ISTH SSC announces 2023 grant award winners

The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) has named the winners of the Scientific and Standardization Committee (SSC) grant awards, an annual program that provides funding to support and advance the SSC’s innovative projects.

The ISTH SSC is a permanent committee of the ISTH with independent authority over its scientific program and reports to the ISTH Council. Through collaborations with related organizations, the SSC develops and recommends standards relevant to the fields of thrombosis and hemostasis. The SSC is comprised of 21 subcommittees in addition to one working group, one standing committee and the executive committee.

The grant program is designed to embolden advancement and innovation in the field of thrombosis and hemostasis. Though the program supports as many projects as possible, it remains highly competitive with a select cohort of awardees each year. Awardees may allocate their grant funds to pay for project needs such as laboratory assays, supplies, staffing support and/or vendor services.

The SSC grant awards include two categories: large grant award ($50,000 USD) and small grant awards (not to exceed $20,000). This year, the SSC has awarded one large grant and eight small grants. The large grant award of $50,000 is presented to the SSC Subcommittee on Control of Anticoagulation for the project, “Extended secondary prevention of recurrent thrombotic events with low-dose direct oral anticoagulants in patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis.” The project is led by principal investigator Walter Ageno, M.D. from Italy.

The project focuses on unusual site venous thrombosis (SVT), with the aim to provide additional evidence on the management of SVT patients, possibly supporting a safe and practical approach for the long-term secondary prevention of this disease.

Ageno shared that many patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis are at long-term risk of recurrences and bleeding. Low dose direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly used for the extended treatment of deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs and pulmonary embolism, but their safety and efficacy in patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis is unproven.

“Thanks to the collaboration of a very distinguished international group of researchers, supported by the SSC Subcommittee on Control of Anticoagulation, we have designed a prospective, interventional, single-arm clinical trial to assess low dose DOACs in this challenging setting,” said Ageno. “The ISTH SSC Grant Award will in part support the costs of this trial.” 

The SSC grants program has also awarded small grant awards to eight recipients this year. The small grant awards range in the amount of $10,000 to $20,000, respectively.

Read more below about each winner of an SSC small grant award.

1. “Impact of pharmacist-led anticoagulation service on anticoagulation outcomes, knowledge, adherence and satisfaction among ambulatory patients receiving warfarin at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia: A quasi-experimental study” (Principal Investigator: Tamrat Assefa, SSC Subcommittee on Control of Anticoagulation)

 2. “MAPTO, mapping approaches to tolerance in PUP treatment around the world in the non-replacement era” (Principal Investigator: Samantha Gouw, SSC Subcommittee on Factor VIII,  Factor IX and Rare Coagulation Disorders)

 3. “Validation of anti-AAV assays” (Principal Investigator: Wolfgang Miesbach, SSC Subcommittee on Factor VIII and Factor IX and Rare Coagulation Disorders and Working Group on Gene Therapy)

 4. “Characteristics of cyclic thrombocytopenia: An international registry” (Principal Investigator: Sabine Eichinger, SSC Subcommittee on Platelet Immunology)

 5. “International multi-center validation of flow cytometry methods for the detection of tissue factor-positive platelets” (Principal Investigator: Marina Camera, SSC Subcommittee on Platelet Physiology)

 6. “Expansion of NETs standardization study to patient plasma samples with defined preanalytical conditions” (Principal Investigator: Kimberly Martinod, SSC Subcommittee on Vascular Biology)

 7. “Understanding shared decision-making process regarding the choice of anticoagulant for pregnant patients with mechanical heart valves: an international qualitative research study” (Principal Investigator: Nadine Shetata, SSC Subcommittee on Women’s Health Issues in Thrombosis and Hemostasis)

 8. “Investigation of the thrombogenic potential of IgM antiphospholipid antibodies ex vivo and in vivo” (Principal investigator: Hannah Cohen, SSC Subcommittee on Lupus Anticoagulants/Antiphospholipid Antibodies)

To learn more about the ISTH SSC grant awards program, visit isth.org/page/SSCGrants.