Senescence-targeting therapies to boost blood stem cell health in sickle cell disease
Official title: Testing senescence-targeting therapies to improve hematopoietic stem cell function and mobilization during sickle cell disease
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11391434 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests aging-related treatments to protect and improve blood stem cells in people with sickle cell disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,834,564 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL186681-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391434 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with sickle cell disease who are potential candidates for hematopoietic cell transplantation or gene therapy, or who have severe disease-related marrow stress, may benefit.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with sickle cell disease not considering transplant or gene therapy, or those with unrelated marrow conditions, may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This research focuses on how sickle cell disease damages bone marrow and the stem cells that produce blood. Using a targeted drug approach known as senescence-targeting therapy, the team aims to reduce cellular stress and DNA damage in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The work combines animal models and human samples to understand how to keep bone marrow healthy and improve responses to therapies like bone marrow transplant or gene therapy. If successful, this could help people with sickle cell disease maintain better blood formation and reduce treatment-related risks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with sickle cell disease could experience healthier blood formation and improved outcomes from curative therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that senescence-targeting therapy can reduce DNA damage in disease-relevant cells and restore function in models, supporting further testing in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mckinney-Freeman, Shannon L — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Mckinney-Freeman, Shannon L
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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.