Versiti Awarded $12.3 Million Research Grant by National Institutes of Health

Milwaukee – Jan. 28, 2021 – The Versiti Blood Research Institute has been awarded a $12.3 million research grant by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to support Versiti’s research of how blood production is governed by sugars and how sugars change amid cancer and disease.

The research program seeks to yield a transformative understanding of cell surface sugars (glycans) in regulating blood cell production in health and disease. Researchers will leverage the knowledge to find novel therapeutic targets and therapeutics to support blood and blood cell production health.

“The research funded by this NIH grant is about how we utilize one essential building block of life to promote our health and sustain our lives, especially how sugars affect our lives,” said Dr. Karin Hoffmeister, senior investigator at the Versiti Blood Research Institute.

The funded study, titled “Molecular and Clinical Glycobiology of the Bone Marrow Environment,” began January 1 of this year and is planned to be conducted through 2025.

“It’s an honor to receive this financial support. I want to solve mysteries,” Dr. Hoffmeister said. “I hope to provide one or two solutions to therapy and through this research understand how we can eliminate some cancers by delimitating disease.”

Delimitating is the act of preventing the spread of disease or morbid process in the body.

The NIH funds much of Versiti’s research and in 2020 awarded $24 million for various research projects.

Located on the campus of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, the Versiti Blood Research Institute is a state-of-the-art facility that gives investigators access to cutting-edge research equipment and related specialized services, resulting in the advancement of innovative drugs, products and services.

About Versiti
Versiti, a national leader in blood health innovation, was formed with the mission to improve the health of patients and enable the success of our healthcare partners nationally. We provide innovative, value added solutions in the fields of transfusion medicine, transplantation, and blood-related diseases to meet the needs of each of our customers. The collective efforts across Versiti result in improved patient outcomes, expanded access to care, and cost efficiencies for healthcare systems nationwide. For more information, visit versiti.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.