Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 7, 2026

A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
An international effort to cure a global health problem: A report on the 19th Hemoglobin Switching Conference
Gerd A Blobel1, David Bodine2, Marjorie Brand3
1Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract:
Every 2 years since 1978, an international group of scientists, physicians, and other researchers meet to discuss the latest developments in the underlying etiology, mechanisms of action, and developmental acquisition of cellular and systemic defects exhibited and elicited by the most common inherited human disorders, the hemoglobinopathies. The 19th Hemoglobin Switching Conference, held in September 2014 at St. John's College in Oxford, once again exceeded all expectations by describing cutting edge research in cellular, molecular, developmental, and genomic advances focused on these diseases. The conference comprised about 60 short talks over 3 days by leading investigators in the field. This meeting report describes the highlights of the conference.
Related Concept Videos
Gene Families
Occasionally these regions can be adapted to take on new roles within the organism, becoming novel genes...
Hemoglobin
When all four heme groups are bound to oxygen, the resulting molecule is called oxyhemoglobin. As a result, arterial blood...
Cooperative Allosteric Transitions
Protein and Protein Structure
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme...
Globular and Fibrous Proteins
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Blood Transfusion and Agglutination
History
The history of blood transfusion dates back to the 17th century, when early attempts were made in animals. In 1818 James Blundell, a British doctor, performed the first successful human blood transfusion. Later in 1900, Karl...

