Exploring the implications of unexpected findings in healthy stem cell donors

Incidental diagnosis of clonal hematopoiesis among healthy, unrelated, hematopoietic stem cell donors: A feasibility study of psychosocial, ethical, and clinical issues

NIH-funded research Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-10987922

This study is looking at how finding certain genetic changes in healthy people who donate stem cells might affect their health, feelings, and the ethical questions around sharing this information.

Quick facts

Grant typeR21 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionSloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-10987922 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the psychosocial, ethical, and clinical implications of discovering clonal hematopoiesis (CH) in healthy individuals who volunteer as hematopoietic stem cell donors. Clonal hematopoiesis refers to mutations in blood stem cells that can increase the risk of certain diseases, even though it is not classified as a disease itself. The study aims to understand how these incidental findings affect donors' health outcomes and their psychological well-being, as well as the ethical considerations surrounding the disclosure of such findings. Participants will be engaged in discussions and assessments to evaluate the feasibility of addressing these complex issues.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are healthy adults who have volunteered to donate hematopoietic stem cells.

Not a fit: Patients who are not healthy or who have pre-existing hematologic conditions may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and management of health risks associated with clonal hematopoiesis in healthy individuals.

How similar studies have performed: While the implications of clonal hematopoiesis have been explored in other contexts, this specific focus on healthy donors is relatively novel and untested.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.