The objective of the EAHAD Research Grants is to foster pre-clinical and clinical research collaborations in Europe and to support scientific projects aimed at improving the care of patients with inherited and acquired bleeding disorders.
All scientists and healthcare providers working in the field of inherited and acquired bleeding disorders in Europe may apply (list of eligible countries here: http://www.euro.who.int/en/countries).
The grant application cycle runs from July to October of each year and the winner is announced at the annual EAHAD Congress in February.
The 2020 cycle is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted projects.
2020 Recipient
Jose Rivera, PhD | Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Centro, Regional de Hemodonación, Universidad de Murcia, Spain
“Development of a novel gene therapy approach for Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT): Assessment in CRISPR GT cell model, GT patient progenitor cells, and NBSGW immunodeficient mice”
Lay Summary:
This project will evaluate a gene rescue approach as an alternative therapy for Glanzmann thrombasthenia. The main objective is to prove that ex vivo genetic correction of patient’s HSC will correct the bleeding phenotype.
Project duration: February 2020-February 2022
Grant amount: € 50.000
2019 Recipients
Samantha Gouw MD, PhD | Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands
“Getting GRIP on Tolerance: The role of Fc Gamma Receptors in Immune tolerance to Protein therapeutics”
Lay Summary:
Antibodies against protein drugs impair effective treatment. Strategies to get rid of these antibodies fail in many patients. In haemophilia patients, this project aims to clarify the underlying reasons and to find genetic factors that can be used to predict who will and will not get rid of these antibodies.
Project duration: July 2019-January 2021
Grant amount: € 50.000
Nathalie Roussel, PhD, MSc, PT| Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
“Towards a better understanding of ankle pain in haemophilia patients: A study examining the relationship between structure and function, taking pain mechanisms into account”
Lay Summary:
While pain is of major importance in many patients with haemophilia, pain assessment and treatment are not well developed in this population. This is the first study evaluating the structural and functional status of affected ankle joints combined with the local and central pain condition in patients with haemophilia in order to better understand the complexity of ankle pain.
Project duration: April 2019-April 2020
Grant amount: € 50.000
2018 Recipients
Alessandro Casini, MD | University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
“Interactions between fibrinogen variants and blood cells: towards a predictive model in congenital fibrinogen disorders”
Lay Summary:
Patients suffering from congenital fibrinogen disorders often have an unpredictable clinical course. Developing methods, which allow the prediction of adverse outcomes, is crucial in order to tailor the best management for these patients. The aim of this project is to determine the interplay between fibrinogen, red blood cells and platelets through the study of the whole blood clot from patients with congenital fibrinogen disorders.
Project duration: October 2018-September 2019
Grant amount: € 45.000
Sébastien Lacroix-Desmazes, PhD, Research Director | INSERM, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers 15, Paris, France
“High throughput generation and characterization of monoclonal anti-FVIII IgG from patients with hemophilia A”
Lay Summary:
Treatment of patients with hemophilia A by injection of therapeutic FVIII induces blocking anti-factor VIII antibodies in up to one patient out of three.
In this project, we will isolate the cells that produce anti-factor VIII antibodies from the blood of some patients and generate a large array of single recombinant anti-factor VIII antibodies. We will then establish the ID card of each of the anti-factor VIII antibodies. This will lead to the identification of prognostic markers for successful patient treatment, as well as the development of new treatments to prevent the appearance of or eliminate anti-factor VIII antibodies.
Project duration: March 2018-February 2020
Grant amount: €50,000
2017 Recipients
Johan Boender, MD | Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
“Does ADAMTS13 influence the bleeding phenotype in von Willebrand disease?”
Project duration: April 2017-March 2018
Grant amount: €47,950
Roberta Palla, PhD | Fondazione Luigi Villa, Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
“High throughput analysis of antibody binding profiles in previously untreated patients with severe haemophilia A”
Project duration: April 2017-March 2019
Grant amount: €50,000