our amazing fundraisers across the country, helping to get them involved with everything from marathons and knitting challenges to our Omaze house initiative. Together, we raised nearly £9.2 million in the year 2024/25, but the patients, families, researchers, supporters and colleagues we work with always motivate and inspire us to do even more.

Our Strategy, EDI and People teams help shape Anthony Nolan’s vision - and then turn it into action. Our work ensures the patients we serve can not only survive, but thrive. We strive to ensure that everyone has equal access to vital treatments and transplants, and that our workplace and communities are diverse and inclusive. Together, we build the capabilities and culture that will help us achieve our ambitious goals and ensure our colleagues have everything they need to do their lifesaving work.

We help make lifesaving transplants happen for patients in need. Searching across UK transplant centres and overseas registries, we find the best donor matches, and then liaise between donors, registries, transplant centres and cell collection centres to arrange safe delivery of vital cell products to patients. Supporting and counselling our amazing donors throughout the entire process, from providing verification samples to donation and beyond is also a key part of our work.

We provide patients and their families with a wide range of practical and emotional support throughout their transplant journey, from a helpline and information resources to financial grants and a Telephone Emotional Support line. We also fund and support NHS professionals who are improving care for transplant and cell therapy patients. Our patients work closely with us to develop our services and inform our research into quality-of-life following transplantation.

We perform genetic testing to discover the HLA type of donors joining our register, and patients needing a transplant to find the best matches. We also provide HLA-related disease association and drug resistance testing. As a global centre of expertise in Histocompatability and Immunogenetics, we offer advice and support to stem cell transplant centres and research groups around the world.

We are responsible for Anthony Nolan’s Cord Blood Programme. Umbilical cord blood does not require such exact matching as blood from adult donors, which means more transplant availability for a wider group of people. The Cell Therapy Centre team in Nottingham processes, tests and stores cord blood for future use, as well as manufacturing cell products and offering a cryogenics service to support our transplantation work. Our Cord Collection teams work in NHS maternity units, supporting amazing mums to donate these lifesaving stem cells from their umbilical cords for transplant and research.

We work with industry to accelerate cell and gene therapy development for the benefit of patients worldwide. Thanks to our 50 years of experience in the field and the generosity of our donors, we can provide bespoke, high quality, ethically approved starting materials for innovative research that’s delivering new therapies from bench to bedside. Partnering with colleagues across Anthony Nolan, we develop, market and provide professional services that produce income, impact and insights for our organisation.

Why do some stem cell transplants fail – and why do they sometimes cause such debilitating side effects? At the Research Institute we work to answer these questions, and to provide new therapies to treat and prevent post-transplant problems including Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), relapse and viral infections. It’s home to our HLA Informatics and Immunotherapy research groups.

From engaging with donors and supporters, to driving commercial efficiencies and collecting data that can help improve patient experiences, technology is at the heart of everything Anthony Nolan does. That’s why our IT services, development, engineering, business intelligence and product teams are also at the heart of strategy to drive survival, equity and progress for our patients.

Our Finance and Resources teams provide the vital support and infrastructure our colleagues need to empower their work saving lives through stem cells. We’re made up of Finance, Property & Facilities, Legal, Quality, Governance and Procurement teams. Together we manage risk, keep costs low, and ensure we’re making the most of all our resources.

If you don’t see a role that matches your skills, but still want to make an impact on our vital work, why not explore our volunteering opportunities here? From recruiting more lifesaving donors and helping out at fundraising events, to couriering vital stem cell donations to waiting patients around the world, there are many ways you can help bring hope, treatments, and another chance at life to thousands of people.