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Born in Poland and educated in Germany, Karin Hoffmeister, MD, is a key member of a global team at Versiti Blood Research Institute in Milwaukee, making significant advances in the analysis and treatment of blood disorders. Hoffmeister specializes in glycoscience, the study of glycans – cell surface sugars or carbohydrates – to develop personalized and precise treatments for patients.
“Without understanding personalized glycan signatures, we won’t solve many diseases, including cancer,” Dr. Hoffmeister says.
Hoffmeister spent over two decades at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital before joining Versiti in Milwaukee in 2017, where she established the Translational Glycomics Center.
“Our research transforms and impacts lives, one discovery at a time.”
The center has achieved notable advances, including pioneering the development of a glycan-signature based test to predict chronic versus acute thrombocytopenia in pediatric patients, improving organ transplant preparation by predicting rejection, and creating methods to enhance platelet production to prevent bleeding due to low platelet counts.
Hoffmeister collaborates with Versiti’s world-class team, each specializing in different areas of blood research.
“The community is small, and collaboration is key,” she says. “It’s incredibly gratifying because solving these complex problems could lead to major breakthroughs in understanding and treating diseases.”
Q&A
Why did you choose to focus on glycoscience?
Glycoscience is the most advanced science of precision medicine, allowing us to make personalized, precise treatments. It goes beyond gene analysis to look at what’s on the cell surface – what’s visible to the immune system environment. This is incredibly personal and varies more than genetics. These glycan modifications are crucial, yet they’re rarely interrogated because they’re perceived as difficult. But without understanding them, we won’t solve many diseases, including cancer.
Can you give an example of how glycan research can be applied for patient care?
One exciting development is an assay (analysis) based on A/B/O blood groups that could predict organ rejection. By analyzing glycan patterns, we can better precondition patients for transplants, tailoring treatments to improve outcomes. It’s an example of how understanding glycans can lead to real-world applications that significantly impact patient care.
What are some of the challenges you face in glycoscience research?
The community is small, so collaboration is key. Glycan investigation is still hands-on, without the advanced algorithms and technologies that other fields like genetics have. Developing these tools takes time, making the work more challenging. However, it’s incredibly gratifying because solving these complex problems could lead to major breakthroughs in understanding and treating diseases.
