Raghavan Chinnadurai, PhD (pictured at upper right), assistant scientist, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care, has been awarded $50,000 over one year from the When Everyone Survives - Leukemia Research Foundation for a proposal entitled, "Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to mitigate Graft Vs Host Disease (GvHD)." 

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an important therapy for aggressive leukemia. However, the major cause of death after allo-HSCT is graft-vs-host disease (GvHD), a complication that is driven by donor T cells reacting against host antigens. 

"Treatment approaches are needed to mitigate steroid resistant GvHD. In this project, we aim to test and optimize bone marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) products in cell therapy to mitigate GvHD," said Dr. Chinnadurai, who is an assistant scientist in the laboratory of Jacques Galipeau, MD (pictured at lower right), professor, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care and associate dean for therapeutics development at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Galipeau directs the UW Program for Advanced Cell Therapy. 

Resources:

• "Potential cell therapy uses for mesenchymal stromal cells," Department of Medicine, August 22, 2018