Reducing Complications — The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has awarded Einstein researchers led by Dr. Joel Friedman $10.8 million, to carry out a five-year multi-institutional study of hemoglobin toxicity that may complicate blood transfusions and reduce the effectiveness of blood substitutes. Long-term goals of the research include making blood transfusions safer and more effective, and better matching patients with the transfusion strategy best suited to them. The research funded through this grant is especially important due to the explosion of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which increases inflammation in blood vessels and can lead to transfusion complications. Other institutions receiving funding include Rice University, the University of California, San Diego and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Dr. Friedman’s co- principal investigators at these institutions are Drs. John Olson, Marcos Intaglietta, and Abdu Alayash, respectively. Dr. Friedman holds the Young Men's Division Chair in Physiology and is professor of physiology & biophysics and of medicine.
Posted on: Thursday, November 08, 2012