黑料吃瓜群网

[caption id="attachment_9105" align="alignright" width="200"] Dr Kelli McDonald[/caption]

Scientists at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute have identified a way to prevent transplant complications for bone marrow transplant patients.

In world-first research, the team, led by QIMR Berghofer鈥檚 Dr Kelli MacDonald, has worked out the cellular process which causes chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD), a life-threatening condition which can affect up to 80% of all bone marrow transplant patients.

The team is now working towards starting clinical trials next year, to test an antibody which could block this process.
鈥淭his is an important and exciting step forward in developing new treatments for transplant patients,鈥� Dr MacDonald said.聽鈥淏one marrow 鈥� or stem cell 鈥� transplants are a standard and successful treatment for about 1000 Australian leukaemia patients every year.聽鈥淏ut while the transplant can provide a cure for leukaemia, the transplant-related complication of chronic GVHD is devastating and often life threatening,鈥� Dr MacDonald said.
Chronic GVHD is fatal in 20% of patients and there are currently very limited treatment options. It聽occurs when the donor graft recognises the patient鈥檚 tissue as foreign, and starts to reject it. Over time the tissue becomes severely damaged and the scarring, or fibrosis, can affect a person鈥檚 skin, lungs, and mouth.
鈥淣ow that we鈥檝e identified the white blood cells, or macrophages, that are driving the process, we鈥檙e keen to test an antibody we think will block the process,鈥� Dr MacDonald said.
鈥淭his is a big step towards improving the health outcomes for hundreds of cancer patients in Australia alone, each year,鈥� Dr MacDonald said.
The findings were published online 聽in the prestigious聽The Journal of Clinical Investigation聽and can be viewed at
This research was funded by the Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer, the NHMRC and Cancer Council Queensland.