Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Pittsburgh received a $190,188 Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), awarded on April 10, 2026, with a completion date of March 31, 2031. This research initiative focuses on identifying biomarkers and predictors of treatment response in chronic anemia associated with sickle cell disease (SCD). The study will evaluate the impact of anemia therapies—including hydroxyurea and blood transfusions—on tissue perfusion and hemorheological properties (blood flow dynamics and red blood cell deformability) in adult SCD patients, utilizing an international cohort in Nigeria to enhance sample size and reduce treatment heterogeneity.

The research will employ near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology to measure cerebral tissue oxygenation and deliver clinically actionable biomarkers to guide individualized therapeutic interventions. By determining how clinico-demographic factors such as SCD genotype and geographic setting influence hemorheological profiles, this project addresses a critical knowledge gap in current clinical practice, which currently lacks biomarkers to personalize anemia therapy and instead relies on hemoglobin levels as a flawed surrogate marker. The anticipated outcomes include improved understanding of how anemia treatments affect blood flow dynamics and tissue oxygenation, thereby supporting more targeted and safer therapeutic approaches for SCD patients globally.