Tibor Greenwalt Scientific Lectureship: Thrombopoietin - Understanding and Manipulating Platelet and Blood Cell Production
Program Code: 236-S
Sunday, October 24, 2004
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM (ET)

SPEAKERS
Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, Stony Brook University

DESCRIPTION
In 1977, the AABB Scientific Lecturer Award was renamed the Tibor Greenwalt Scientific Lecture Award. Tibor Greenwalt, MD, has contributed greatly to blood banking, particularly in establishing blood banking in this country. The very first registrant at the first AABB Annual Meeting, he was also the founding editor of TRANSFUSION. Kenneth Kaushansky, this year's recipient, will give a presentation on thrombopoietin. His lecture will focus on the present understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of trombopoiesis from the hematopoietic stem cell to the mature platelet. A long-standing conundrum in developmental hematology focuses on whether blood cell fate is determined by the stochatic choice of cell-intrinsic, lineage-specific transcription factors, or is instead based on the presence of one or more lineage-restricted growth factors. It appears that the role of thrombopoietin in platelet production illustrates both principles. The role of the hormone to support hematopoietic cell survival will be illustrated, along with the molecular basis of the effect, and its role in inducing transcription factors critical for stem cell and other blood cell development. The net effect of the hormone is to expand stem cells and mature blood cell progenitors. Based upon this understanding, preclinical and clinical trials of the agent have been performed, and more recently, attempts to identify small molecular mimetics of thrombopoietin have been undertaken. Dr. Kaushansky will provide a synopsis of these trials and studies. It is hoped that with a more complete understanding of blood cell development, we will be in an opportune position to manipulate the system for therapeutic benefit.

OBJECTIVES

• Describe the role of thrombopoietin in platelet production and hematopoietic cell survival
• Discuss preclinical and clinical trials of thrombopoietin
• Explain the therapeutic effect of thrombopoietin

AUDIENCE
Physicians, Scientists, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors

PROGRAM LEVEL
Intermediate