Welcome to the Center for Sickle Cell Disease

The Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease was founded by the late Dr. Roland B. Scott in 1971 to address the needs of patients and families in the Washington Metropolitan area, who are affected by sickle cell disease. The Center is committed to a six-fold goal that includes comprehensive medical care, research, testing, education, counseling and community outreach. Currently, the Center has expanded its clinical research program and developed a collaborative consortium with Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC). Working together, Howard University Hospital, CNMC, NIH and the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease are the Washington area’s leading provider of patient services for sickle cell disease.

Victor R. Gordeuk, MD, Director of the Center for Sickle Cell Disease and Professor of Medicine at Howard University, conducts both the clinical and research components of the Center adhering to an overarching goal of improving the quality of life of patients with sickle cell disease. Dr. Gordeuk is an internationally recognized authority on hematology and oncology whose wide-ranging interests include the management of sickle cell disease complications, disorders of iron metabolism, congenital polycythemia and malaria. Oswaldo L. Castro, MD, Senior Advisor and Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Pediatrics, works to ensure clinical and scientific continuity within the Center given his Directorship from 1990 to 2006. Sohail R. Rana, MD, Director and Community Outreach and Education for the Center, plays a highly active role in ensuring the fulfillment of our mission to educate and empower the patients and families in the DC-metro area affected by sickle cell disease. Zakari Y. Aliyu, MD, Director of International Programs, plays a vital role within the Center to work towards applying sound foundations of sickle cell treatment and research to a variety of locations throughout the world.

• Former Howard University patient receives cutting edge sickle cell treatment (Baltimore Sun artical, March 30, 2008)

• Publication involving the Nigeria Sickle Cell Pulmonary Hypertension study recently accepted in The American Journal of Hematology. We are proud to be part of this important study and the first to report on this complication in this region of the world (Published January 29, 2008)

• ASH News: Live interview with Dr. Zakari Aliyu on hydroxyurea use in Nigeria (Posted December 9, 2007)

Coming Events

• Educational Seminar: "Summer Without a Crisis" (link to event flyer), Free event sponsored by the Maryland Sickle Cell Disease Association, guest speaker: Dr. James Casella the Rainey Professor of Pediatric Hematology at Johns Hopkins University. St. John Baptist Church, Columbia, MD (June 14, 2008, 2:00PM - 4:00PM)

• 2008 Gene Chandler Sickle Cell Charity Golf Tournament (link to event flyer), 19th annual community golf tournament whose proceeds provide support services to the sickle cell disease community, Aberdeen, MD (June 28, 2008)

• 2nd Annual Families Advocating for Children and Adults with Sickle Cell Disease BBQ (link to event flier) , Please join in our welcoming Ms. Pamela Newton, Ms. Ijeru Uzoma and Mr. Kene Onochie, successful adult bone marrow transplant recipients, who will be discussing their treatments and lives after receiving this cutting-edge care. Food is FREE to all guests. 4301 Garden City Drive (UCFW 400 Building-Metro 400), Hyattsville, MD 20785 (Saturday, June 28, 2008, 12:00 noon to 3:00PM)

• XVII International AIDS Conference, Mexico (August 3-8, 2008)

• Workshop on Vasculopathy in Sickle Cell Diseas (link to event website) , NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD (August 26-27, 2008)

• William E. Proudford Sickle Cell Fund, Inc. 3rd Annual Fundraiser, keynote speakers: Dr. Randal Pinkett, Winner of NBC's "The Apprentice" and Chairman and CEO of BCT Partners. M&T Bank Pavilion (at the Hippodrome), Baltimore, MD (Thursday, September 18, 2008, 6:00PM)

• Stomp Out Sickle Cell Walk 2008 (link to event website) (Saturday, September 20, 2008), for more information, please contact Barbara Harrison

Ongoing Open Events

• Center for Sickle Cell Disease Staff Meeting (Mondays, 10:00AM - 11:00AM, 211/Mudd Building)

• Research Scientists Lab Meeting (Fridays, 10:00AM - 11:00AM, GCRC Conference Room)