Immune drivers of sickle cell transfusion complications
Official title: Immune Pathophysiology of Sickle Cell Disease
Funded at New York Blood Center · NIH-11232370 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how immune cells and heme from damaged blood cause inflammation, antibody formation, and dangerous transfusion reactions in people with sickle cell disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York Blood Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $902,011 |
| NIH project number | 5R35HL161239-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232370 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with sickle cell disease who receive blood transfusions, especially those with prior alloantibodies or a history of delayed transfusion reactions, would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without sickle cell disease or those who do not receive blood transfusions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
If I have sickle cell disease, this work will study my blood samples and immune cells to see how ongoing hemolysis and inflammation lead to alloantibody formation and delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions. The team will focus on innate immune cells—especially circulating monocytes and a subgroup called patrolling monocytes—and on protective heme‑handling pathways like the enzyme heme oxygenase‑1. They will use laboratory studies of patient blood cells and related biological models to map the pathways that make inflammation worse or protect blood vessels. The researchers aim to connect those lab findings to why some patients develop severe transfusion reactions while others do not.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help prevent or treat dangerous transfusion reactions and reduce antibody complications for people with sickle cell disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked hemolysis-driven inflammation to alloimmunization, but focusing on patrolling monocytes and heme‑detoxifying pathways like HO‑1 is a relatively new approach with limited prior clinical translation.
Where this research is happening
-
New York Blood Center
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yazdanbakhsh, Karina — New York Blood Center
- Study coordinator: Yazdanbakhsh, Karina
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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.