• Inherited bleeding disorders
• Hemoglobinopathies
• Immune thrombocytopenic purpura

I am a clinical hematologist interested and involved in clinical and collaborative scientific studies in areas such as inherited bleeding disorders including hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, hemoglobinopathies such as thalassemias and sickle cell disease, and in immune cytopenias such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Pediatric haematological disorders also provide the unique opportunity to investigate genetic mutations and to understand the pathophysiology of these disorders, thus shedding light on the normal physiological functions of these systems.

Blood Borne Pathogen Surveillance Project
The Association of Hemophilia Directors of Canada has been asked to develop a method to look for known and emerging blood borne diseases.  This cross-Canada project will establish a secure bank of samples to test for known blood borne infectious agents and genetic changes causing or modifying the clotting disease, and that will be available for testing for newly discovered viruses and clotting gene changes as they are found.

Investigation of Clotting Factor Heterogeneity in Severe Hemophilia A
The focus of this research is to develop a sensitive assay to accurately measure circulating Factor VIII levels between 0 and 1%, based on measurement of the activity of the enzyme, thrombin, which develops in proportion to the level of FVIII activity present. Three aspects of hemophilia treatment will then be investigated with participation from clinics across Canada.

Canadian Rare Inherited Bleeding Disorder Registry

Thalassemia Satellite Research Network - Satellite of Oakland Research Group

Canadian Inherited Marrow Failure Registry (CIMFR)

Canadian Pediatric Chronic ITP Registry

Belletrutti M, Ali K, Barnard D, Blanchette V, Chan A, David M, Luke B, Price V, Ritchie B, Wu J.  Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura in children: a survey of Canadian experience.  J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. (manuscript submitted).

Maurer-Spurej E, Pittendreigh C, Wu J.  Serotonin assay for the determination of delta-storage pool disease in pediatric patients.  Pediatrics (manuscript submitted).

Chau A, Wu J, Ansermino M, Tredwell S, Purdy R.  Perioperative hemostatic management of a Jehovah's Witness child with hemophilia B and Factor IX allergy.  Can J Anes. (manuscript submitted).

Kuhle S, Lau A, Bajzar L, Vagh P, Halton J, Cherrick I, Anderson R, Desai S, McCusker P, Wu J, Abshire T, Mahoney D, Mitchell L.  Comparison of the anticoagulant effect of a direct thrombin inhibitor and a low molecular weight heparin in an acquired antithrombin deficiency in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with L-Asparaginase.  British Journal of Haematology. 2006 (in press).

Arnold DM, Julian JA, Walker IR for the Association of Hemophilia Clinic Directors of Canada (AHCDC).  Mortality rates and causes of death amongst all HIV-positive individuals with hemophilia in Canada over twenty-one years of follow up.  Blood. First edition paper March 21, 2006.

Feldman BM, Pai M, Rivard GE, Israels S, Poon MC, Demers C, Robinson S, Luke KH, Wu JK, Gill K, Lillicrap D, Babyn P, McLimont M, Blanchette VS; Association of Hemophilia Clinic Directors of Canada Prophylaxis Study Group.  Tailored prophylaxis in severe hemophilia A: interim results from the first 5 years of the Canadian Hemophilia Primary Prophylaxis Study.  J Thromb Haemost. 2006 Jun;4(6):1228-36.

Steele JM, Sung L, Klaassen R, Fernandez CV, Yanofsky R, Wu J, Odame I, Silva M, Champagne J, Ali K, Brossard J, Samson Y, Abish S, Le D, Jardine L, Hand JP, Lipton JH, Charpentier K, Stephens D, Freedman M, Dror Y.  Disease progression in recently diagnosed patients with inherited marrow failure syndromes: A Canadian inherited marrow failure registry (CIMFR) report.  Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2006 May 4.

Stobart K, Iorio A, Wu JK.  Clotting factor concentrates given to prevent bleeding and bleeding-related complications in people with hemophilia A or B.  Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Apr 19;(2):CD003429.

Dionne JM, Wu JK, Heran M, Murphy JJ, Jevon G, White CT.  Malignant hypertension, polycythemia, and paragangliomas  J Pediatr. 2006 Apr;148(4):540-5.

Leung M, Ho S, Hamilton D, Wu JK, Dix DB, Wadsworth LD, Ensom MHH.  Utility of anti-Xa monitoring in children receiving enoxaparin for therapeutic anticoagulation.  J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther 2005, 10(1):43-50.

AACR/ASCO funding for Cancer Research Workshop - 1997
Clinical Trainee Award, Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada - 1993
The Wyeth Award for Excellence in Research - 1991
The Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation Resident Research Prize - 1991
The Canadian Red Cross Society Transfusion Medicine Fellowship - 1990-1991

Erica Purves - Nurse practitioner, Pediatric Hemophilia Program
Kathy Grouchy - Thalessemia clinic RN
Colleen Fitzgerald - Clinical research manager