About Me
Hi,
I’m Judy, and I am a research assistant for Dr. George M. Whitesides research group, here at Harvard. I am currently working on sickle cell disease and paper diagnostics for Global Health and low cost treatment. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a serious disorder in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells. “Sickle-shaped” means that the red blood cells are shaped like a crescent. Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped and look like doughnuts without holes in the center. They move easily through your blood vessels. Red blood cells contain an iron-rich protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
*Picture above compares the shape of a normal red blood cell to a sickle cell.
Sickle cells contain abnormal hemoglobin called sickle hemoglobin or hemoglobin S. Sickle hemoglobin causes the cells to develop a sickle or crescent shape. Sickle cells are stiff and sticky and due to this, they tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs. Blocked blood flow can cause pain and organ damage, which can lead to stokes. It can also raise the risk for infection.
People who have sickle cell trait usually have few, if any, symptoms and lead normal lives. However, some people may have medical complications. In the United States, all States mandate testing for sickle cell anemia as part of their newborn screening programs. The test uses blood from the same blood samples used for other routine newborn screening tests. The test can show whether a newborn infant has sickle hemoglobin. SCD may be cured with blood and marrow stem cell transplants, but there are no promises. However, SCD can be treated with medicines and fluids to relieve pain, prevent complications, infections, strokes, and eye damage.
Anthony Tham, a Business Management senior at Emmanuel College created this blog. In addition, Anthony works at a legal consulting firm, Argopoint LLC located in Beacon Hill. At Argopoint, Anthony works closely with the Legal Operations Manager to ensure the firms efficiency.