
Gene Therapy in the Genomic Era: Promise, Progress and Patient Impact
ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
This activity consists of a recorded presentation from the "Medical Director and Clinician Leadership Forum 2025" held in Nashville, TN., October 22, 2025.
Gene therapy technologies are revolutionizing treatment for genetic diseases. This session explores the science, clinical applications, and patient perspectives, with a focus on sickle cell disease and emerging technologies like CRISPR.
Provided by
This activity is provided by Optum Health Education.
Commercial support
There was no commercial support received for this activity.
Target Audience
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, PAs, physicians, psychologists, social workers and other health care professionals.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Describe the principles and mechanisms of gene therapy.
- Discuss current and emerging gene therapies for genetic disorders.
- Evaluate ethical, logistical and access-related challenges of implementing gene therapy in clinical practice.
Faculty
Haydar A. Frangoul, MD, MS
Medical Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
TriStar Centennial
Jimi Olaghere
Tech Entrepreneur, Sickle Cell Disease Patient Advocate
Gene Therapy Recipient
Haydar A. Frangoul, MD, MS, is a board-certified pediatric hematologist/oncologist and the medical director of pediatric hematology/oncology for the Sarah Cannon Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at TriStar Centennial. He also serves as an investigator for the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, focusing on the research and treatment of blood disorders for pediatric and adult patients, with a specialization in blood and marrow transplantation.
Dr. Frangoul is an internationally recognized expert in stem cell transplantation. He has published more than 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts and presented on more than 35 abstracts. Prior to joining Sarah Cannon and TriStar Health, Dr. Frangoul served as the director of the pediatric stem cell transplant program at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Frangoul is an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical College. He is also a member of the American Society of Hematology, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the American Society of Bone Marrow Transplant.
When he is not treating patients or conducting research, Dr. Frangoul enjoys traveling, reading, biking, and racquetball.
Jimi Olaghere is a CASGEVY® recipient who has developed a keen interest in the advancements of cell and gene therapies since his transformative participation in the groundbreaking clinical trial.
He is passionate about the positive impact these therapies can have on patients in need and has become a staunch advocate for increased accessibility of gene therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients worldwide.
Planners
Elizabeth Albert, MD
Clinical Manager
Optum Health Education
Sarah Chart, RN
Sr. Director Healthcare Optimization & Strategy
Optum Health Education
Sara L. Fleszar, PharmD, BCOP
Senior Clinical Oncology Pharmacist
Whole Health Solutions
Optum Health
Rebecca Gleason, RN, CCM
Clinical Manager
Optum Health Education
Lisa Latts, MD, MSPH, MBA, FACP
Chief Medical Officer
Optum Behavioral Health Solutions & Optum Health Solutions
Optum Health Clinical Excellence
Optum
Jaime Murillo, MD
Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Medical Affairs
UnitedHealth Group
Sam Nordberg, PhD
Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
Optum Massachusetts
Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Optum Health Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.
Financial Relationship Key
A-Advisory Board
CT-Clinical Trial
C-Consultant
E-Employee
G- Grant/Research Support or Funding
I-Stocks and Other Ownership Interests
S-Speakers’ Bureau
O-Other Financial or Material Support
Haydar A. Frangoul, MD has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships: Octa Pharma, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Consultant) and Jazz Pharmaceuticals (Speakers’ Bureau).
All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.
The remaining activity faculty or planners have no financial relationships to disclose.
Method for calculating CE credit
CE credit was calculated by the complexity of content.
Accreditation statement
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Optum Health Education. Optum Health Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit designation statements
This activity was planned by and for the health care team, and learners will receive 1.25 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
Physicians
Optum Health Education designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
PAs
The American Academy of PAs (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Pharmacists/Pharmacy technicians
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEUs) in states that recognize ACPE.
Attending the full program will earn 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEUs).
Unique activity number: JA0007123-0000-25-073-H01-P/T
Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.25 contact hours of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.
Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Psychologists
Optum Health Education is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. Optum Health Education maintains responsibility for this program. 1.25 CE hour.
Social workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Optum Health Education is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Optum Health Education maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive up to 1.25 enduring continuing education credits.
Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been preapproved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization with which they wish to obtain credit.
Available Credit
- 1.25 ACPE - Pharmacists
- 1.25 ACPE - Pharmacy Technicians
- 1.25 AMA - Physicians
- 1.25 ANCC - Nurses
- 1.25 APA - Psychologists
- 1.25 Attendance - General Attendance
You must be logged into your account to participate in this activity. Get started by clicking “Register” and following the instructions. At the end of the activity, you will be able to view, save or print your certificate of participation. A complete listing of all of your activities can be found under “My Account,” “My Activities.”

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