CTSI Seminar Series: When Erythrocyte Biology and Mechanics Collide

The CTSI Seminar Series for Spring 2014 continues on Tuesday, April 1st with a presentation by Richard Waugh, PhD and James Palis, MD. Drs. Waugh and Palis will be presenting their research in a seminar entitled “When Erythrocyte Biology and Mechanics Collide.”

(UPDATE: For a recap of the presentation, click here.)

Dr. Palis is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology at the Medical Center and Dr. Waugh is Chair and Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering on River Campus. Dr. Palis and Dr. Waugh are Co-Principal Investigators on a CTSI Incubator award with Michael Bulger, PhD titled “Extensively Self-Renewing Erythroblasts as an Ex-Vivo Source of Human Blood.” In response to the increased blood transfusion need in the United States, their project will explore ways to artificially generate human blood. Click here to read more about their project.

The theme of the Spring 2014 series is “Crossing Elmwood: River Campus-Medical Center Research Collaborations” and will showcase ongoing research collaborations between the University research community and the Medical Center. The series also aims to stimulate new research teams and areas of investigation capitalizing on the existing strength of faculty and programs. The Organizing Committee for the series includes Robert Holloway, MD, MPH, Peter Lennie, PhD, Rob Clark, PhD, Stephen Dewhurst, PhD, Karl Kieburtz, MD, MPH, David Williams, PhD, Richard Waugh, PhD,  and Joanna Olmsted, PhD.

The series takes place on Tuesdays from 12:15-1:15 pm in the Helen Wood Hall Auditorium. You can access the full schedule here. Lunch is provided. Please provide your own beverage. The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry designates this live educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

2013 CTSI Incubator Program Award: Extensively Self-Renewing Erythroblasts as an Ex-Vivo Source of Human Blood

(Clockwise from left) Michael Bulger, PhD (Associate Professor of Pediatrics)
Richard Waugh, PhD (Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering)
James Palis, MD (Professor of Pediatrics)

Drs. Michael Bulger, James Palis and Richard Waugh, are the CTSI’s 2013 Incubator Program awardees.  The three co-Principal Investigators will collaborate with Drs. Laura Calvi and Alan Smrcka to investigate a potential source to artificially generate human blood.  Growing blood transfusion needs in the U.S., coupled with persistent bottlenecks in donated blood supplies, has fueled an intensified interest in the development of ex vivo methods of producing human red blood cells.

The CTSI Incubator program was created in 2010 and is a “super-pilot” program designed to develop research collaborations that will catalyze breakthrough treatments, diagnostic techniques, or quantum leaps in community health.  The 2012 Incubator award went to Patricia J. Sime, MD, for her project on “cigarette smoke, oxidative stress, inflammation and lung injury: novel therapeutic strategies.” The 2011 Incubator awardees were Burns Blaxall, PhD, and Harris Gelbard, MD, PhD, who led a project on “novel mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) inhibitors: a single target with therapeutic potential in multiple disease states.”  Click here for a full description of funded Incubator projects.