The Blood Research Institute

The Blood Research Institute (BRI) focuses on researching all types of blood-related disorders and treating patients with these often complex medical conditions.

The BRI’s board-certified hematologist-oncologists, Gunwant Guron, MD; Hamid Shaaban, MD; and Stephen Abo, MD, are experts in all types of blood disorders and cancer, from common to rare. Together with the specialized professionals who work with them — certified nurses, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, dietitians, and other professionals – the BRI team is dedicated to providing the highest quality medical care, while supporting patients and their families with compassion, dignity, and respect.

Blood disorders can be inherited – such as hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, sickle cell disease, or platelet disorders — or they can result from an acquired condition such as cirrhosis of the liver, end-stage renal disease, acquired platelet dysfunction, vitamin K deficiency, and medications. Blood cancers can be acute or chronic, rare or fairly common.

The BRI has its own on-site laboratory for diagnosing blood disorders through a combination of routine and specialized blood tests. Radiologic imaging tests may also be conducted to confirm a diagnosis or to monitor treatment.

For more information about the Blood Research Institute or to schedule an appointment, call 973-877-5340. We are located on the main campus of Saint Michael’s Medical Center.

Benign Blood Disorders

Benign, non-cancerous blood disorders can range from the common to the rare, from mild to serious to life-threatening. At the Blood Research Institute, we bring together the specialized skills of many health care professionals to care for the unique needs of patients with these often complex conditions and to support their loved ones. We diagnose and treat:

Nutritional Deficiency Anemia
Hemolytic anemias (inherited and acquired)
Sickle Cell Disease
Disorders of White Blood Cells and Platelets
Hemochromatosis
Hemophilia A and B
Aplastic anemia
Thalassemia and Fanconi anemia
Blood clots in the legs, lungs, and/or other unusual sites of arterial or venous thrombosis

Cancers of the Blood

Hematologist-oncologist Hamid Shaaban, MD, leads the Cancer Center at Saint Michael’s as well as specializes in the comprehensive, compassionate care of patients with cancers of the blood and related malignancies. These include leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myeloproliferative disorder.

For more information about the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers and these related disorders at the Cancer Center or to schedule an appointment, call 973-877-5620.

Comprehensive Care for Patients with Bleeding and Clotting Disorders

The BRI’s esteemed Nadeene Brunini Comprehensive Hemophilia Care Center is one of only four in New Jersey to be state and federally funded and designated by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau as a comprehensive center specializing in the diagnoses and treatment of hemophilia A and B, von Willebrand disease, and other bleeding and clotting disorders.

This prestigious designation attests that we provide the highest quality care and the most advanced treatments – whether in an emergency or as a prevention – delivered by a team of physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, data specialists, health educators, and other professionals.

The center’s director, Gunwant Guron, MD, has been practicing hematology and oncology for more than 30 years at Saint Michael’s and is a specialist in coagulation disorders. She focuses on providing the highest quality care and performance improvement.

Von Willebrand Disease and Its Connection to Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

von Willebrand disease is a bleeding disorder that is almost always inherited and is caused by a low level of a protein that helps with blood clotting. It affects men and women equally, but women notice it more often because of heavy menstrual bleeding and/or bleeding after childbirth.

Our Blood Research Institute team diagnoses von Willebrand disease through a medical history and a combination of blood tests. The disease is not curable but most patients live a normal lifespan with treatment, which can include injectable or nose spray medications, hormone therapy for women to reduce the duration of periods, or pills to prevent the breakdown of necessary blood clots during the first few days of a menstrual period or before dental procedures, surgery, or childbirth.

The Saint Michael’s Advantage

For more than 150 years, St. Michael’s Medical Center has prioritized the health care of Newark’s community and our neighbors in northern New Jersey, as we pioneered such advances as the first cardiac bypass surgery and cardiac catheterization program in the state, cancer care, and the treatment of blood disorders and diseases.

Saint Michael’s provides the highest quality, compassionate health care and supportive services within a culture of safety and transparency that has been recognized by the benchmarking organizations Healthgrades and The Leadfrog Group.

Located within Newark’s thriving business and higher education center, Saint Michael’s commitment to medical education ensures that graduate physicians are prepared for the challenges and fulfillment of caring for patients in the 21^st century.