Dr. George R. Buchanan is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) in Dallas, Texas. He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago in 1970, followed by pediatric residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago and hematology-oncology fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Buchanan has been at UT Southwestern since 1977 and is actively involved in the diagnosis and management of children and adolescents with blood diseases. He had been a national leader in investigator-initiated and multicenter collaborative research in many areas of hematology, including sickle cell disease, other anemias, bleeding disorders, and childhood cancer. He has had keen interest in training and mentoring young physician researchers and developing new treatment approaches for children affected with blood disorders and cancer.   Representative Publications: Management of sickle cell disease: summary of the 2014 evidence-based report by expert panel members Pulmonary, gonadal, and central nervous system status after bone marrow transplantation for sickle cell disease Acute silent cerebral ischemia and infarction during acute anemia in children with and without sickle cell disease Prevalence of intracardiac shunting in children with sickle cell disease and stroke Pilot study of continuous co-infusion of morphine and naloxone in children with sickle cell pain crisis Tapered oral dexamethasone for the acute chest syndrome of sickle cell disease Vaso-occlusive episodes in older children with sickle cell disease: emergency department management and pain assessment Online profile

Dr. Brathwaite graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2002. He works in Loma Linda, California and specializes in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. Dr. Brathwaite is affiliated with Loma Linda University Medical Center at Loma Linda University. He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine there. Dr. Brathwaite has been practicing medicine for over 15 years.   Representative Publication: Evidence-Based Practice Standard Care for Acute Pain Management in Adults With Sickle Cell Disease in an Urgent Care Center   Online profile

Timothy L. McCavit earned a MS in molecular biology at Texas Tech University and a Medical Doctorate at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. McCavit completed a Residency and a MS in Clinical Sciences at UT Southwestern. Dr. McCavit is board certified in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. In his clinical practice, Dr. McCavit focuses on the care of children with sickle cell disease. Dr. McCavit has a research interest in long-term outcomes for children with sickle cell disease. His published work to date has examined early death, stroke, and infection by streptococcus pneumoniae in young sickle cell patients. In addition, Dr. McCavit has a research interest in quality-of-care (QOC) and has completed studies evaluating novel QOC indicators for sickle cell pain and febrile neutropenia in pediatric cancer patients. He also has a research interest in iron deficiency anemia including clinical trials for the treatment of newly-diagnosed and refractory iron deficiency anemia in children.   Representative Publications: Timing of opioid administration as a quality indicator for pain crises in sickle cell disease Controlled trial of transfusions for silent cerebral infarcts in sickle cell anemia Prophylactic penicillin after 5 years of age in patients with sickle cell disease: a survey of sickle cell disease experts National trends in incidence rates of hospitalization for stroke in children with sickle cell disease Increase in invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in children with sickle cell disease since pneumococcal conjugate vaccine licensure Online profile

Dr. Lebensburger is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania for undergraduate training and the Nova Southeastern Medical School. After his pediatric residency at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida, Dr. Lebensburger completed fellowship training in Pediatric Hematology Oncology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. His primary clinical focus involves caring for children with blood disorders, including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, bleeding disorders, disorders of iron metabolism, and marrow failure syndromes. In addition to his clinical care, Dr. Lebensburger focuses on linking knowledge from basic science to clinical care (translational research) especially in sickle cell disease. Currently, Dr. Lebensburger is the primary investigator for two prestigious research grants from the National Institutes of Health and American Society of Hematology to better understand kidney disease in patients with sickle cell disease. While pain is the hallmark clinical complication of sickle cell disease, many young adult patients suffer from early development of kidney failure.   Representative Publications: Evaluating risk factors for chronic kidney disease in pediatric patients with sickle cell anemia Influence of severity of anemia on clinical findings in infants with sickle cell anemia: analyses from the BABY HUG study Acute kidney injury during a pediatric sickle cell vaso-occlusive pain crisis Cranial epidural hematomas: A case series and literature review of this rare complication associated with sickle cell disease Hydroxycarbamide for patients with silent cerebral infarcts: outcomes and patient preference Elective cholecystectomy reduces morbidity of cholelithiasis in pediatric sickle cell disease Online profile

Dr. Biree Andemariam is a hematologist and founding director of the New England Sickle Cell Institute (NESCI) at the University of Connecticut Health Center. NESCI was established in 2009 and now serves nearly 300 adults living with sickle cell disease. With a staff of twelve individuals, including nurses, social workers, patient navigators, and research assistants, NESCI provides comprehensive care, acute pain management, specialized blood transfusions, and a destination for children in Connecticut who have aged out of pediatric SCD care. Dr. Andemariam’s research focuses on developing new pathways of care that improve SCD care quality as well as translational research on deciphering the interplay between red blood cell adhesion to the walls of the circulatory system and the development of pain. She holds an undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Princeton University and a medical degree from Tufts. She is also the Chief Medical Officer of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.   Representative Publications: Microfluidic experimental setup for adhesion and recovery measurements of red blood cells in sickle cell disease Regulation of Active ICAM-4 on Normal and Sickle Cell Disease RBCs via AKAPs Is Revealed by AFM Loss of Bone in Sickle Cell Trait and Sickle Cell Disease Female Mice Is Associated With Reduced IGF-1 in Bone and Serum Traumatic Exposure History as a Risk Factor for Chronic Pain in Adult Patients with Sickle Cell Disease Development of a New Adult Sickle Cell Disease Center Within an Academic Cancer Center: Impact on Hospital Utilization Patterns and Care Quality Patient Controlled Analgesia for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Awaiting Admission from the Emergency Department Online profile

Dr. Sophie Lanzkron is an associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her areas of clinical expertise include hematology and sickle cell disease. Dr. Lanzkron is director of the Sickle Cell Center for Adults at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Lanzkron received her undergraduate degree in biology from Brandeis University. She earned her M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center and performed her fellowship in hematology at Johns Hopkins. She joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins in 2000. Dr. Lanzkron's major clinical research involves the study of sickle cell disease. Her primary research interest is to understand the barriers to care for adults with sickle cell disease. In 1998, the FDA approved the use of hydroxyurea to treat patients with sickle cell disease. This approval was based on a large clinical trial centered at Johns Hopkins. The use of hydroxyurea was predicted to decrease hospitalizations and the costs of care for those with sickle cell disease. Dr. Lanzkron's research has shown that despite the approval of hydroxyurea, the costs of caring for patients with sickle cell disease have increased significantly over the last seven years. Research is ongoing to identify the factors that limit access to care for this population.   Representative Publications: Efficacy and safety of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in persons with sickle cell disease Multiple Levels of Suffering: Discrimination in Health-Care Settings is Associated With Enhanced Laboratory Pain Sensitivity in Sickle Cell Disease Chronic Opioid Therapy and Central Sensitization in Sickle Cell Disease The Association of Clinician Characteristics with their Attitudes Toward Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Secondary Analyses of a Randomized Controlled Trial Perceived discrimination in health care is associated with a greater burden of pain in sickle cell disease Venous thromboembolism in adults with sickle cell disease: a serious and under-recognized complication Dental infections increase the likelihood of hospital admissions among adult patients with sickle cell disease Online profile

Dr. Hassell provides inpatient and outpatient care to adults with sickle cell disease at the University of Colorado Hospital. She is a site principal investigator for multi-center clinical trials for adults with sickle cell disease, and has provided national leadership on study steering and executive committees. Dr. Hassell has led several regional projects through the Mountain States Genetics Regional Collaborative Center, and serves on the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee for the Colorado State Department of Health. She also sits on the steering committees of a number of national projects including the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Project for HRSA, the American Society of Hematology’s Public Health Taskforce, and the Registries and Surveillance for Hemoglobinopathies (RuSH) Project for the CDC and NIH.   Representative Publications: Sensitivity of alternative measures of functioning and wellbeing for adults with sickle cell disease: comparison of PROMIS® to ASCQ-Me℠ AAPT Diagnostic Criteria for Chronic Sickle Cell Disease Pain Quality of care in sickle cell disease: Cross-sectional study and development of a measure for adults reporting on ambulatory and emergency department care Effects of hydroxyurea treatment for patients with hemoglobin SC disease The evaluation of a new apheresis device for automated red blood cell exchange procedures in patients with sickle cell disease Hospitalization for pain in patients with sickle cell disease treated with sildenafil for elevated TRV and low exercise capacity   Online profile

Dr. Klings is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine. She attends in the Medical Intensive Care Unit and on the Pulmonary Consultation Service at Boston Medical Center. Additionally, she has a clinic in the Pulmonary Hypertension Center at Boston Medical Center where she is involved in the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension (Pulmonary Hypertension Center). She has special interest in the management of patients with chronic dyspnea and is the former Medical Director of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Klings has clinically phenotyped over 200 adults with sickle cell disease being treated at Boston Medical Center and has utilized genomic and proteomic approaches to understand the pathogenesis for pulmonary vascular disease in this population. Her current research interests surround understanding the role of sleep-disordered breathing, chronic intermittent hypoxia and thrombosis as pulmonary vascular modulators in sickle cell disease.   Special Interests: Research: - Pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease - Role of genetic modulation in pulmonary hypertension of sickle cell disease   Clinical: - Pulmonary Hypertension - Pulmonary Complications of Sickle Cell Disease - Critical Care Medicine - Pulmonary Rehabilitation   Representative Publications: Prostacyclin-analog therapy in sickle cell pulmonary hypertension Chronic Pulmonary Complications of Sickle Cell Disease Clinical and Laboratory Findings Associated with Sleep Disordered Breathing in Sickle Cell Disease Sickle cell disease: wheeze or asthma? Management of patients with sickle cell disease Online profile

Courtney Fitzhugh received her B.S. magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1996, and her M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco in 2001. She is a member of the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Fitzhugh is exploring new avenues of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation for sickle cell disease (SCD), while also studying the currently underexplored cardiovascular complications arising due to this genetic blood disorder. Dr. Fitzhugh is also conducting a half-matched protocol to increase the number of people eligible for HSC transplantation. The current procedure requires a fully HLA-matched sibling donor, and less than 20% of SCD patients would qualify. Dr. Fitzhugh is examining why SCD patients develop heart disease, and what can be done to prevent or possibly even reverse heart-related complications in this population. Through these joint avenues of research, Dr. Fitzhugh’s group is finding new avenues to help people with SCD live longer and healthier lives. Dr. Fitzhugh is also interested in learning more about death due to this disease.   Representative Publications: Losartan for the nephropathy of sickle cell anemia: A phase-2, multicenter trial Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for sickle cell disease Relationship between Mixed Donor-Recipient Chimerism and Disease Recurrence Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Sickle Cell Disease Curative approaches for sickle cell disease: A review of allogeneic and autologous strategies Measurements of red cell deformability and hydration reflect HbF and HbA2 in blood from patients with sickle cell anemia Severe cardiac iron toxicity in two adults with sickle cell disease Do the Eyes Reveal More Than Scleral Icterus in Sickle Cell Disease? Online profile

Dr. Clinton Joiner is a Director of Hematology at Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dr. Joiner was recruited to Emory in 2012 as Director of the Hematology Program in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. As a Professor of Pediatrics, he holds the Aflac Children’s Endowed Chair for Hematology. With nearly continuous funding by multiple NIH grants since 1984, Dr. Joiner’s basic research has focused on red blood cell physiology, specifically cell volume regulation and its abnormalities in sickle cell disease. He has served on numerous NIH review panels, various program project reviews and the K23, K24 and K99 panels. Dr. Clinton Joiner has served on numerous advisory committees to NIH, industry groups and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. He currently serves as the Training Director of the Atlanta Pediatric Scholars Program (K12HD072245) that provides support for pediatricians at the junior faculty level who aim to develop funded research programs in basic and translational science.   Representative Publications: Biochemical surrogate markers of hemolysis do not correlate with directly measured erythrocyte survival in sickle cell anemia Hydroxyurea effectiveness in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia: A large retrospective, population-based cohort KCl cotransport mediates abnormal sulfhydryl-dependent volume regulation in sickle reticulocytes Dipyridamole inhibits sickling-induced cation fluxes in sickle red blood cells The activation of KCL cotransport by deoxygenation and its role in sickle cell dehydration Online profile