Red Blood Cells News and Research

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Eisai announces publication of Halaven Phase III study results against breast cancer in The Lancet journal

Eisai announced today that results from the global Phase III clinical study "EMBRACE" will be published online in The Lancet.

3 Mar 2011

Mathematical model predicts lifespan of stem cells

When patients receive a bone marrow transplant, they are getting a new population of hematopoietic stem cells. Fresh stem cells are needed when a patient is low on red blood cells, as in anemia, or white blood cells, which can be caused by cancer or even cancer treatments such as irradiation or chemotherapy. The problem is that a bone marrow transplant might not succeed because the transplanted stem cells don't live long enough or because they proliferate too well, leading to leukemia.

2 Mar 2011

PAH closely related to bone marrow abnormalities

Results from a study published in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology reveal a close relationship between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-exceedingly high blood pressure in the arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs-and abnormalities of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow (known as myeloid abnormalities).

1 Mar 2011

Refrigerated whole blood may have shelf life beyond current standard of 24 to 48 hours

In a finding that may potentially improve survival from war injuries and disasters, laboratory researchers report that refrigerated whole blood may have a shelf life well beyond the current standard of 24 to 48 hours.

24 Feb 2011

First patient enrolled in TXA127 Phase 2 clinical study to stimulate engraftment following transplant

Tarix Pharmaceuticals today announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical study of TXA127, a pharmaceutical grade formulation of a naturally occurring peptide known to stimulate early hematopoietic precursor cells in the bone marrow.

24 Feb 2011

MD Anderson physician honored for impact on blood, marrow transplantation

The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation has honored leader, innovator and educator Richard Champlin, M.D., with its Lifetime Achievement Award during the group's annual meeting Feb. 17-21.

23 Feb 2011

NYBC urges African American, Hispanic descent to donate blood for special patients

A hospitalized single mother from Queens is calling for more African Americans to become blood donors, so that she and many others may be able to live. People may call New York Blood Center at 1-800-933-BLOOD or visit www.nybloodcenter.org for more information about giving blood, and where to donate.

22 Feb 2011

Scientists use synthetic oil for dispersing pathogenic fungi to prevent malaria spread

There are over 200 million cases of malaria each year and, according to the World Health Organisation, in 2009 malaria was responsible for 781,000 deaths worldwide. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes which breed in open water and spend much of their larval stage feeding on fungi and microorganisms at the water surface.

20 Feb 2011

Study: High bilirubin levels within normal range linked with reduced risk of respiratory diseases

An analysis of data including more than 500,000 adults indicates that levels in the blood of bilirubin in the normal range but relatively higher were associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and all-cause death, according to a study in the February 16 issue of JAMA.

15 Feb 2011

Silent strokes can cause long-term cognitive, learning deficits in children with sickle cell disease

Silent strokes, which have no immediate symptoms but could cause long-term cognitive and learning deficits, occur in a significant number of severely anemic children, especially those with sickle cell disease, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2011.

13 Feb 2011

NYBC ends emergency appeal for blood donations

Thanks to the support of blood donors – who answered the emergency call after winter snowstorms drove blood supplies to critical levels – New York Blood Center is ending its emergency appeal for blood donations and returning to its normal collection schedule. The supply of several blood types, including O-negative blood, has returned to recommended 3-5 day inventory levels.

10 Feb 2011

Gates Foundation awards USF $5.45M for malaria research

The University of South Florida received $5.45 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The first grant is to create advanced devices that mimic the human liver to better study the life cycle of the malaria parasite - particularly the elusive liver stage where the disease may be most vulnerable to attack.

9 Feb 2011

Munich research team provides promising alternative to DNA-based procedures

Defects in the genome are the cause of many diseases. Gene therapy - direct replacement of mutant genes by intact DNA copies - offers a means of correcting such defects. Now a research team based at the Medical Center of the University of Munich, and led by Privatdozent Dr. Carsten Rudolph, has taken a new approach that avoids DNA delivery.

8 Feb 2011

NIST team demonstrates a method for controlling different-sized nanoparticle production

The same properties that make engineered nanoparticles attractive for numerous applications-small as a virus, biologically and environmentally stabile, and water-soluble-also cause concern about their long-term impacts on environmental health and safety.

3 Feb 2011

Bioengineers and physician-scientists zap tumors with light-activated nanoparticles

Rice University bioengineers and physician-scientists at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have successfully destroyed tumors of human brain cancer cells in the first animal tests of a minimally invasive treatment that zaps glioma tumors with heat. The tests involved nanoshells, light-activated nanoparticles that are designed to destroy tumors with heat and avoid the unwanted side effects of drug and radiation therapies.

2 Feb 2011

New compound appears to prevent pain crises in sickle cell disease: GHSU

A new compound appears to prevent the traffic jam of cells that causes debilitating pain crises and associated mortality in sickle cell disease, Georgia Health Sciences University researchers report.

1 Feb 2011

New research shows CEUS can improve diagnosis of variety of medical conditions in children

New research released here Thursday shows that "contrast-enhanced ultrasound" can safely improve the diagnosis of a variety of medical conditions in children - without exposing them to ionizing radiation.

29 Jan 2011

American Red Cross urges all eligible donors to donate blood

Severe winter weather throughout much of the eastern half of the United States in recent weeks has already caused the cancellation of more than 14,000 blood and platelet donations through the American Red Cross. With more winter weather and a possible coastal storm predicted, the Red Cross is urging all eligible blood donors to help boost its blood supply back up to sufficient levels.

25 Jan 2011

Researchers map complex choreography used by immune system's T cells to recognize pathogens

Researchers have for the first time mapped the complex choreography used by the immune system's T cells to recognize pathogens while avoiding attacks on the body's own cells.

21 Jan 2011

Researchers take systematic approach to catalog factors that control blood cell development

A small pool of stem cells replenishes the human body with about 200 billion new blood cells daily. But the elaborate circuitry that determines if a cell will develop into a T cell, red blood cell, or one of the nine or more other blood cell types remains largely unknown. A research team led by scientists from the Broad Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital has taken a systematic approach to help decipher this circuitry, compiling a comprehensive catalog of the factors that determine a blood cell's fate.