Blood disorders research

Improving the quality of life for kids with blood disorders isn't just a goal for the MACC Fund Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Our research has already led to real results — and the work continues.

The MACC Fund Center at Children's Wisconsin is nationally known for blood disorders care and research. Every day, our researchers study the causes, characteristics, treatments, responses, side effects, and long-term outcomes to enhance the ongoing health and quality of life of children.

The collaboration between organizations such as Children's Research Institute, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Blood Research Institute, and MACC Fund Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer) ensures that the best resources come together to provide the best outcomes. In 2013, the MACC Fund pledged $10 million to Children's to further cancer and blood disorders research in three areas: discovery and testing of new drug therapies, increased use of cellular therapies, and further genetic research for personalized cancer therapies.

Research highlights

One example of our researchers' impact on the hemophilia field: Investigators at Children's Research Institute, BloodCenter of Wisconsin's Blood Research Institute, and the Medical College of Wisconsin discovered a new way to help the blood clot by having the missing clotting factor packaged in the patient's own platelets. A gene-modified bone marrow transplant is used to initiate clotting in hemophilia, an approach that may work in the 30 to 35 percent of hemophilia patients that have developed inhibitory antibodies against the missing clotting protein. Patients then retain the essential clotting mechanisms to stop bleeding that otherwise would lead to complications.

As a result, patients can avoid having to endure costly and time-consuming treatment every time they bleed, providing hope that people with hemophilia could potentially lead a disease-free life.