The members of the Atlanta Sickle Cell Consortium are deeply committed to conducting research that will advance the treatment and find cures for sickle cell disease. The history of research at the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and a list of publications is available by Clicking here. We are actively involved in research projects initiated by our own members and in national and/or international multi-center studies. The consortium represents  1200 adult and 1200 pediatric patients in the metro Atlanta area receiving care at 3 major locations, Grady Health System ( 1600 adults and children), Children’s at Egleston (400 children)  and Children’s at Scottish Rite (400 children) . Members institutions include:

• The Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia
• Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital at Grady Health System
• Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 
• Morehouse School of Medicine 
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• The Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia Inc.
• The Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University School of Medicine
• Children's Healthcare of Atlanta CHOA

Current Projects

• Attenuation of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression 
• Allotransplantation in murine SCD including effects of mixed chimerism, mechanisms of allorejection and of inducing allotolerance 
• Establishment of allo-chimerism in SCD mice 
• Correction of murine SCD with adult stem cell populations, including gene therapy 
• Determining mechanisms of tolerance-induction after allogeneic BMT in sickle mice 
• Determining mechanisms of allo-tolerance after nonmyeloablative BMT in non-human primates 
• SALT: Alternate donor allogeneic cord or marrow transplantation for children with high-risk sickle cell disease 
• Long-term follow-up of matched sib BMT 
• Unrelated cord blood transplantation feasibility 

• STOP II and STOP II ancillary studies 
• Vascular responses in transgenic sickle cell mice 
• Natural history of stroke in sickle cell disease 
• Biophysics of sickle cell/endothelial cell adherence 
• Mechanisms of sickle cell induced endothelial injury 

• Long-term follow-up of patients on hydroxyurea 
• Genetic determinants of sickle severity 
• Outcomes of newborn screening 
• Impact of clinical care guidelines 
• Analysis of ASPHO sickle cell practice survey 

• HLA alloimmunization and bystander hemolysis and SCD 
• Natural history of iron overload in patients with SCD 

• Inflammation and reactive oxygen species in murine SCD 
• Pulmonary Comprehensive Clinic Abstract/research initiative 
• Incidence of development of acute chest syndrome when patients are treated with either morphine or nalbuphine. (Buchanan, retrospective chart review completed)
• Nitric oxide synthase polymorphisms and acute chest syndrome 
• PEP vs incentive spirometry satisfaction 

• Definition of sickle cell renal disease and prevention

• Pediatric pain meter study 
• Incidence of development of acute chest syndrome when patients are treated with either morphine or nalbuphine. 

• Efficacy of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in children with SCD 
• Immunological response to conjugated pneumococcal vaccination 

• N-3 fatty acids in prevention of sickle complications (
• Role of nutrition in treating sickle cell disease 

• STARBRIGHT computer-based education project 
• Focus groups for SickleCellKids.org 
• Development of SickleCellKids.org

• Expanding transplant options - Partial chimeric BMT, allo barriers for BMT 
• Gene therapy for sickle cell – partial transplant and positive selection of gene-modified cells 
• Susceptibility to inflammation and pulmonary dysfunction  
• Oxidative stress 
• Endothelial activation 
• Metabolism studies 
• Renal structure-function correlation 

Community Outreach

• Sickle Cell Kids Camp in August
• Children's  Citywide combined Christmas Party December
• SickleCellKids.org website
• The Sickle Cell Information Center SCInfo.org website and email newsletter