NHLBI Announces Appointment of W. Keith Hoots, MD, to Lead Division of Blood Diseases and Resources

July 3, 2008 - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Director, Elizabeth Nabel, MD, has announced that W. Keith Hoots, MD, will assume the position of Senior Advisor to the Director for Blood Diseases at NHLBI effective January 5, 2009. In this capacity, Dr. Hoots will serve as liaison to NHLBI’s Division of Blood Diseases and Resources.

Dr. Hoots is a long-standing ASH member with expertise in the management and diagnosis of congenital and acquired bleeding disorders and clotting disorders. His work includes the creation of longitudinal follow-up of hemophilia cohorts with HIV and hepatitis, gene therapy trials for Hemophilia A and B, clinical trials of new clotting concentrates for hemophilia A and B, and the impact of care and clotting factor product on hemophilia patient outcome.

He is currently Professor of Pediatrics and Division Head of Pediatric Hematology at The University of Texas (UT) Medical School at Houston; Section Head of Pediatric Hematology at UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center; and Medical Director of the Gulf States Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Treatment Center. Dr. Hoots is also a past president of the Hemophilia Research Society of North America, past member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Blood Safety and Availability Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Health, past chair of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee for the National Hemophilia Foundation and subcommittee co-chair of the DIC Subcommittee of International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis.

ASH congratulates Dr. Hoots on his appointment and the Society looks forward to working with him on issues affecting hematology research at NHLBI.