Dr. Helen Ajufo joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hematology as an Assistant Professor in March 2024. She is currently leading a large multicenter retrospective study, the Analysis of the North American Myelofibrosis Transplant Outcome (NAMTO) assessing the role of high-risk mutations and other clinical and transplant specific factors on overall survival in patients with myelofibrosis undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HCT). She presented the preliminary findings in a poster presentation at the ASH national conference in 2024. She is also interested in the role of cytokines in transplant outcomes and leading a prospective study to further investigate. For both concepts she was awarded the minority hematology fellowship award. Another current research interest is in inflammatory mediated anemia and thrombocytopenia within MPNs. During her fellowship her co fellow and her assessed the role of splenic volume reduction in overall survival in thrombocytopenic patients with myelofibrosis on pacritinib, which has a unique mechanism of action in addition to targeting inflammatory pathways. They presented these findings at EHA, ASCO, ASH, and SOHO and have submitted a manuscript for publication.
Dr. Ajufo is interested in identifying novel immunomodulating therapies to help mitigate thrombocytopenia and anemia. However, she is most interested in investigating the pathogenesis of VTE and coagulopathies in MPNs. She is currently involved in a single center study assessing the role of non-driver genomic alterations in VTE in MPNs. Her short-term goal is to create a multicenter study assessing mechanisms of VTE in myelofibrosis and ultimately each MPN subtype. She was recently selected to be part of the Program for Underrepresented in Medicine for Equity and Diversity (PROUD-MED) Cohort at Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) beginning in 2024 which will help build on her research foundation, seek funding opportunities and launch her career in academic as she transitions from fellowship to junior faculty. Her key interests are inpatient care, outpatient clinic and clinical research and her research interest is in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and classical hematology specifically the pathogenesis of venous thromboembolisms (VTE) and coagulopathies in MPNs; clinical and genomic factors influencing transplant outcomes; and inflammatory mediated anemia and thrombocytopenia.