Research Studies

This study will evaluate hemophilia treatment center (HTC) services provided to women with hemophilia A or B (Factor VIII or Factor IX level [ 50%). The American Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network (ATHN) maintains a confidential national database for patients with bleeding and clotting disorders. Utilizing this existing ATHNdataset, the study will analyze the effect of gender on the delivery of comprehensive care in patients with hemophilia A and B. The project will focus on how gender impacts three specific components of care: identification of patients with factor VIII or IX deficiency, inclusion of patients in the comprehensive care model, and monitoring of joint bleeding as a key component of comprehensive care provided by HTCs. Demonstrating gender-based disparities in comprehensive care would provide evidence for making changes to improve the clinical care provided to women with hemophilia. This study will add to the knowledge regarding the care of women with hemophilia, helping to inform future studies of this under-researched population.

Klaus Bonazza received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Vienna University of Technology. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Boston Children's Hospital and appointed at Harvard Medical School, mentored by Dr. Timothy Springer. His field of interest is the ultra-large concatemeric protein von Willebrand factor (VWF), which accounts for the adaptability of hemostasis to different flow conditions in the blood vessels.

At moderate, physiological flow VWF has a packed, "bird nest's" shape whereas strong elongational flow conditions, occurring downstream of vascular restrictions or injuries, induce a transition to a threat-like, elongated state. On top of this overall unpacking, tensile forces, which are exerted on the chain and transmitted by its A1 domain, cause local conformational changes which activate binding of thrombocyte receptor Glycoprotein Ib (GPIbα) to initiate coagulation. With his JGP fellowship award, Dr. Bonazza will pioneer a new method to obtain structural insights into force dependent VWF unpacking, A1 deformation and GPIbα binding based on hydrogendeuterium exchange under elongational flow conditions.

Dr. Yasmina Abajas is a clinical assistant professor in pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also completed her subspecialty training in 2016. A native of Miami, FL, she attended medical school at the University of Miami and completed her pediatrics residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. During her fellowship training, she focused on studying hemophilia B inhibitors in a humanized mouse model under the mentorship of Dr. Paul Monahan. As a NHF- Baxalta Clinical Fellow, Dr. Abajas will work on transitioning her efforts from bench research to a translational/clinical research focus under the mentorship of Nigel Key, MB ChB, FRCP, section chief of hematology and director of the Hemophilia Treatment Center at UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Abajas will continue to focus on FIX inhibitors and evaluate whether or not a combined B and T cell immunosuppressive regimen helps with inhibitor eradication in affected hemophilia B patients.