Bayer HealthCare has awarded a Bayer Hemophilia Awards Program (BHAP) Special Project grant to Christopher Doering, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine.

The grant will help Doering continue his research on bioengineering factor VIII (FVIII) through "ancestral protein reconstruction." Doering will analyze the construction of ancient FVIII molecules that often have distinct properties that may or may not be anticipated from the study of FVIII in existing species. He hopes to design novel FVIII therapeutics that have enhanced properties for both protein infusion and gene therapy in patients with bleeding disorders.

"This year's BHAP awardees are conducting research at the very frontier of science," said Dario Mirski, MD, vice president and head of U.S. medical affairs, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. "We are proud to support research and clinical practice that has the potential to make a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of bleeding disorders."

BHAP funds innovative research and educational initiatives around the world, providing grants to early career investigators, fellows in training and other hemophilia care professionals to help support research into the next generation of care and treatment options.

More information about the BHAP awards program is available here.