Hemoglobinopathies, with sickle cell disease and thalassemias as the main representatives, are among the most common genetic diseases worldwide. Both conservative and curative therapeutic approaches are currently under development and (in the early stages of) clinical use. ExaCel, the first CRISPR-Cas-based gene therapy approach, is now also available in Germany and provides a functional correction of the disease. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains the only curative treatment, with the well-known challenges of infertility and therapy-associated toxicity (transplant rejection, GvHD, infections, development of late malignancies, etc.). Even though the number of patients in Germany and Europe has risen sharply in recent years due to migration, only a fraction of patients live in countries with adequate medical care and do not even receive standard therapies. High infant mortality and complication rates in sub-Saharan African countries are a sad reality. Various initiatives are addressing the improvement of the care situation and the introduction of new therapeutic approaches. Good international cooperation is essential here.
We are calling for review and original papers on management and therapeutic approaches on hemoglobinopathies for an article collection in Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy entitled "Hemoglobinopathies – Current Challenges and Therapeutic Strategies".
We particularly welcome contributions addressing:
- Current developments in epidemiology and management
- Clinical management guidelines and recommendations
- Therapeutic challenges (stem cell transplantation and preparation, donor availability)
- Advanced therapeutic strategies
- Long-term outcomes and follow-up studies
- Challenges in blood group typing and strategies for the supply of blood products
Please select the option “Call for Papers: Hemoglobinopathies – Current Challenges and Therapeutic Strategies” when submitting your manuscript and mention this Call for Papers in your cover letter.
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