Meeting of the minds for MPD researchers

MPD Foundation grantees meet at ASH

The annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology takes place each year in early December.  For the past 2 years the MPD Foundation has exhibited, distributing our free patient brochure as well as speaking with hematologists who specialize in MPDs about treatments and patient numbers.  During these events we also take time to meet face to face with MPD researchers who have been awarded or applied for our grants.  This past December we had the opportunity to meet with our current Research Alliance and New Investigator grantees in New Orleans.  

The MPD Foundation believes collaboration is an essential ingredient for accelerating the rate of progress for medical research.  The academic research environment often presents barriers to sharing insights and open communication among researchers who may be in competition with potential collaborators.  However, at ASH we found fewer barriers to communication among our New Investigators as Drs. Delhommeau, Kralovics and Braun (Dr. Sipkins could not attend) communicated freely among one another, discussing research progress and findings.  

In 2011 the MPD Foundation will be awarding new grants and once again emphasizing collaboration along with science that will drive treatments forward.  With each series of grantees we learn more about what it takes to emphasize what MPD patients need from medical research and science.  Right now it appears that organic collaborations are most effective in creating real communication between scientists.  It is this sharing of information that we think will accelerate the understanding of MPDs and bring about better and more treatments.