Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF): Bone Marrow Failure Disease Scientific Symposium 2014

Bone marrow failure syndromes (BMFS) are characterized by a failure of the hematopoietic stem cells to produce adequate blood cells, resulting in either cytopenia (defect in one or more blood cell lineages) or pancytopenia (defect in all blood cell lineages). BMFS can be inherited or acquired. The pathogenesis of these diseases is very heterogeneous. Research efforts have been made all over the world to improve the basic knowledge of these diseases. The Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to help patients and family members cope with BMFS. Here, we summarize novel scientific discoveries in several BMFS that were presented at the 4th International Bone Marrow Failure Disease Scientific Symposium 2014 that AA&MDSIF sponsored on March 27-28, 2014, in Rockville, MD.