UNC Blood Research Center | UNC Blood Research Center

The UNC Blood Research Center (BRC) was established to promote interdisciplinary research in non-malignant blood disorders across UNC. It will seek to advance the work in the following specific areas.

Thrombosis

One in four of the US population will succumb to a terminal thrombotic event, such as: myocardial infarction, stroke, or venous thromboembolism.

Basic science discoveries have paved the way towards better prophylactic and therapeutic approaches to thrombosis. However, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying thrombosis and prevention without any risk of bleeding remains an unmet need. The BRC seeks to investigate potential approaches to both aims.

Bleeding Disorders

UNC is a world leader in hemophilia, from the development and administration of the first coagulation factor VIII concentrate to the role of the Chapel Hill dog colonies of the Francis Owen Blood Research Center in the pre-clinical testing of protein and gene therapies. The BRC aims to address the broad challenges that remain in numerous other inherited and acquired bleeding disorders.

Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease affects approximately 100,000 Americans but accounts for an estimated 300,000 births worldwide every year, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian sub-continent.

Compared to many other areas of medicine, the development of impactful therapies in sickle cell disease remains inadequate. We will continue to expand our research efforts to this under-served patient population into the future.

Events/Seminars

Apr07

Tuesday 9:00 am

Tuesday BRC Lab Meeting

Apr14

Tuesday 9:00 am

Tuesday BRC Lab Meeting

Apr17

Friday 11:00 am

BRC Seminar Series Spring 2026: Daniel Lawrence

Apr21

Tuesday 12:00 am

12th Symposium on Hemostasis

News

Recent Posts

News from the Blood Research Center

Bergmeier proposal receives NIH/NHLBI R35 Outstanding Investigator Award. The award is intended to “promote scientific productivity and innovation by providing long-term support and increased flexibility to experienced Principal Investigators … whose outstanding record of research demonstrate their ability to make major contributions to the heart, lung, blood and sleep (HLBS) research.” Lead PI: Wolfgang Bergmeier Proposal …

Abigail Ballard-Kordeliski, former graduate student and member of Bergmeier lab, published paper in Haematologica. Paper describes new mechanistic findings on role of small G proteins in platelet pro-coagulant response. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41784022/

Robert H. Lee, Wolfgang Bergmeier, Matthew J. Flick, and Steve Hur published collaborative paper in Blood, 1st author is Robert Lee – senior author is Steve Hur (Pathology). Paper describes new findings on the role of fibrinogen aC-region in arterial thrombosis in hypofibrinogenemic conditions, establishing a link to platelets via the glycoprotein VI receptor. “The fibrinogen …

Thrombosis

Bleeding Disorders

Sickle Cell Disease

Events/Seminars

Tuesday BRC Lab Meeting

Tuesday BRC Lab Meeting

BRC Seminar Series Spring 2026: Daniel Lawrence

12th Symposium on Hemostasis

News

Recent Posts

Bergmeier proposal receives NIH/NHLBI R35 Outstanding Investigator Award

Abigail Ballard-Kordeliski, former graduate student, published paper in Haematologica

Robert H. Lee, Wolfgang Bergmeier, Matthew J. Flick, and Steve Hur wrote article featured in Blood online publication titled “The fibrinogen αC region promotes arterial thrombosis in the context of hypofibrinogenemia”