Our esteemed research scientists and innovative and versatile research platform have paved the way for new products, techniques, and therapies. Learn more about our exciting discoveries, achievements, and numerous awards below.
Transfusion Medicine:
- First U.S. blood center licensed to fractionate transfusable products from plasma.
- Molecularly characterized numerous clinically relevant red cell blood group antigens and established donor-recipient genotype matching approach for transfusion.
- Developed and patented the first solvent detergent viral inactivation process to increase the safety of 20 billion units of plasma and blood-derived products distributed globally.
- Cloned Kell and Duffy blood group antigens and used genetic testing to improve the matching of blood to patients.
- Developed the first barcoding system for blood bank operations. This system is now a worldwide standard.
Infectious Disease:
- Identified the hepatitis C virus and discovered the original test for hepatitis.
- Tested and licensed the first low-cost hepatitis B vaccine, preventing an estimated one million cases of liver cancer.
- Created a solvent detergent procedure to inactivate viruses in blood plasma, reducing the risk of hepatitis and HIV transmission through plasma transfusions.
- Established one of the first HIV/AIDS natural history studies/ detailed epidemiological studies on the prevalence of HIV infection in New York City.
- Participated in the first HIV vaccine efficacy trial. Developed and out-licensed the first anti-HIV fusion inhibitor.
Cellular Therapy:
- Established the first public cord blood bank in the world;
- Demonstrated the feasibility of using cord blood stem cells for transplantation as a treatment option for many human diseases.
- First human stem cell product licensed by the FDA, HEMACORD™ (hematopoietic progenitor cells, cord blood).
- Landmark New England Journal of Medicine article documented the world’s largest clinical experience and patient outcomes with umbilical cord blood versus bone marrow.
- NYBCe’s efforts to build a national cord blood inventory targeted to racial/ethnic minorities led to the first stem cell bill.
Our researchers have received recognition through a multitude of awards and research grants. Recent accomplishments include:
- July 16, 2021: NHLBI Awards 2.5 million dollar grant to Dr. Larry Luchsinger to Study HSC Function – Larry L. Luchsinger, Ph.D., our Research Institute’s Vice President and Director of Research Operations, was recently awarded a 2.5 million dollar grant award from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to complete a five-year research project entitled, Hormetric ER stress Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Function.
- July 5, 2021: Dr. Connie Westhoff Receives ASH E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize – Connie Westhoff, Ph.D., NYBCe Executive Scientific Director, Immunohematology and Genomics, Member, Laboratories/Hospital Services, is a 2021 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Honorific Award Recipient of the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize. ASH is the world’s largest professional society that serves clinicians and scientists working to eliminate blood diseases. The E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize recognizes significant research achievements in hematology.
- June 16, 2021: Dr. Cheryl Logo Named Member of NBF Hall of Fame – Cheryl Lobo, Ph.D., Head of our Research Institute’s Laboratory of Blood-Borne Parasites, was recently inducted into the AABB National Blood Foundation (NBF) Hall of Fame. The NBF Hall of Fame recognizes and honors a prestigious and select group of NBF grant recipients. These recipients leveraged their early-career grant funding into successful careers in transfusion medicine, cellular therapies, or patient blood management and demonstrated exemplary leadership within the field.
- August 19, 2020: New York Blood Center Awarded $15.6M Grant for Sickle Cell Transfusion Research – Karina Yazdanbakhsh, Ph.D., is awarded a five-year grant of 15.6 million dollars. With the grant award from The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), she will lead a collaborative research program studying the consequences of transfusions in patients with sickle cell disease and develop strategies to optimize transfusion management for this patient group.
