Decreased Mortality in 1-Year Survivors of Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant vs. Matched Related or Matched Unrelated Donor Transplant in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.

Design of Clinical Trials
Survival Analysis
Longitudinal Data Analysis
Clustered Data Analysis
ROC Curve Analysis
Design and Analysis of Microarray Studies
Big Data Analysis

My research is broadly focused on elucidating the complex interactions that exist between the host microbiome and exogenous pathogens that cause infections in children. We have several ongoing projects evaluating: 1) the impact of the upper respiratory microbiome on the risk of colonization and invasion by bacterial respiratory pathogens among infants in Botswana; 2) associations between the gut microbiome of pediatric stem cell transplant recipients and the risk of infections (bloodstream infection, C. difficile infection) and graft-versus-host disease; and 3) the role of the gut and respiratory microbiomes in mediating COVID-19 infection susceptibility and disease severity in children. Ultimately, I aim to develop strategies that use targeted modification of the microbiome for the prevention of infections in children.

Based on my prior experience in basic/translational immunology research and clinical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, I am interested in early phase clinical protocols for novel immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies.

Dr. Gasparetto performs both laboratory and clinical research in the field of multiple myeloma. Her primary research interests are in developing immunotherapy approaches to treating multiple myeloma particularly in conjunction with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Ongoing laboratory research projects include the development of dendritic cell vaccines and antibody therapies. Clinical studies include a recently approved trial involving vaccination with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with idiotypic protein following high dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cells transplant. Upcoming trials include novel antibody therapies for multiple myeloma. Dr. Gasparetto is also an investigator on several other clinical trials for myeloma including non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation, high dose sequential chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and transplantation of partially HLA matched unrelated cord blood.

1. High dose therapy and autologous and allogeneic stem cell rescue for hematologic malignancies (especially multiple myeloma) and solid tumors.
2. Non-myeloablative allogeneic transplants for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.
3. Supportive care for hematopoietic stem cell transplants.
4. Prevention and therapy of graft versus host disease.

My research interests are in two broad areas, clinical hematopoietic stem cell and cord blood transplantation and in the laboratory studies related to graft vs. host disease and immune reconstitution. On the clinical side we are currently conducting approximately 50 different clinical protocols ranging from preparatory regimens, supportive care studies and disease specific protocols. Most of these clinical studies are centered around studies of the sources of stem cells and the methods to improve the long term outcome. There are exploratory protocols for novel therapies such as dendritic cell therapy for several malignancies, antiangiogenesis therapy, graft engineering to prevent graft-versus-host disease and antigen specific T cells or non specific NK cells to prevent relapse. Moreover a strong focus of the program is to develop cord-blood transplantation for adult patients with hematologic malignancies. The laboratory studies center on understanding the immunological events that occur with graft-vs-host disease and methods to prevent this disease. The current efforts focus on understanding murine reconstitution following transplantation, use of a peptide polymer to block MHC class II recognition of minor histocompatibility antigens, use of T cell engineering to prevent graft-versus-host disease at the same time preserving a graft-versus-malignancy effect.

For more information see http://ed-media.mc.duke.edu/BMT.nsf

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation with a focus on the use of umbilical cord blood grafts; Allogenic stem cell transplantation for Sickle Cell Disease; Prevention of acute and chronic graft versus host disease; Improving immune recovery following alternative donor stem cell transplantation using donor graft manipulation.