Clinical Trials

Are you pregnant and willing to donate umbilical cord blood to support future sickle cell disease therapies? This study seeks to determine the best way to collect, store, and handle blood from newborns to help researchers improve future sickle cell disease therapies. To participate in this study, you must be pregnant, 45 years old or younger, and willing to donate umbilical cord blood from your newborn. Newborns may be healthy or at risk for sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait. This study is located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Do you have sickle cell disease and have not had a blood transfusion in the previous 8 weeks? This study will look at whether a particular gene in people who have sickle cell disease increases the risk for more severe symptoms and complications. To participate in this study, you must be between 18 and 80. This study is located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Do you or your child need another blood stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease? This study will give a second transplant to people who have sickle cell disease and whose disease has returned but still have some donor cells in their body. Participants in this study must be at least 4 years old and had a transplant but the disease returned, and their donor relatives. This study is located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Are you an adult with sickle cell disease? This study aims to determine whether monthly exchange blood transfusions (removing blood and replacing it with transfused red blood cells) can improve health and prevent or reduce the number of pain crises. To participate in this study, you must be at least 18 years old, have sickle cell disease, and have not been on a chronic exchange transfusion program for at least 2 months. This study is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Are you an adult of African descent who hasn’t had a recent transfusion and doesn’t have a known pyruvate kinase deficiency? This study investigates how the PKLR gene affects the function of red blood cells and contributes to sickle cell disease. The PKLR gene helps make a protein called pyruvate kinase that is necessary for red blood cells to function properly. To participate in this study, you must be between 18 and 80 years old, with or without sickle cell disease. This study takes place in Bethesda, Maryland.

Are you an adult with sickle cell disease? This study aims to understand how diet and eating behaviors affect the health of people with sickle cell disease. To participate, you must be 18 years old or older. This study takes place in Bethesda, Maryland.

Do you or your child have sickle cell disease and a relative willing to donate stem cells? This study is giving a second blood stem cell transplant to people with sickle cell disease who have had their disease return after one stem cell transplant. To participate in this study, you must be 4 years old or older, have sickle cell disease, and have had your disease return after receiving a blood stem cell transplant. You must also have a relative who is older than 2 years and can donate stem cells via a blood draw. This study takes place in Bethesda, Maryland.