The National Blood Foundation (NBF) Announces
Recipients of the 2007 NBF Scientific Research Grants
Call for 2008 Nominations is Under Way
Bethesda, Md. - The National Blood Foundation (NBF) Board of Trustees recently announced the recipients of the 2007 NBF Scientific Research Grants. Each grant recipient will receive up to $65,000 to pursue either a one- or two-year research project in the field of blood banking, transfusion medicine or cellular and related biological therapies. To date, NBF has awarded more than $5 million in grants since 1985 to 145 early-career researchers. This year’s recipients are: Spero Cataland, MD; Peiman Hematti, MD; Cheryl Lobo, PhD; Louise McCormick, PhD; Michael Milsom, PhD; Lirong Qu, MD, PhD; Astrid Van Halteren, PhD; Saul Yedgar, PhD; and Gregory Barshetin, PhD.
“The NBF Grants Review Committee received 32 applications for innovative research proposals from professionals in the United States and four other countries,” said Connie Westhoff, PhD, chair of NBF's Grants Review Committee. “This year we saw a marked increase in applications on cellular and related biological therapies, compared to past years.”
Proposals for NBF grants are evaluated on the basis of their scientific merit; relevance to and impact on transfusion medicine and science. NBF scientific research grants are made possible by contributions from NBF's Council on Research and Development (CORD) members and its NBF Partners, along with gifts from individuals, institutions and foundations.
The following are synopses of the eight winning proposals:
Spero Cataland, MD, Ohio State University
Cyclosporine or Corticosteroids with Plasma Exchange in TTP
With an interest in the use of immune-based therapy of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and funding from the NBF grant, Cataland will begin a randomized study of the efficacy of cyclosporine or corticosteroids as an adjunct to plasma exchange for the treatment of TTP. Previous studies have indicated that the effectiveness of cyclosporine is related to the suppression of the antibody inhibitor of a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type-1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) and improvement in ADAMTS13 activity and antigen. ADAMTS13 is reduced in TTP. Developing a practical immune-based therapy of TTP potentially could minimize a patient’s exposure to plasma and the complications of the plasma exchange procedure, while also conserving valuable blood bank resources.
Peiman Hematti, MD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
ESC-derived MSC Transplantation in NOD/SCID Mice
Previous research studies and clinical trials have shown that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) provide the environmental support for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow and have the potential to enhance the engraftment of transplanted HSCs. Hematti has developed a novel methodology to derive pure populations of MSCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with characteristics very similar to bone marrow-derived MSCs. The research will include an investigation of the ability of hESC-derived MSCs to enhance the engraftment of hESC-derived HSCs in the NOD/SCID mice model.
Cheryl Lobo, PhD, New York Blood Center
Role of Red Cell Glycophorins in the Invasion of Babesia Divergens
With a long-term goal of understanding the biology of the invasion of Babesia divergens into human red blood cells (RBCs), Lobo will try to show how zoonotic pathogens have evolved to overcome the species barrier and infect the human RBC. Identification and characterization of the molecules, including ligand-receptor interactions, that lead to the infection of RBCs is critical for the development of diagnostic tools for the identification of B. divergens in blood products as well as the development of drugs or vaccines.
Louise McCormick, PhD, Emory University
Role of CMV Inhibitor of Caspase-8 Activation in Disease
Cells have an intrinsic defense mechanism that causes apoptosis of infected cells; however, viruses such as human cytomegalovirus (CMV) have the ability to target and interrupt this mechanism, allowing infected cells to multiply and increase the severity of infection. Human CMV is a major concern for patients following transfusion or transplantation. Through research funded by NBF, McCormick will work toward the development of methods to derail viral interference of apoptosis.
Michael Milsom, PhD, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Correction of Fanconi Anemia Stem Cell Defect
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare inherited bone marrow failure syndrome. This project focuses on gene therapy of FA hematopoietic stem cells using recombinant retroviral vectors to correct bone marrow failure. In previous studies, Milsom has investigated the effectiveness of delivering a pro-engraftment transgene, HOXB4, into the FA HSC in addition to the corrective FA gene in a murine knockout model of the disease. This approach enhances the engraftment of corrected FA HSC. In the new study to be funded by NBF, Milsom will investigate the mechanisms through which HOXB4 enhances the engraftment of FA HSC under the assumption that the regulatory pathways employed by this transcription factor are important in governing HSC engraftment, bone marrow failure and leukemic transformation. It is hoped that the translational and basic research advances gained in this project will be directly applicable to the treatment and understanding of FA and other bone marrow failure syndromes.
Lirong Qu, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Institute for Transfusion Medicine
Quantification of HHV-8 in U.S. Blood Donors with Real-time PCR
Antibodies to Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) are found in an estimated 3 to 5 percent of the U.S. population, and it is not known how often HHV-8 viral particles are detected in blood donors. Qu will use a new, highly sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction test to detect and count HHV-8 viral particles in U.S. blood donors. HHV-8 is the causative agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, and it is associated with two rare types of B cell malignancies. Similar to other members of the herpes virus family, HHV-8 establishes and maintains lifelong infection in its host.
Astrid van Halteren, PhD, Leiden University Medical Center
Pregnancy-induced MHC Alloimmune T Cells and Fetal Microchimerism
Clinical results indicate that parous female stem cell donors cause more complications than male donors. This may be due to the mutual exchange of blood cells by mother and fetus during pregnancy, leading to bi-directional immune responses. After delivery, many women still harbor both fetal cells and immune cells reactive against minor H antigens expressed by the fetal cells. The goal of van Halteren’s project is to investigate the characteristics of the immune cells that are reactive against the fetus-specific minor H antigens and the role in the mother persisting fetal cells. Results may ultimately help improve the safety and efficacy of clinical stem cell transplantation protocols.
Saul Yedgar, PhD, and Gregory Barshetin, PhD, Hebrew University
Repair of Red Blood Cells Flow Properties for Transfusion Therapy
Routine cold storage of blood units impairs red blood cell flow properties, namely their deformability, self-aggregability, and adherence to blood vessel walls, often by the second week, which is considerably earlier than the conventional expiration date of five to six weeks. The transfusion of units with impaired RBC flow properties may introduce circulatory risk to patients. Yedgar and Barshetin hypothesize that removal of inflammatory cells prior to storage and post-storage rejuvenation procedures may repair storage-induced damage to RBC flow properties. Through funding provided by the NBF grant, Yedgar and Barshetin’s hypotheses will be tested by studying the effects of leukoreduction and rejuvenation on flow characteristics of RBCs intended for transfusion and identifying the cell membrane components responsible for storage-induced damage to RBC flow properties.
About 2008 Scientific Research Grant Applications
NBF is currently accepting scientific research grant applications, with a maximum award per grant of $65,000. Grant applications are available on the NBF Web page (www.aabb.org/nbf), or by contacting NBF at +1.301.215.6552 or nbf@aabb.org. Applications must be received by December 14, 2007. Grant awards will be announced in June 2008. NBF, a program of AABB that was established in 1983, is dedicated to advancing transfusion medicine, cellular and related biological therapies, and blood banking by funding scientific research that benefits patients and donors.
About AABB
Established in 1947, AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) is an international, not-for-profit association dedicated to the advancement of science and the practice of transfusion medicine and related biological therapies. The association is committed to improving health by developing and delivering standards, accreditation and educational programs and services to optimize patient and donor care and safety. AABB membership consists of approximately 1,800 institutions and 8,000 individuals, including physicians, scientists, administrators, medical technologists, nurses, researchers, blood donor recruiters and public relations personnel. Members are located in all 50 states and 80 countries.
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