For more than two decades, Porscha Burks has lived with the relentless pain of sickle cell disease. Diagnosed at age 4, she manages her condition through monthly red blood cell exchanges. This time-intensive, lifelong commitment tethers her to medical centers and still leaves her at risk for acute chest syndrome, the leading cause of death in SCD patients.

Porscha is one of more than 8 million people worldwide who hope researchers will discover treatments that not only extend life but transform it.

Meanwhile, Prithu Sundd, PhD, pioneered research revealing the limitations of P-selectin antibody therapy, the first targeted SCD treatment. His findings, which showed that it provided partial protection but required lengthy hospital stays, redirected his lab toward more accessible solutions. Sundd's team now employs precision medicine approaches, collaborating directly with patients and using their blood samples to understand crisis triggers and develop personalized interventions.

"We are trying to understand how we can improve quality of life, reduce time spent in hospital and overall improve the lives of sickle cell patients," Sundd explains.

For SCD warriors like Porscha, VBRI research goes beyond just scientific advancement; it’s a tangible hope for people like her around the world.