The Sickle Cell Disease CIG team is under the direction of William T. Zempsky, M.D. and Biree Andemariam, M.D. Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder predominately of those of African descent. Patients with this disorder experience a wide range of medical manifestations including severe pain, stroke, and pulmonary hypertension.  Due to disparities in clinical care and research funding, the advancement of knowledge and treatment paradigms in this disorder have lagged behind other chronic diseases. The multi-system nature of this chronic disease requires collaboration of persons from a range of specialties and backgrounds to promote advancement of a research agenda in sickle cell disease.