Diagnostics Grand Rounds
Diagnostics Grand Rounds brings clinicians with unmet needs to the Wyss Institute. The goal of these sessions is to inform technology developers about important clinical problems that can help them direct their technology development efforts. Presenters are asked to identify diagnostic needs that will have an impact on the quality of care they deliver.
Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is an age-related condition in which somatic (acquired) genetic mutations drive oligoclonal expansion of hematopoietic cells. Although CH is by definition asymptomatic, it is associated with increased risks of both hematologic malignancy (e.g. leukemia) and non-hematologic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, due to altered inflammatory signaling in mutant white blood cells. In this session, Dr. Christopher Gibson will describe the discovery and characterization of CH, discuss the current understanding of its clinical implications, and examine unanswered biological and clinical questions about CH, including appropriate diagnostic screening strategies and opportunities for therapeutic intervention.