DTM Research
Blood Services Section
In addition to providing services to support Clinical Center patients the Blood Services Section conducts important research. Please note the current research projects of the section below.

Research Interests

Apheresis and Hemochromatosis Studies
The Department of Transfusion Medicine at NIH continues a 35 year tradition of excellence in clinical apheresis research. Current studies emphasize optimization of donor safety and component yields during large volume leukapheresis for collection of peripheral blood stem cells and other mononuclear cells to be used for hematopoietic reconstitution and immunomodulatory therapy with collaborating intramural institute research programs. Specific interests address the evaluation of citrate anticoagulant toxicity and management with prophylactic divalent cation solutions, the effect of volume processed, flow rate and apheresis device settings on cell yields and efficiency, and the performance of LVL on pediatric donors. More recently, the DTM has pioneered a comprehensive program for subjects with hemochromatosis, in which the optimal method of phlebotomy therapy is evaluated while blood from eligible subjects is made available to the allogeneic inventory for transfusion to patients at the Clinical Center. Additional active protocols include collection of anthrax-immune plasma from vaccinated volunteers, red cell exchange programs for sickle cell anemia patients, photopheresis therapy for subjects with autoimmune disease or chronic graft versus host disease after allogeneic transplantation, and the application of novel apheresis procedures for control of severe hereditary hypercholesterolemia.