How can the safety, dosing and benefits of existing therapies for sickle cell disease such as hydroxyurea, be optimized in order to increase its efficacy and improve patient adherence?

What are the optimal strategies for transfusion of blood products in pediatric and neonatal population?

For patients in the ICU with coagulopathy and associated World Health Organization (WHO) grade 3 or 4 bleeding, which hemostatic therapy -- plasma versus 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrates -- is preferred?

Multiple randomized controlled trials have been performed to evaluate the use of prophylactic PLT transfusions in non-bleeding, thrombocytopenic hematology-oncology patients. However no high-quality data exist to guide PLT transfusions in actively bleeding patients inclduing pediatric and adult medical and surgical patients. After hematology-oncology patients, cardiac surgery patients are the next largest group of PLT... more »

What are the optimal RBC transfusion thresholds for adult and pediatric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy regimens that may improve functional status and quality of life?

There is a need to develop “designer platelets” and “designer red cells,” as well as facilitate large-scale production of these products for therapeutic and diagnostic use.

Challenges that need to be overcome in blood transfusion, especially in SCD, include:
a. Adopting molecular genotyping as the standard in blood transfusion therapy.
b. Advancing new generation, anti-oxidant hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) for use in emergencies such as trauma, stroke, acute hemolysis, and in transfusion in SCD and related disorders. In SCD, HBOCs have the capacity to not only serve as substitutes... more »

What are optimal transfusion practices for acute coronary syndrome?

At what INR threshold does prophylactic plasma transfusion, in non-bleeding critically ill patients who are planned to undergo an invasive procedure, prevent bleeding complications and improve patient outcomes?

Does the use of viscoelastic testing to guide plasma transfusion improve outcomes when compared to traditional coagulation testing?

The limitations of 5-day 22˚ C storage significantly impacts platelet availability. It is critical that we develop new methods of collection, processing, storage to extend the storage time of platelets, and evaluate the use of whole blood. The attributes of these products must be understood to optimally alignment product attributes, clinical efficacy and safety with hemostatic needs in a variety of clinical states. Specifically,... more »

For surgical patients meeting criteria for the critical RBC administration threshold (CAT) due to an associated coagulation disorder, which hemostatic resuscitation strategy (goal-directed versus ratio-based) is superior?

Do different hemoglobin transfusion thresholds alter outcomes in children with ARDS? What is the optimal *minimum* transfusion threshold for children with ARDS? What patient-centered outcomes can be affected by transfusion strategies: ventilator free days, time to organ function recovery, duration of intensive care stay, survival?

Are there specific conditions where a liberal transfusion strategy results in lower 30-day mortality as compared to a restrictive transfusion strategy?

What are the underlying dependencies (genomic, metabolic, disease) in individual donors that either accelerate or delay the changes to red blood cells during refrigerated storage? What methods of preparation might protect patients from the risks posed by the accelerated degradation of RBCs provided by "poor storers"? What characteristics of individual patients make them particularly vulnerable to transfusion of red... more »