WAS research project
The Israeli WAS Association launched an ambitious research project in 2011, aiming to find a curative treatment for the Thrombocytopenia in WAS. 100% of WAS patients suffer from Micro-thrombocytopenia, a major risk to our children (over 20% mortality, mainly from hemorrhages). We hope that during this ongoing project, we will be able to help develop a new treatment for the Micro-thrombocytopenia in WAS that will enable to keep our children safe.
Project main stages are:
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Mapping the main existing research efforts in WAS and their relevance to the severe micro-Thrombocytopenia. (completed in 2012)
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Establishing a scientific committee where some of the best and known doctors and scientific researchers in the field of hematology and immunology in Israel convene and identify the most promising and innovative researches relating to WAS with specific interest in groundbreaking ideas and life science technologies (completed in 2012).
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Preparation of specific research proposals and review by committee members (completed in 2013).
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Execution of the proposed research program (started in 2013).
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Developing of a new curative treatment (future).
As a result of these extensive efforts, a new and promising research plan was developed. The plan includes two innovative researches that may lead to the development of a new curative approach. This will help reduce the risk of thrombocytopenia in WAS kids and save many children lives. The first research is using cutting edge biotechnology methods and is conducted at the lab of Dr. Mira Barda Saad at Bar Ilan University in Israel, who is a leading expert in Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASp) research. We are also trying to locate resources for a second research which is planned to be conducted at the hemathological lab of Dr. Varda Deutsch at the Tel Aviv Medical Center.