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Introduction

Basic information about the Institute

Overview

The Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion represents a leading institution involved in research of congenital and acquired hematopoietic disease. Past and present, research issues have been investigated as part of many grants from the Czech Grant Agency and from the Internal Grant Agency of the Czech Ministry of Health. The institute also collaborates on international grant projects. Proof of the success of research projects is the fact that projects have been repeatedly awarded the Ministry of Health's prize.

Research issues have long focused on the study of the pathogenesis of congenital and acquired hematological disorders, including mechanisms involved in the development of hematopoietic tumors. For the past 15 years, molecular genetic techniques have dominated the methods used in the research. Pre-clinical research is closely associated with applied clinical research concerned with the introduction of new therapeutic modalities. The result of the institute's long-term research is its leading position in a number of diagnostic methods, e.g. molecular monitoring of the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia; diagnosis of molecular re-arrangements in patients with acute myeloid leukemia; investigation of hematopoiesis clonality and telomerase activity in patients with MDS; diagnosis of congenital coagulopathies at the molecular level; etc. The IHBT was the first institution in Czechoslovakia which introduced hematopoietic stem cell transplantation into clinical practice and currently all kinds of transplantation are performed. The institute is involved in studying methods of pre- and post-transplant manipulation of patient immune system, with the aim of achieving better engraftment and decreasing the incidence of transplant-related complications. The institute also holds a leading position in the processing and cryoconservation of hematopoietic stem cells, and is the only institute in the Czech Republic involved in research in the field of transfusion medicine. The IHBT plays a leading role in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation program in the Czech Republic. The IHBT collaborates with a number of leading institutions abroad and with institutions in the Czech Republic.

Long-term research at the IHBT centers on studying the pathogenesis of hematopoietic disease at the molecular level and on the application of results in new diagnostic methods and in differentiated treatment of hematopoietic diseases according to their more detailed classification on the basis of molecular genetic prognostic markers. Another goal is the potential application of molecular genetic changes in the targeted treatment of individual diseases at the molecular level. These main directions are reflected in the approved and supported current institutional research project that covers the period from 2005-2012. Its goals are both research and treatment of malignant blood diseases and blood coagulation disorders especially leukemia.

The Institute is responsible for the National Registry of Blood Transfusion Service in the Czech Republic. Laboratories serve as reference laboratories responsible for control in the Czech Republic (Reference Laboratory in Blood Coagulation Methods, Reference Laboratory for Immunohematology (red cells), and Reference Laboratory for DNA diagnostics, Reference Laboratory for Human Papillomavirus - HPV).