New York Blood Center

In 2013, LFKRI was awarded a Grand Challenges Explorations Grant from a grant initiative engaging field leaders in global health to bring progress to targeted world problems. The Grand Challenges Explorations Grant was launched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2007. The LFKRI used grant money to study the transmission of parasites from Filarial Worm larvae to humans in order to develop a preventative drug to kill mature worms and prevent parasitic infection. In 2014, the New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program (NCBP) at the Howard P. Milstein Cord Blood Center received the Prix Galien USA “Best Biotechnology Product” distinction for the development of HEMACORD, an innovative hematopoietic stem cell product and the first of its kind to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. LFKRI also oversaw a clinical trial of Immucor’s PreciseType HEA test, resulting in the approval of the product by the FDA in October 2016. The PreciseType HEA test screens blood donors for sickle cell trait (SCT), an inherited blood disorder that affects 1 million to 3 million Americans, including 8-10% of African Americans. PreciseType HEA is the only FDA-approved molecular test that provides clinicians and blood banks with detailed genetic matching information. Through its work with cord blood, stem cells and sickle cell treatments, NYBC is a leader in precision medicine, which takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle to more accurately match treatments to individual patients. In 2019, New York Blood Center merged with the Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC). The latter continues to do business as the Rhode Island Blood Center. In 2020 New York Blood Center was the first blood center to collect convalescent blood plasma donations from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat other patients with advanced illness. On March 27, 2020, the first unit of convalescent blood plasma was drawn. In convalescent plasma treatment, the patient is transfused with the plasma from a recovered COVID-19 patient with the goal of using the donor’s antibodies to help clear the virus more rapidly. In January 2021, research by the Mayo Clinic validated the use of convalescent plasma treatment for COVID-19 patients amid widespread vaccine shortages. == Primate research in Liberia ==

For a thirty-year period starting in the mid-1970s, the New York Blood Center conducted research experiments on a group of chimpanzees in Liberia. At the time, such primate testing was considered a standard part of medical research and drug development. After the studies were complete in 2004, NYBC moved the survivors onto six islands on the Farmington River in Liberia. Though NYBC continued to financially support the sanctuary for almost a decade at a cost of around $30,000 a month, they stopped in March 2015. On May 19, New York State Senator Tony Avella held a press conference at New York City Hall to demand that NYBC fulfill its promise to provide lifelong care for the chimpanzees. NYBC had asserted that the animals were owned by the Liberian government, and Liberian officials had repeatedly acknowledged their own responsibility for the care of the chimpanzees. they had spent millions of dollars on the chimps since the mid-2000s while repeatedly reaching out to the Liberian government and animal rights groups attempting to find a long term solution. The New York Times had quoted Dr. Alfred Prince's 2005 article seeking primatologists and/or foundations to take over the care of the chimpanzees. In the article, Prince had written that NYBC "recognizes its responsibility to provide an endowment to fund the Sanctuary for the lifetime care of the chimpanzees." However, NYBC spokeswoman Victoria O'Neill responded that Prince had not been authorized to say that, that NYBC "did not ever establish any endowment for animal care, chimpanzees included," and "never had any obligation for care for the chimps, contractual or otherwise." The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) took over supporting the chimps, and started a campaign to raise funds for them. ==References==