Bringing Research to Life: Meet the Poster Abstract Authors

On Thursday evening, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm in the Exhibit Hall, NBDF held a special “Meet the Poster Abstract Authors” session, featuring the 47 poster abstract approved for display during this year’s BDC in Aurora, Colorado. All conference attendees had an opportunity to view the posters and meet with the authors directly.  The authors represent universities, pharmaceutical companies, hemophilia treatment centers, or other bleeding disorders organizations in the US or beyond.   Abstracts were initially submitted to NBDF in spring and then assessed by a panel of experts. The posters will remain on display at BDC in the Exhibit Hall during regular Exhibit Hours.

The Meet the Authors session is where the research comes to life. The posters’ authors are available to answer specific questions on their studies from conference attendees and fellow researchers. It is the type of open, collaborative event that both poster authors and attendees welcome, as researchers can share their projects with the community, and attendees can delve into how the research findings might apply to them.  This educational exchange has also been an important mainstay of NBDF’s annual conferences for decades.  

“I spoke to a poster author who was comparing joint bleeds in patients with hemophilia to VWD,” said Eliza VanZweden, an attendee from Michigan. “The conclusion was that they were seeing joint bleeds in patients with VWD as well. I was relating that to my own experience as a Glannzman’s patient.” She said her doctor had never spoken to her about the possibility of joint bleeds, even though she has joint damage. “The physical therapist who had done the research was very excited to hear that,” she said with a laugh. “He said he needed to study joint damage in Glannzman’s patients next.”

The subject areas of this year’s abstracts represent the wide expanse of research currently being conducted in the inheritable blood disorders community. Clinical research is well represented, with 20 approved posters, ranging from the efficacy of new therapies and other (current/timely) clinical topics. But research being conducted on quality-of-life outcomes, patient satisfaction with HTC care, and improving access to care for women with bleeding disorders are topics that will find resonance within the community. 

“This year’s poster abstracts were truly inspiring. We saw an incredible amount of innovation, along with plain language summaries that make the science easier for everyone to understand, no matter their background,” said Maria Santaella, PhD(c), MSN, RN-BC, CPHON, vice president of research strategy for NBDF. “It’s exciting to see research becoming more accessible and inclusive for our whole community.”

Julie Gardner, BSN, RN, CPN of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, CT, is the  co-author on a poster explaining a research project on patient and family success through self-infusion teaching done at her HTC, said, “I think it’s really important to be able to collaborate with other centers and see what they’re doing. You can learn a lot and share a lot –and for patient who see this research, they can use it to advocate for themselves.”

Attendees can view nearly all the 2025 research poster abstracts in the Bleeding Disorders Conference app. All of the approved abstracts will be posted on NBDF’s website in the future. NBDF wishes to acknowledge the many provider volunteers who contributed their time and expertise to this year’s abstracts review process.