BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT

A bone marrow transplant starts by collecting cells that are normally found in the bone marrow, called hematopoietic stem cells, filtering them, and giving them back to the initial donor (autologous transplant) or to another recipient (allogenic transplant). A person might undergo a bone marrow transplant for several reasons, primarily related to serious blood disorders, cancers, or certain immune system disorders. Prior to the transplant, the patient receives conditioning therapy involving high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation. 

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This therapy is designed to destroy the patient’s problematic cells, suppress their immune system, and prevent rejection of the donor cells. The period following a transplant is also critical, when the donor cells need to engraft and start producing healthy blood and immune cells. Complications such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), where the donor immune cells attack the recipient’s tissues because they perceive them as foreign, can occur during this time.

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Our lab seeks to improve bone marrow transplant outcomes by increasing the likelihood of donor engraftment while preventing adverse effects like GVHD. Our research also includes new treatments that reduce the amount of chemotherapy and radiation needed during conditioning therapy, which has a real effect on patient quality of life, particularly pediatric patients. Our experiments that seek to understand donor/recipient tolerance may also translate to the broader field of organ transplantation.