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The vision of the U-M Bone Marrow Transplant Program is to create a future where transplantation is safer, more effective, and eventually, less common.
Our program is patient-focused and research-driven. We know that in order to bring our patients the very latest advances in care, we must learn as much as we can, as quickly as we can, and that is only possible through a robust program of basic, clinical and translational research:
Basic research
U-M investigators are conducting numerous laboratory studies of the biology and immunology of blood and marrow stem cells, to better understand how these cells behave at a molecular level, and how they respond to transplantation.
Clinical research
Our clinical research is dedicated largely to finding new and improved strategies to prevent relapse and complications after BMT. In particular, we are focused on reducing the incidence and severity of the common and dangerous complication graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD). U-M faculty members are recognized nationally and internationally for their expertise in treating chronic GVHD through our groundbreaking multidisciplinary chronic GVHD clinic and survivorship programs - programs that evolved from our research findings.
Translational research
This area of study involves projects that rapidly move scientific findings from the laboratory into the clinical setting, where they can directly impact patients. Our translational studies are focused on developing new strategies to make allogeneic BMT safer and more effective.
Patients: Our Partners in Research
U-M investigators and clinicians have made major contributions to science's understanding of how blood and marrow transplants combat cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, and how to lessen the toxicities that can occur with transplants. For the success of our research effort, we have our patients to thank. They support our vision through a very high level of participation in our research studies. Today, nearly half of our patients are enrolled in one of our therapeutic clinical trials, and virtually every patient is participating in a long-term follow up study or an observational trial.
Numerous ongoing clinical trials are now open at the University of Michigan for bone marrow transplant patients, including studies initiated by our own faculty, studies we participate in along with other leading academic institutions and studies sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. Learn more about available clinical trials related to BMT, by visiting the Bone Marrow Transplant clinical studies web page.