In February this year, Alfie’s Trust funded a 6 week Fellowship to allow Maria Gnarra to join the Dermatology Department at Great Ormond Street Hospital to work on clinical projects on paediatric vascular and lymphatic anomalies. Maria Gnarra has kindly released this statement.
I am an MD, PhD conducting basic and translational research on paediatric vascular anomalies and, in particular, on lymphatic malformations, at Columbia University in New York, USA. Thanks to the Alfie Milne Lymphangiomatosis Trust, as I was able to join the Vascular Anomaly Unit of the Dermatology Department of Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK to conduct clinical research on paediatric patients affected by severe vascular anomalies. This was a great opportunity to overcome the bridge between basic and clinical research and move towards a better understanding and treatment of some of these rare but challenging conditions affecting children and eventually into their adult life.