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National Sickle Cell Disease

Research Program

The AFC/Pfizer National Sickle Cell Research Program was established on November 14, 2017. It aims to advance patient care and clinical research on sickle cell disease.

Through this program, Canadian researchers will conduct clinical and psycho-social research on sickle cell disease that will include an evaluation of results. Grants will be awarded for clinical research, quality improvement, qualitative research, quality of life and educational projects in areas related to improving the quality of life for people with sickle cell disease.

Who is the program for?

Applications are open to researchers working on this disease. They are encouraged to submit research proposals in the following areas of interest, but not limited to:

Vaso-occlusive crisis management in the Emergency Department;
Clinical management of vaso-occlusive seizures;
Adherence to prescribed treatments;
Management of adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease;
Systemic racism is linked to sickle cell anemia.

How can I access these grants?

Grants available: two individual grants in the amount of $20,000 per year for up to two years and two additional grants in the amount of up to $5,000 each will be available. If a two-year grant is awarded, the second year of funding is contingent upon an indication of progress as described in the required progress report.

THE CATCH

What is the CATCH?

In recent decades, the survival rate of patients with sickle cell disease has improved. In the 1970’s, the life cycle of these patients was in their teens and slowly this has improved, and patients can now reach their 60’s. This improvement in lifespan has had an impact on the number of patients who need sustained medical care. Until now, clinical training and research related to sickle cell anemia has focused on children. However, with the extended lifespan and increasing survival rate in adults, new challenges must be addressed to manage complications unique to adults.

Who is it for?

The program attempts to address the needs of clinicians and clinical and translational researchers in this area. It will help meet the current and future needs of these individuals on a national basis.

This unique program is the first innovative interdisciplinary program of its kind in Canada, focused on comprehensive care and research related to adult sickle cell disease, and has received a prestigious training award from the American Society of Hematology.

How do I access it?

The first year covers the basics of sickle cell disease as a chronic disorder, before birth, during adolescence and into adulthood. Time is spent in the regional referral laboratory learning about newborn screening and diagnostic techniques and in pediatrics to better recognize the effects of sickle cell disease on the physical, social and psychological development of children.

The unique challenges of transfusion in patients with sickle cell disease, such as the availability of appropriate donors and the role of exchange transfusion, will be examined at the Toronto General Hospital Blood Bank and Canadian Blood Services.

The majority of clinical time will be spent at Toronto General Hospital, which is exposed to the highest volume of patients with various medical problems related to sickle cell disease. Investigators are strongly encouraged to take a relevant Master’s program in clinical research, hemoglobinopathies or public health.

In the second year, the participant will be able to further develop their academic interest in sickle cell disease, gain more clinical experience and even spend two months in the UK, in order to learn about different models of care provision and develop partnerships.

If the participant lives outside of Toronto, it is expected that they will return to their local institution to develop a hemoglobinopathy training program.

SCDAC/AAFC
Unit 34,
260 Adelaide St. E,
Toronto, ON M5A 1N1.
Canada

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