Deion Sanders “Coach Prime” to speak as the Foundation Keynote
June 8, 2025 at 12:00pm EST
Football legion Deion Sanders “Coach Prime” will inspire Sickle Cell Warriors as the Foundation Keynote at the 19th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium & the 48th National Sickle Cell Disease Scientific Meeting.
Coach Prime will share his own experience in defying expectations, overcoming adversity, and inspiring greatness, both on and off the field.
ABOUT
the Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium & the National Sickle Cell Disease Scientific Meeting
Friday to Sunday, June 6-8, 2025
The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research is practically synonymous with our world-renowned annual Symposium. The event is composed of two long-running traditions. The Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium began in 2007 to unite voices in the battle against sickle cell disease. The goal was to share information not only with the specialists who had dedicated their careers to understanding the disease but to explain it to the wider community, creating more awareness and better treatments no matter where Sickle Cell Warriors needed care.
The National Sickle Cell Disease Scientific Meeting brings together researchers who studied the complicated and often overlooked genetic condition. The pioneering scientists who attended that first meeting understood that sharing research as a community allows for better advancements in the treatment of sickle cell disease.
Today, the Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium & the National Sickle Cell Disease Scientific Meeting attracts individuals from across the globe. The community of leading researchers, physicians, clinicians, stakeholders, advocates, social workers, and Sickle Cell Warriors themselves share the goal of finding better treatments, and ultimately, a cure for sickle cell disease.
This Symposium also can be attended virtually, with key presentations streamed live and a collection of recordings available after the weekend concludes.
Don’t miss the opportunity to join the conversation, learn the latest in sickle cell disease research, and connect with the wider community.
Julia Xu, M.D., MScGH
Scientific Chair
Dr. Julia Z. Xu is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Classical Hematology and the Vascular Medicine Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. She specializes in the care of adults with sickle cell disease and other red blood cell disorders.
She received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her MD from Columbia University. She completed combined internal medicine-global health residency training at Duke University, where she obtained a Master of Science in Global Health and conducted research internationally as a Fogarty International Center fellow and completed her hematology fellowship training at the NIH.
Dr. Xu’s research is focused on evaluating therapies and biomarkers to address the burden of chronic anemia in sickle cell disease and working with local and international partners to improve the care of individuals living with sickle cell disease globally. She has led multiple early-phase clinical trials of novel drug therapies and combination drug therapies in patients with sickle cell disease and is investigating the potential of biomarkers of blood rheology and tissue perfusion to improve care in sickle cell disease.
Santosh L. Saraf, M.D.
Scientific Co-Chair
Dr. Santosh L. Saraf currently serves as the Director of Translational Research for the Sickle Cell Center and the Fellowship Program Director for Hematology & Oncology.
He received his medical degree from the Temple University School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency and hematology & oncology fellowship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Saraf joined the Division of Hematology & Oncology at UIC in 2012 and completed a Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research through the University of Illinois School of Public Health in 2014.
Dr. Saraf focuses his clinical care and research on understanding the mechanisms of kidney disease in patients with sickle cell disease and on developing curative therapies through hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with clinically aggressive sickle cell disease.
Cheedy Jaja, PhD, MPH, MSN, MN, PMHNP-BC, APRN, FAAN
Scientific Co-Chair
Dr. Cheedy Jaja is an Associate Professor of Nursing. His interest in social justice, health disparities, and improving health outcomes in historically marginalized and vulnerable populations such as those with sickle cell disease drives his global health research, clinical, and advocacy initiatives in the USA and Africa.
He is one of only a few nurse scientists prepared to use pharmacogenetics strategies in pharmacotherapy for sickle cell disease with a focus on developing tailored pharmacogenetics algorithms that optimize drug selection, dosing, and monitoring strategies for sickle cell disease pain.
He has received national recognition for his research contributions as evidenced by being selected as a 2016 NIH Future Research Leader, a 2018 Fulbright Program Scholar, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2020.
The Grant Writing Institute
Thursday, June 5, 2025
This one-day special training is designed for leaders of community-based organizations who improve the lives of those living with sickle cell disease. Learn how to grow the funding and reach of your organization from experienced community leaders.
The Grant Writing Institute combines live lessons with interactive workshops designed to turn vague ideas into a compelling proposal. Students also receive one year of mentoring to help them achieve their fundraising goal.
Transform the future of your organization through the skills learned from this exclusive opportunity!
ABOUT
The Virtual Symposium on Nursing in Sickle Cell Disease
October 2, 2025
The nursing profession is vital to the proper care of patients with sickle cell disease. The symptoms of this genetic disorder are often misunderstood and minimized, leaving patients with unmet needs. Understanding the plight of Sickle Cell Warriors is the first step to caring for this community.
Learn from prominent nursing researchers and practitioners on the front lines of this disease, and earn continuing education credits while becoming a better advocate for patients battling sickle cell disease.
Registration for this Virtual Symposium will be available as the date approaches.
Genice T. Nelson, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC
Scientific Chair
Genice T. Nelson, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, is a seasoned Nurse Practitioner specializing in sickle cell disease with over 15 years of experience managing adult patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
She has championed education on sickle cell disease for patients, families, and healthcare providers across the U.S. and internationally, including leading a recent Sickle Cell Disease Bootcamp in Brazil and consulting with the Nigerian Ministry of Health to improve awareness and anti-malaria strategies.
Dr. Nelson currently manages a comprehensive adult sickle cell program that serves approximately 400 patients, providing a range of services from clinic visits to infusion care, while also coordinating a robust research program.
Why We Host Symposia
Join healthcare providers, researchers, scientists, patients and advocates for one purpose: to better the lives of Sickle Cell Warriors. Learn about innovative research, treatments, and education to change the conversation and reshape the future of this genetic disorder.
The Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium & the National Sickle Cell Disease Scientific Meetingin June is our marquee event and an annual tradition. Every year, leading researchers, physicians, clinicians, stakeholders, advocates, and social workers gather from around the world to share research and learn more. Even more participants learn from the virtual presentations available throughout the weekend.
The virtual symposia focus on specific topics, using the convenience of the virtual format to continue the conversation throughout the year.
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?
Sickle Cell Researchers
Healthcare Professionals
Sickle Cell Warriors
Connect with others in the community and share your experiences. Be heard.
Pharmaceutical Reps
Community Advocates
