The National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF) is proud to announce that Maria E. Santaella, PhD(c), MSN, RN-BC, CPHON, senior vice president of research strategy, has been named editor in chief of Bleeding Disorders Care & Practice.
Originally launched in 2014 as The Journal of Haemophilia Practice, the publication was later renamed Bleeding Disorders Care & Practice in 2026 to reflect the increasing awareness and need for care of people with bleeding disorders beyond hemophilia. The journal highlights the contributions of the full care team, including hematologists, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, data managers, and psychologists, and serves as the official journal of Haemnet, a UK-based research and communications consultancy focused on bleeding disorders. Santaella succeeds longtime editor in chief Kate Khair, who served in the role for approximately a decade.
The journal’s emphasis on multidisciplinary care and practical, real-world learning is a natural fit for Santaella. Before joining NBDF, she spent more than 15 years as a dual-certified nurse at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Hemophilia Treatment Center.
“From its inception, Bleeding Disorders Care & Practice has elevated work that is often underrepresented elsewhere—case studies, small series, qualitative research, interdisciplinary models of care, and lived experience–informed scholarship that directly informs practice,” Santaella said. “This approach complements journals such as Haemophilia, which publish large-scale clinical trials and biomedical research. Bleeding Disorders Care & Practice focuses on how care is delivered and improved in the real world, alongside patient and caregiver perspectives and health system realities.”
The journal’s focus closely aligns with NBDF’s research strategy, which places the lived experience of people with bleeding disorders and their support networks at the center of its work. Initiatives such as Community Voices in Research, launched in 2019, capture insights on mental health, pain, adherence, and family dynamics, areas not always reflected in traditional research. Similarly, the Bleeding Disorders Research Collaborative is building a community-driven research infrastructure that integrates patients and caregivers at every stage to ensure research is relevant, representative, and inclusive.
“My work at NBDF and my work with the journal will be grounded in the same principles: patient-centeredness, scientific rigor, and real-world impact,” Santaella said. “This editorial role provides a broader, global view of emerging research and gaps in care, insights which can help inform NBDF’s research priorities, while keeping the journal rooted in practical relevance and lived experience.”
Under her leadership, Santaella hopes clinicians, researchers, and allied health professionals will view Bleeding Disorders Care & Practice as a home for care-delivery research and practice-changing insights. “If you’re asking important questions about care delivery, patient experience, or access—this is the place for it,” she said.
She also emphasized the journal’s value for patients and caregivers, noting plans to expand plain-language summaries to make research more accessible and actionable.
“I hope what we publish helps patients make informed decisions and advocate for themselves,” she said.
Her call to action is simple: “Share your experiences, participate in research, engage as reviewers, and help us continue building a journal that reflects the full diversity of the bleeding disorders community. Strengthening the bridge between research, practice, and lived experience will ultimately advance care for everyone.”
