How diet affects white blood cells and sickle cell disease
Official title: The impact of diet on granulopoiesis, neutrophil function, and sickle cell disease pathology
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11548417 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study looks at how nutrition, from early life to adulthood, influences sickle cell disease by examining neutrophils and disease severity in people with SCD and in a mouse model.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $75,600 |
| NIH project number | 3K38HL174893-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11548417 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with sickle cell disease across a range of ages who can donate blood samples or participate in observational assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without sickle cell disease or those unable to provide blood samples may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project investigates how dietary stress shapes sickle cell disease by studying neutrophil behavior and inflammation. Researchers will analyze blood from people with SCD to see how diet relates to disease severity and neutrophil activity. They will also use a mouse model to test when in life dietary inputs affect disease outcomes and the role of neutrophils in those effects. The goal is to identify nutritional and immune factors that drive SCD variability so that future interventions can improve health for patients with this condition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could reveal dietary strategies or immune targets to lessen SCD severity.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary evidence in similar models suggests diet can influence neutrophil behavior and inflammatory responses, but direct links to SCD in humans are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mack, Ethan Andrew — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mack, Ethan Andrew
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.