Laura Connelly-Smith

Laura Connelly-Smith is a distinguished Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a Professor in the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She serves as Medical Director of both the Apheresis and Cellular Therapy program and the Cell Processing Facility at Fred Hutch, where she oversees the safe collection and processing of stem cells and other cellular therapy products. Her clinical work focuses on patients with hematologic malignancies requiring blood stem cell transplantation.

Education:

• M.B.B.Ch., University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
• D.M., University of Nottingham, UK
• Residency in Internal Medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, United Kingdom
• Fellowships in Hematology, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Nottingham University Hospital, U.K., Lincoln County Hospital, U.K.

Dr. Connelly-Smith specializes in treating patients with leukemia and other hematologic malignancies through blood stem cell transplantation. Her research focuses on improving donor experiences during stem cell collection and investigating extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) for treating graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a serious complication following stem cell transplants. She chairs the ECP subcommittee for the American Society of Apheresis and has made significant contributions to therapeutic apheresis guidelines. Her publication record shows consistent output from 2007-2025, with particular emphasis on clinical guidelines for apheresis, GVHD management, and stem cell transplantation protocols, demonstrating her leadership in establishing evidence-based practices in her field.

Scientific Recognition:

• Recipient of the Dr. Ali Al-Johani Award for exceptional patient care (2019)

As Medical Director of Apheresis and Cellular Therapy at Fred Hutch, Dr. Connelly-Smith leads a multidisciplinary team managing complex stem cell collection procedures and cellular therapy products. Her work bridges clinical care and research, with a focus on optimizing transplantation outcomes and developing innovative approaches to manage post-transplant complications. She has contributed significantly to national guidelines through her work with the American Society for Apheresis, helping shape clinical practice standards in therapeutic apheresis.