The head of the sector is Mikhail Y. Drokov, Candidate of Medical Sciences.
In 2019 the Sector for the Study of Immune Effects and Complications after BMT was formed as part of the Department of Intensive High-Dose Chemotherapy of Hemoblastosis and Hematopoietic Depressions after BMT. This scientific unit deals with various problems of allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation including complications and immune effects. The sector works in close conjunction and within the framework of the departments: Department of Intensive High-Dose Chemotherapy and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Round the Clock Hospital (head of the department, Candidate of Medical Sciences, L.A. Kuzmina ) and Department of Immunochemotherapy with Day Hospital for Patients after BMT (head of the department – Candidate of Medical Sciences, V.A. Vasilyeva).
MAIN DIRECTIONS OF JOINT ACTIVITY
Development and implementation of new methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment
The staff of the department, together with clinical and laboratory units, have developed new methods of treatment, which received the support of the Ministry of Health:
- together with the Department of Transfusiology (Head of the Department - Candidate of Medical Sciences, T.V. Gaponova ), the protocol “Therapy of graft hypofunction with selected donor CD34+ cells in adult patients with hemoblastosis with graft hypofunction after transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells” was developed;
- together with the Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology (Head of the Laboratory — Candidate of Biological Sciences, G.A. Efimov) cell therapy protocols related to the adaptive transfer of CMV-specific lifmocytes to recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells have been developed, approved by the Ministry of Health and will soon be launched. These protocols are:
— "Prevention of cytomegalovirus infection using cytomegalovirus-specific T-lymphocytes (anti-CMV lymphocytes) in adult patients after transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells";
— "Therapy of cytomegalovirus infection using cytomegalovirus-specific T-lymphocytes (anti-CMV lymphocytes) in combination and without ganciclovir in adult patients after transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells"; - another developed protocol is dedicated to the prevention of acute leukemia recurrence in patients after transplantation: "Hypomethylation of DNA of donor lymphocytes with 5-azacytidine in order to prevent the development of acute leukemia relapse in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells." The implementation of this protocol was previously launched on the basis of a round-the-clock and day hospital for patients after BMT, and the results available today have shown that its use can reduce the number of relapses after transplantation in patients with hemoblastosis.
Development of biomedical cellular technologies and their implementation in clinical practice
Work is underway to develop and implement cell products in the therapy of patients with diseases of the blood system. Currently, thanks to the joint work on licensing of the NMRC for Hematology together with the scientific division (under the direction of Candidate of Medical Sciences, H.L. Julhakyan) and the Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology (head of the laboratory – Candidate of Biological Sciences, G.A.Efimov), the right to conduct clinical trials using BCP has been obtained, as well as a license to conduct clinical trials tests using BCP.
Study of the immune system in patients after transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic cells
At the Laboratory for Immunophenotyping of Blood and Bone Marrow (Head of the Lab. — Candidate of Medical Sciences, I.V. Galtseva), as well as the Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology (Head of the Lab. — Candidate of Biological Sciences, G.A. Efimov) work is underway to study the T-cell link of the immune system in patients after transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells in the context of the use of modern regimens for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease, primarily based on the use of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide.
Development of information services for patients after transplantation
In a short period of time, we have managed to create and launch a website for patients after transplantation ( tkm.blood.ru ), on which video recommendations are posted (“Patient Schools”) conducted by employees of the day hospital department for patients after transplantation (Head of the Department — Candidate of Medical Sciences, V.A. Vasilyeva). An important project was the creation, together with the staff of the Department of Administrative Information Systems (Head of the Department – A.P.Guzevatykh), the web portal "Portal of self-observation for patients after BMT", which allows you to register and systematize information about the current state of health of patients after transplantation, both in and out of the hospital, which has improved control over this extremely difficult category of patients.
SECTOR EMPLOYEES
Vera A. Vasilyeva — Candidate of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Immunochemotherapy with a Day Hospital for Patients after BMT, Researcher at the Sector for the Study of Immune Effects and Complications after BMT. Besides her work leading a day hospital, a search group and extensive work with donors, Vasilyeva is one of the leading experts in the field of extracorporeal photopheresis, a treatment method that is widely used in the treatment of patients with acute and chronic graft versus host disease. In addition, Vera Alekseevna is the organizer and host of regular "Patient Schools" for patients after transplantation.
V.A. Vasilyeva is the author of more than 100 publications, including in foreign journals.
Larisa A. Kuzmina — Candidate of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Intensive High-Dose Chemotherapy and Bone Marrow Transplantation with a Round-the-Clock Hospital and, concurrently, a leading researcher in the Sector for the Study of Immune Effects and Complications after BMT. At the beginning of 2011, under the leadership of Larisa Kuzmina, a search group was organized, thanks to the work of which it was possible to make bone marrow transplantation from an unrelated donor available at the NMRC for Hematology. In addition, most of the scientific activity of Larisa Kuzmina has been associated with the study of one of the varieties of cell therapy, namely, the study of the effect of mesenchymal stem cells on the development and course of an acute graft-versus-host reaction. This project, carried out jointly with the Laboratory of Hematopoiesic Physiology (Head of the laboratory — Doctor of Biological Sciences, N.I. Drize), has allowed us to show comparable effectiveness in the use of MSCs in patients with refractory forms of acute graft-versus-host reaction.
L.A. Kuzmina is the author of more than 385 publications, including foreign journals.
Elena A. Mikhailova — Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, leading researcher.
In 1980 Mikhailova defended her thesis for the degree Candidate of Medical Sciences on the topic: "Erythro- and granulocytopoiesis in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. " Since 1981 — Junior researcher, since 1988 — Senior researcher, since 2000 — Leading researcher of the Department of High-Dose Hemoblastosis Chemotherapy and Hematopoietic Depressions.
In 2000, she defended her doctoral dissertation on the topic, "Program treatment of adult patients with aplastic anemia.” As a result of this work, immunosuppressive therapy programs were developed to improve the effectiveness of treatment and increase the survival rate of patients with aplastic anemia.
In 2011, she was awarded the academic title of Professor in the specialty "Hematology and Blood Transfusion.”
Mikhailova’s scientific research is focused on the study of pathogenesis, clonal evolution, differential diagnosis and treatment of bone marrow insufficiency syndromes.
Mikhailova is a highly qualified specialist, conducting classes in her specialty, giving lectures, and making presentations at scientific conferences, All-Russian and international symposiums and congresses.
Under the leadership of Mikhailova, 7 candidate dissertations in the specialty "hematology" have been defended and 2 dissertations were prepared for defense. She was a consultant for a doctoral dissertation in the specialty "dentistry" (defended in 2018).
Over the past 5 years, Mikhailova has published 41 scientific papers (in total, more than 230 scientific papers).
Mikhailova is a member of the problem commission "Fundamental and clinical research in Hematology; problems of clinical and industrial transfusiology", Scientific Council and Dissertation Council D208.135.01 of the NMRC for Hematology of the Ministry of Health of Russia.
Olga A. Aleshina — Candidate of Medical Sciences, senior researcher, is a co-author and coordinator of multicenter clinical trials in Russia for the study of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults (protocols ALL-2016, Ph+ALL-2012) and also participates in the development of clinical trials and clinical recommendations for the treatment of adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She actively participates in international clinical trials and in the development of modern approaches to therapy using targeted drugs and immunotherapy in patients with hemoblastosis. Aleshina is the author of more than 180 publications, 50 of which are in English, has more than 80 oral presentations at conferences (including 15 in English). She is a member of the National Hematology Society, the Eurasian Federation of Oncology, the European Group for the Study of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and the European Hematology Society. She is the creator of the register of patients with hematological diseases who have suffered COVID-19 in Russia, as well as the co-author of Russian clinical recommendations for the treatment of patients with acute leukemia in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zalina T. Fidarova — Candidate of Medical Sciences, senior researcher.
Her research interests include diseases accompanied by bone marrow insufficiency, related hematopoiesis disorders and molecular genetic features.
In 2016, she defended her dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Medical Sciences on the topic, "Determination of the PNH clone in patients with aplastic anemia at various stages of the course of the disease and treatment".
Since 2015, as a researcher at the Department of Hemoblastosis and Hematopoietic Depression Chemotherapy, she has been treating patients with aplastic anemia, differential diagnosis of cytopenic conditions.
Her high level of professionalism allows her to use modern approaches to solving complex problems and the latest theories and methods in her research.
Theoretical and experimental studies of Fedorova have been reflected in printed works and are presented at scientific conferences.
Andrey N. Sokolov — Candidate of Medical Sciences, senior researcher.
Sokolov graduated from the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University in 1981 with a degree in general medicine. In 1981-1982 he completed an internship in the specialty "Therapy". Then, from 1982-1986 he worked as a general practitioner at the Central Pool Hospital of the Moscow Swimming Pool..
Sokolov has been working at the NMRC for Hematology as a hematologist since 1986.
In 2000 he successfully defended his dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Medical Sciences on the topic: "Treatment of relapses and resistant forms of acute leukemia.”
Since 2004, he has been working as a senior researcher, combining scientific work with the work of a hematologist.
Sokolov is a co—author of published treatment protocols and clinical recommendations for patients with acute leukemia. In his work in the department, he supervises patients with various diseases of the blood system also conducting advisory work in other departments of the NMRC for Hematology and beyond.
Sokolov is an erudite specialist who owns modern methods of examination and treatment of hematological patients.
In total, during his work at the NMRC for Hematology, he has published 190 printed works in domestic and foreign publications. The main research results were repeatedly reported by Sokolov at scientific Russian and international conferences and symposiums.
Ekaterina D. Mikhaltsova — Candidate of Medical Sciences, hematologist and researcher of the Sector for the Study of Immune Effects and Complications after BMT. The scientific activity of Ekaterina Mikhaltsova covers a wide range of clinical studies, which are carried out not only in transplant departments, but also in related departments of the National Medical Research Center for Hematology.
Ekaterina D. Mikhaltsova is a participant in international multicenter studies, including:
TRC112121,
СINC424C2301,
СINC424D2301,
CPKC412A2220,
2215-CL-0303,
20160441,
Vedolizumab-3035.
Ekaterina Dmitrievna's research interests are also related to the use of post-transplant cyclophosphamide and the study of its effect on the immune system in patients after transplantation.
Mikhaltsova is the author of more than 70 publications, including in foreign journals.
Natalya N. Popova — hematologist at the Department of Intensive High-Dose Chemotherapy and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Round the Clock Hospital. Besides her main clinical work, Natalya Popova’s scientific interests are related to the study of the immune system after transplantation and the impact that various regimens have on the prevention of graft-versus-host disease on the bone marrow in this category of patients. In addition, Natalia Popova’s area of responsibility and work includes working with the international organization EBMT (European Organization for Bone Marrow Transplantation) and such systems as PROMISE.
Popova is the author of more than 50 publications, including in foreign journals.
Ksenia A. Sokolova – medical registrar of the Sector for the Study of Immune Effects and Complications after BMT. Its work allows aggregating data obtained from various sources, organizational monitoring of research, and ensuring interaction with laboratory departments.
From left to right: hematologist N. N. Popova; researcher, Candidate of Medical Sciences, E.D. Mikhaltsova; head of the sector, Candidate of Medical Sciences, M.Y. Drokov; researcher, Candidate of Medical Sciences, V.A. Vasilyeva; leading researcher, Candidate of Medical Sciences, L.A. Kuzmina
K.A. Sokolova - medical registrar
