Using a preclinical laboratory model, Thomas' team was able to explain how cell death occurs in DBA and identified a specific step in the biological chain of events leading to disease onset where targeted medical intervention may effectively slow—or even stop—red blood cell death.
University of Minnesota:
Survival rates for standard risk Fanconi anemia patients (who have received an unrelated donor transplant) have remarkably improved from 30% to 80%. University of Minnesota researchers are also studying the immune system in Fanconi anemia patients in order to reduce the risk of life threatening infections. They plan to test strategies for gene therapy using this model in an attempt to cure Fanconi anemia patients before they develop cancer.
"The university has indicated that the protein Gas6 might augment or replace Epos in the treatment of patients who are hypo responsive or resistant to Epos, respectively"
To produce a hormone that stimulates the production of RBC precursors by the bone marrow.