4th Annual TTP Fair a Success

THE 4TH annual TTP Fair and Education Day, hosted by the lab of X. Long Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., Division Director, Laboratory Medicine, was held on September 14 in Montgomery, Alabama, at the Baptist Convention Center. TTP stands for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and is caused by a deficiency of active ADAMTS13, the enzyme responsible for cleaving Von Willebrand Factor (VWF). Dr. Zheng was among the first group of investigators who first discovered and cloned the ADAMTS13 enzyme. The Zheng Lab has made many major contributions to the understanding of the structure-function relationship and regulation of ADAMTS13, and is working to develop novel tools for the diagnosis and treatment of TTP. Researchers (above) in Dr. Zheng's lab speak with patients at the TTP Fair. (below) Dr. X. Long Zheng, event host.

This yearly event is designed to support individuals living with rare acquired and congenital TTP diagnoses and their families, promote awareness to empower patients, families, clinicians, and scientists, build a collaborative and dedicated clinical care network, and help advance scientific understanding and research. It allows for the exchange of up-to-date information regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and management of TTP through educational presentations, and offer a support network between persons with TTP through roundtable discussions. The event saw an increase in registration and attendance from the previous years, with more than half of the attendees new to the event. Apart from local residents, patients and their family members traveled from Texas, North Carolina, and New Jersey attend. The lab would like to thank UAB Pathology, the ReeWynn Foundation, and Baptist Health for their contributions to this event.