On March 2nd, 2015, a research team at UCLA published a study with a potential new cure for sickle cell anemia. The team was able to use human stem cells from blood to cure sickle cell anemia in mice. Sickle cell anemia is a disease in which the normally rounded red blood cells become elongated and sharp, turning into a "sickle" shape, hence the name. The disease can lead to severe pain, and can block blood flow to the body. The disease can even lead to early death, meaning patients may live up to 30 years shorter than the average human being. Although UCLA's study did not find an end-all-be-all cure, it shows a potential for major growth in the future. Another cure, which has been around for longer, uses a bone marrow donation from a sibling to create healthy red blood cells. The issue with this cure is that the host can reject the donation, creating other complications.
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