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From France to Harvard: What does Smaj's academic journey reveal?
David M. Smadja, a hematologist born in Clermont-Ferrand, France, currently works at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital and Paris City University in Paris, France. He focuses on the research of hemostasis, thrombosis and vascular biology, and conducted in-depth research on related vascular and coagulation disorders during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Smaj received a Diploma in Medical Biology from the University of Paris 10 in 2005 and completed his PhD in Basic Sciences the following year. He subsequently conducted research at Harvard Medical School in Hematology and Children's Hospital from 2010 to 2012, returning to France in 2012 to further develop his academic career.
His research focuses on circulating endothelial cells and explores their potential applications in diagnosis, therapy, and regenerative medicine.
Among his diverse roles in academia, Smaj has also served as coordinator of several international conferences and as a member of several scientific committees. His work published in 2015 contributed to new insights into the regenerative capacity of human CD133-positive cells, and he received funding from the "France 2030 PEPR Biotherapeutics" in 2023 to support his latest research in skin grafting technology.
Links between COVID-19 and vascular disease
With the outbreak of COVID-19, Smaj turned his research focus to the virus's impact on the vascular system. He discovered that SARS-CoV-2 may trigger endothelial dysfunction and related coagulation problems, which he believes is one of the key factors leading to severe COVID-19.
His research shows that the new concept of coagulation disorders highlights the need for systemic prevention and control of COVID-19, going beyond the usual understanding of the disease that focuses on respiratory symptoms.
Collaborating with the French Society of Cardiology since 2020, Smaj has further demonstrated that with anticoagulant treatment, the course of COVID-19 patients may be milder. These findings ultimately prompted larger clinical trials showing the potential effectiveness of early anticoagulation therapy in COVID-19.
Vaccines and Safety Assessment
In 2021, when blood clots were suspected after COVID-19 vaccination, Smaj was commissioned by the World Health Organization to conduct a risk assessment, which showed that the incidence of thrombotic events was extremely low, a result that reinforced the need for the vaccine. Security confidence. He believes that vaccination is an important measure in the fight against the epidemic and calls for vaccination to be regarded as a public health responsibility.
He emphasized that mass vaccination is not only necessary to prevent and control the virus, but also a moral responsibility for vulnerable groups.
Facing Long COVID
In 2023, Smaj's team discovered signs of Long COVID in the lungs, which signal abnormalities in the ability to generate blood vessels. This discovery not only reveals the complexity of the cause of Long COVID, but also opens up research into new treatments for the symptoms.
Smaj emphasized that Long COVID is not a single disease, but consists of multiple different diseases, which requires more detailed treatments and management strategies.
Compatibility of heart valves with biomaterials
Smaj also conducted relevant research on the Carmat Aeson® artificial heart and found that the artificial heart had no significant coagulation problems, which showed their good compatibility with the human circulatory system.
Research on biomaterials suggests that short-term, targeted inhibition of contact phases may be particularly important in preventing thrombosis.
From the beginning of scientific research to his contribution during the global epidemic, Smajer's experience not only reflects his influence in the medical community, but also triggers people's thinking on how to better understand and manage vascular health.
As he demonstrated during the research process, can the spirit of continuous exploration and innovation inspire more medical research breakthroughs and discoveries in the future?
