Written by: Christina Crowe
Media contact: Adam Pope, arpope@uab.edu
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pathology will host the third annual Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Fair and Education Day Saturday, June 9, in the Shelby Biomedical Research Building.
For the past two years, the research lab of X. Long Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., division director of Laboratory Medicine, has hosted an annual TTP fair to bring together physicians and researchers to improve the available treatments, outcomes and recovery times for patients and community members affected by TTP.
TTP is a rare blood disorder in which blood clots form in small blood vessels throughout the body. The clots can limit or block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the body’s organs, such as the brain, kidneys and heart. As a result, serious health problems can develop.
The Zheng lab is interested in understanding the biological mechanism of TTP, which is caused by a deficiency of active ADAMTS13, the enzyme responsible for cleaving Von Willebrand factor, a large protein involved in blood clotting. Zheng’s was among the first group of investigators who discovered and cloned the ADAMTS13 enzyme.
To register for the fair, please visit the official fair website.