Our Current Projects

We're driven by a passion for collaboration in science, education and innovation.

We care about global research, patients with rare bleeding disorders, and believe in maximizing interaction within the scientific community.

ISTH BAT Scores for VWD in Normal Children and Adolescents

International project supported by ISTH

Goals:

To fill a critical gap in knowledge for ISTH BAT normal scores for population (below the age of 18).

To identify a cut-off for diagnosis of BD specially VWD in this age group.

Co Leads:

Dr. Maha Othman

Dr. Paula James

Lab Members: Yousra Tera, Ahmad Ekhtiar

Project ongoing

Assessment of hypercoagulability and Thrombosis Risk in Women with Cancer Under Chemotherapy

Collaborative project supported by KHSC medical oncologists and OBGYN oncology surgeons, Queen’s DBMS and St Lawrence College

Goals:

To assess hypercoagulability, thrombosis risk and rates of VTE in women with ovarian, endometrial and breast cancer

To examine the role of Thromboelastography (TEG) for better prediction of cancer associated thrombosis in cancer under standard chemotherapy

To examine if TEG can be added to current RAMs to improve decisions around thromboprophylaxis

Lab Members: Yousra, Regan, Baran

Project ongoing

Improvement of Thrombosis Risk Assessment Models (RAMs) in Women with Ovarian Cancer

Collaborative project supported by KHSC medical oncologists and OBGYN oncology surgeons, Queen’s DBMS and St Lawrence College

Goals:

To assess current RAMs for cancer associated thrombosis in ovarian cancer

To identify routine lab tests that can be added to improve current models

To create a novel ovarian cancer specific RAMs

Lab Members: Yousra

Project ongoing

Investigating the Relationship Between Red Blood Cell Biomechanical Properties and Anemia in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Collaborative project supported by ALCOR Scientific, KHSC medical oncologists and OBGYN oncology surgeons, Queen’s DBMS and St Lawrence College

Goals:

Examine quantitative CBC changes in cancer patients compared with controls and before and after chemotherapy

Evaluate aggregability, deformability, and elasticity of RBCs in cancer patients compared with controls and before and after chemotherapy

Investigate whether impaired RBC functionality relates to cancer-associated anemia

Lab Members: Deirdre, Regan, Yousra

Project ongoing

Examining the clotting potential of plasma in pregnant women with COVID-19

Collaborative project supported by rapid response maternal-infant clinical and bio-specimen access platform UBC- https://ridprogram.med.ubc.ca/biorepository/

and St Lawrence College

Goals:

An exploratory study aims to:

Assess coagulability of plasma using a sensitive global hemostatic assay Thromboelastography (TEG) at delivery and compare it to that at 4-6 weeks postpartum.

To evaluate -in light of other patient thrombosis risk factors (general & obstetric)- if hypercoagulability is detected at delivery and use this to minimize COVID-19 related thrombotic events and provide better care of these women.

Lab Members: Yousra, Maica, Caroline

Project ongoing

Utility of red blood cell morphology as a low-cost tool to predict chemotherapy-associated toxicities in women with cancer

Collaborative project supported by Mindray-China and St Lawrence College

Goals:

To evaluate whether changes in red blood cell morphology are associated with chemotherapy toxicity, anemia severity, or early clinical deterioration in women undergoing chemotherapy for cancer

Lab Members:

Caroline Deng, Caroline Mwubaha, Yousra Tera, Yan Liu (Senior Medical and Scientific Affairs Manager/Scientific Relations,Mindray)

Project ongoing

Hormonal Contraception (HC) and Thrombosis Risk

Image by Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition

Goals:

To identify the gaps in knowledge among young women- Phase 1: Survey
To examine coagulation profile among HC users using sensitive TEG- Phase II: Blood testing

Lab Members: Yan Deng, Skyler Tierney, Yousra Tera, Jesscia Hodjson, Natalie Kearn, Ali Zidan, Stefania

Phase I complete- Manuscript published in Heliyon.

Phase II ongoing.

Blood Rheology in Normal and Cancer Patients

Goals:

To set up a reference normal range for deformability, elasticity and aggregability of red cells
To examine changes in blood rheology in cancer patients
To evaluate the effect of chemotherapy on red cells

Lab Members: Deirdre Finnigan, Jordan Harry, Hannah Parante, Regan Bucciol, Yousra Tera

Project complete- manuscript in progress

Management of type 2B VWD in pregnancy and postpartum

International project supported by ISTH and the Canadian Haemophillia Society

Goals:

To examine challenges in diagnosis and management
To evaluate current practices
To develop guidance on for better care for this cohort

Co Leads:

Dr. Predrag Mijic- Haematologist, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Dr. Michelle Lavin- Consultant Haematologist, Dublin, Ireland

Lab Members: Abdelrahman (CHS Summer Studentship)

Project Complete- Manuscript Published in JTH

COVID-19 Coagulopathies - highlights during the 2 years of the pandemic

A student-led project dedicated to conducting a systematic review of the literature to highlight key findings on coagulopathies and present progress over the 2 years of the pandemic.

Lab Members: Shreya Anil Kumar, Anushka Pradhan, Abdo Elsebaie, Karina Fainchtein, Abdelrahman Noureldine, Yousra Tera

Project now complete- Manuscript published in ULJRI.

COVID-19 COAG PREG

International registry - ISTH supported

Goals:

To examine coagulopathy and VTE events in COVID-19 affected pregnancies and their potential link to disease severity.
To assess effects of COVID-19 related coagulopathy on maternal and fetal/neonatal outcomes
To evaluate the use/effects of therapies

Co leads:

Rezan Adul Kadir- OBGYN-UK
Sajida Kazi- HAEM UK
Ann Kinga Malinowski- OBGYN CA

First report is now complete. Manuscript Published in Obstetric Medicine J.

PT-VWD Nomenclature

ISTH supported. International standardization of the current name for a rare disease. International Survey using REDCap

Goals:

To standardise disease name
To gather scientific community's (ISTH members) views on best nomenclature and where disease belong

Co leads:

Dr. Paolo Gresele- Italy
Dr. Li Renaho- US
Dr. Michelle Lavin- Ireland
Abdelrahman Elsebaie - Queen's student

Project completed- Manuscript in Progress

TEG/ROTEM as a tool to aid in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 coagulopathies: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Goals:

To evaluate if TEG/ROTEM are useful in the diagnosis and/or management of COVID 19.
To determine if TEG can detect hypercoagulability and VTE risk.

Project lead:

Dr. Sajida Kazi; Consultant Haematologist, UK

Lab members:

Yan Deng
Karina Fainchtein
Abdelrahman Noureldin
Yousa Tera

Project- on hold

Novel tools to assess and predict the risk of cancer-associated thrombosis in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast and gynecological cancers

Goal:

To evaluate the effects of chemotherapy on coagulation profile over time
To assess utility of TEG as a predictor for thrombosis risk

Blood is taken prior to chemo and at each of 2 chemo cycles + 6 month follow up for VTE events:

Blood test:s

1- TEG

2- Plasma: D-dimer, sPslectin

3- Procoagulant cell free DNA (in collaboration with University of British Columbia)

4- Platelet aggregation

Co leads:

Dr. Anita Agrawal - OB/GYN- Queen’s U
Dr. Miahela Mates - General Oncology-Queen’s U
Dr. Yousra Tera - Post doc

Project ongoing. First Manuscript now published in AJH

Image sourced from Gavi.org

PeersInPatho- Peer tutoring support in pathophysiology

Goal:

To enhance peer support, access to tutorials and course content
To facilitate student-led collaborative learning

Features:

Multi-institutional team (SLC, Queen’s McGill) (current students and alumni)
Online education platform to accompany a university-level pathophysiology course
A quality improvement plan and research study for objective evaluation and to meet evolving student needs
www.peersinpatho.com

Co-leads

Kathryn Osborne (SLC Alumna)
Madeline Tripp (SLC), Karina Fainchtein (Queen's)

Team members: Abdo, Asaad, Sarah, Conner, Natalie

Project complete- continues to serve BScN and other students.

Vaccine Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia

Rare side effect of AstaZenca and J&J vaccines. Both vaccines are adenovirus-based technology

Goal:

To understand mechanism of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia in VITT

Co leads:

•Dr. Alan parker - Cardiff, UK

•Dr. Alexander Baker - Mayo Clinic, US

Lab members:

•Abdo Elsebaie - Queen's Student

Experts:

Dr. David Lillicrap- Haemostasis -Canada
Dr. Matthew Rondina- Platelet biology- Utah, US
Dr. Carly M. Bliss- Vaccinolgy and virology- UK
Dr. Elena Gupalo - Moscow, Russia

Manuscript published in JTH.

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Vaccine Induced Thrombocytopenia

A Featured Infographic

Displayed to the left is the VITT figure from one of our latest papers. Click the link below to read more on this topic.

Othman M, Baker AT, Gupalo E, Elsebaie A, Bliss CM, Rondina MT, Lillicrap D, Parker AL. To clot or not to clot? Ad is the question-Insights on mechanisms related to vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia. J Thromb Haemost. 2021 Nov;19(11):2845-2856. doi: 10.1111/jth.15485. Epub 2021 Aug 23. PMID: 34351057; PMCID: PMC8420166.

Read the Paper!