Professor S.W. Thein leads the highly respected research team, with a growing International reputation. They concentrate their skills on research into and the effective treatment into several blood disorders.
The Sickle Cell team at work
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Leukaemia a white cell disorder affecting all age groups and ethnic background, where white blood cells unnecessarily multiply out of control.
Haemophilia a situation where the blood-clotting agent is missing.
Thalassaemia a condition effecting Afro/Caribbean groups where there is a defect in the synthesis of the red blood pigment haemoglobin which starves the blood of oxygen and causes severe joint pain.
Sickle Cell Disease a red cell disorder effecting Afro/Caribbean groups where sickle shaped particles block the flow of blood, causing severe joint pain and often leading to strokes.
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The Trustees of LIBRA are very grateful for the following insight into the need and benefits of Haematological Research. Professor Sally Davies holds an Honorary Chair as Professor of Haemoglobinopathies at Imperial College Scohol of Medicine. She has also been working with the NHS as London Regional Director for Research and Development.
“Most children with Leukaemia died when I was training in the early 1970s, now more than 80% are cured. At that time, Sickle Cell Disease was thought to be a rare tropical disease with most dying in infancy, now we have over 13,000 patients in this country with some living into their 60s and 70s. I saw patients with joint deformities as a result of bleeding through haemophilia, now we have preventive treatment. While babies with Rhesus haemolytic disease still sadly suffered in the early 1970s, this has now been almost obliterated as a problem in Britain. In the 1970s antenatal diagnosis of inherited genetic disease was not feasible while now it is available and, for instance, over recent years we have developed population screening for haemoglobin disorders performed to ensure early diagnosis and effective treatment.
All of these examples are of blood problems and the stark contrasts demonstrate how research into blood and blood diseases have helped very many people across the world. None of these advances would have been possible without research. Research and the harnessing of technology is the lifeblood of advances in health and healthcare. Additionally, research engages some of the best brains who then see and treat patients in order to help the patients and stimulate their research. This two-way relationship is central to modern effective research.
Professor Thein and the research team at King's College Hospital
The achievements are great and medical research has shown us all what can be done but now there are even bigger challenges to face. These include the changing pattern of disease, the soon to be completed sequencing of the genome and the need to unravel the complexity from gene to protein to function. The public purse cannot fund all the important and much needed research into blood that we as professionals believe is needed and our patients demand. We need help through donations and sponsorships to take forward our understanding and consequently improve health and health outcomes. This money will fund laboratory investigation to understand blood diseases and the mechanisms underlying ill health, much needed equipment, clinical studies of unproven and new treatments, synthesis of already published research to establish “gold standard” treatments, development of data banks for long term population studies as well as research into the role of blood, its components and cells including stem cells in improving health.
Knowledge is exploding and we need to ensure that research into blood diseases is a part of this excitement. With this we have a future with hope, hope of a better quality of life, hope of longer remissions and even of cures for more people. Without research, this dream cannot be realised.
Please help us make our dreams and hopes come to pass
Sally C Davies MBCLB, MSc (London), FRCP, FRCPch, FSPHM
