Funded by Foundation

Dr. Smith's research focuses on better understanding the development of factor VIII inhibitors. Specifically, she will focus on the effects of chemical signals, or cytokines, secreted by helper T cells on the development of inhibitor antibodies. She hypothesizes that certain cells, called Th17 cells, play an important role in the development of these antibodies by stimulating inflammation and driving the immune response toward inhibitor production. Dr. Smith received a BS from the University of Delaware before earning her Ph.D. from Montana State University. Prior to her appointment as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, she spent four years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Yee earned his undergraduate Credentials from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before receiving his doctorate from Rice University. His eventual goal is to operate an independent research laboratory in the field of bioengineering with a focus on understanding molecular mechanisms of hemostasis, thrombosis and vascular diseases. Dr. Yee's research project deals with factor VIII and its adhesion to its chaperone protein, von Willebrand factor. In these experiments, fragments of von Willebrand factor are screened for optimal factor VIII stabilization. By further studying the architecture of the "Factor VIII-von Willebrand Factor" complex, Dr. Yee seeks to gain insight to improve designs of novel therapeutics.

Nurses and health care providers recommend Emergency Medical Identification (EMI) such as Medic Alert for children of all ages with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, but most are unsure of what type should be used and where they should be located. This is because there are no guidelines on how EMI should be worn. This project will develop guidelines for the use of Emergency Medical Identification (EMI) and develop educational information for families of children with hemophilia. Guidelines will show recommended ages to wear EMI, its use with infants, and where it should be worn or if it should be carried. In addition, this project will review barriers for not wearing EMI based on our research, including perceived lack of need, sizing concerns for infants, and the fear of being different as expressed by adolescents.

This study will collect data from interviews with women who have moderate or severe hemophilia or another congenital bleeding disorder. Participants will be asked to express the impact that a congenital bleeding disorder has on the development and maintenance of identity and social relationships. It will provide women a chance to share how they feel about the impact that living with a bleeding disorder has on their lives. The results of this study will be of benefit to treatment providers and the entire community as we come to better understand the unique experiences of this segment of the bleeding disorders population.

Dr. Flood earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1995 and her doctorate from Tufts University in 1999. She is board certified in pediatrics as well as pediatric hematology/oncology. She has been serving as an Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she has been performing research and seeing patients since 2006.

As part of her NHF Career Development Award, Dr. Flood will study the common variants and interactions of the von Willebrand factor molecule as a means to enhance overall understanding and eventually improve upon current methods of von Willebrand disease testing. Using mouse models, she will investigate diagnostic alternatives by examining the interaction between ristocetin and its ability to bind to von Willebrand factor. As Dr. Flood states in her summary, "Improved testing for VWD will prevent patients with normal VWF function from receiving unnecessary treatment, while allowing more accurate assessment of patients with true defects in VWD."

The purpose of this project is to request support for the development of a computer-based training (CBT) module designed to teach the care and treatment of patients with bleeding disorders to nursing staff in a large, multi-campus pediatric healthcare institution. The module will be designed to exist within an intranet environment accessed by all members of the healthcare institution. Core modules will include a description of each common bleeding disorder, a basic review of processes surrounding the multidisciplinary care of bleeding disorder patients, the involvement of other hospital departments in managing a patient with a bleeding treatment plan (e.g., blood bank, coagulation lab, hemophilia treatment center staff) and medications/factor products routinely used to treat them. The result, a custom-made bleeding disorder CBT, would be available at any time to any staff member on any of the institution's campuses being assigned to care for bleeding disorder patients, thus facilitating nursing education and patient care.

Despite the fact that adults with hemophilia fit the profile of a population at high risk for experiencing depression, not to mention the significant impact of depression on their overall well-being, there are almost no studies in the literature to document the incidence of depression for these patients. This study is designed to document the prevalence of depression in adults with hemophilia at our treatment center and to evaluate risk factors for depression in these patients as well as patients from Region VIII who have completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Quality of Life questionnaire. Evaluation of the information collected is expected to show that a significant percentage of adults with hemophilia are experiencing symptoms of depression. The Arizona Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center plans to use this information to apply for future funding to support the development of a depression care management plan, which will be incorporated into standard care.

Our goal is to establish an outreach clinic in an area that will serve the Amish bleeding disorder community. After the completion of our formal project, we plan to continue to offer our services to the community to provide ongoing education, screening, and testing for individuals with bleeding symptoms or with a family history of a bleeding disorder. Furthermore, we plan to extend our clinical support to the other Amish communities located in downstate Illinois.