NYBC Laboratory Receives NIH Grant to Combat Anemia-Related Diseases

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NYBC's Erythropoiesis Laboratory at its Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute has received a significant federal grant to develop a more comprehensive understanding of diseases such as Sickle Cell Anemia and Beta-Thalassemia in which anemia is associated with too much iron in the body. 

"Our lab previously demonstrated that transferrin, a molecule already present in the body, reverses iron overload and improves anemia in mice with beta-thalassemia," said Dr. Yelena Ginzburg, MD, head of the Erythropoiesis Laboratory. "We have also recently shown that how iron is transported in the body, not just the amount of iron, is critical for transferrin's beneficial effect in the treatment of beta-thalassemia."

Dr. Ginzburg and her colleagues were awarded more than $1.84 million over five years by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.

As Dr. Ginzburg explains it, this new NIH-funded research will help develop treatments for patients with iron overload anemias. "We are now investigating the mechanisms underlying iron transport to support the premise of using transferrin to treat patients with beta-thalassemia and possibly other diseases associated with anemia and iron overload, like sickle cell anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome."

Please note: This content is solely the responsibility of the NYBC authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact:
Victoria O'Neill
PRCG | Haggerty
(212) 683-8100
[email protected]

About Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute: Since 1964, LFKRI has led the way in blood research, breaking new ground in transfusion medicine and disease treatment and prevention. The institute is committed to furthering research efforts that support the discovery of new blood-related products, techniques, and therapies. LFKRI's work has dramatically impacted global health, improved blood banking, nurtured a generation of scientists, and added significantly to the world's store of biomedical knowledge. From the beginning, LFKRI has supported basic research to understand blood and disease at the molecular level as well as translational research that transforms the findings into major breakthroughs. With state-of-the-art laboratories, LFKRI brings world-class research to life every day. For further information, visit http://nybloodcenter.org/research/

About New York Blood Center: New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. For more than 50 years, NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to hospitals serving millions of people in the Northeast and Midwest. NYBC is also home to the National Cord Blood Program, the world's largest public cord blood bank, which provides stem cells for transplant around the world. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals along with consultative services in transfusion medicine. Please visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/newyorkbloodcenter. Follow us on Twitter: @NY_BloodCenter. Website:  www.nybloodcenter.org.

SOURCE New York Blood Center

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