News & Events

Thank you to those who attended the 2024 Sickle Cell-ebration of Hope event that took place on September 7, 2024 from 5PM-10PM.

In a study released in 2023, University of Minnesota researchers David Wood and PhD student Dillion Williams helped the medical and research communities to better understand the mechanisms and pathophysiology of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). To read the full study, follow this link. 

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States, stemming from an abnormal protein in red blood cells that disrupts oxygen transport throughout the body. Due to the disease's complexity, advancements in care and treatment have been slow. However, research facilities like the University of Minnesota are at the forefront of bridging this gap, working to develop innovative curative therapies, comprehensive care regimens, and effective pharmaceutical drugs to improve outcomes for those affected by SCD.

Sickle cell disease is a medical condition resulting in variations in the oxygen-carrying proteins in the blood, specifically changing the shape of the protein into an oblong and crescent sickle shape. This shape can lead to circulation problems, inflammation, pain, and clotting because the abnormal cells’ shape will get caught on one another and clump together