Discovering new insight on pathogenic mechanisms to identify new therapeutic opportunities in thalassemia

We are well aware of the impact heart disease has in thalassemia patients. This impacts upon patients quality of life, and ultimately that death due to heart failure is an all too common event. We now understand much about the complexity of the heart, its structure and how it functions. This has also allowed researchers to identify things which change in the heart that cause failure of the heart.
Exactly WHY heart failure develops in people with thalassemia has still to be fully understood. Only when we know these details will more effective therapies be developed.
The research conducted in my laboratory, and in partnership with various colleagues worldwide, is designed to understand what causes changes in the structure and function of the heart in individuals with what is called metabolic syndrome (common in obese and diabetic patients). We have also recently become interested in thalassemia due to our discovery that a hormone which causes inflammation and heart disease binds and transports iron. Now, we believe there is huge potential in merging knowledge from the research of metabolic diseases with heart disease in thalassemia patients.

Faculty Supervisor:

Gary Sweeney

Student:

Partner:

Thalassemia Foundation

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

York University

Program: