MUSC Health state-supported sickle cell program expands access to quality care and new therapies

• MUSC’s James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine revolutionizes dental education with state-of-the-art innovation laboratory and digital dentistry technology-based elective course

• Board approves Carol Shannon as vice president of Institutional Advancement

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Feb. 17, 2025)- The MUSC Board of Trustees received a key program update at the February board meeting on a state-supported Sickle Cell program that expands access to quality care and new therapies. 

In partnership with the state, MUSC Health established the Rena N. Grant Sickle Cell Center to enable people living with sickle cell disease to thrive physically and mentally through compassionate and innovative care, research and education. Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States.  

“With the state’s investment, we have vastly expanded access to the highest quality of care and new therapies throughout South Carolina,” said Alice Boylan, M.D., chief of the Acute, Critical and Trauma Integrated Center of Clinical Excellence at MUSC Health. “Our comprehensive care team of experts have improved care delivery, truly changing lives in our most under-served communities.”

The center is the first and only facility in South Carolina offering the newest disease modifying therapies, becoming a Bluebird Bio, Inc. and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. certified site in 2023. The program recently became a member of the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers which aligns with U.S. Centers of Excellence. 

The board also received an update from the MUSC James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, “We have designed a core facility that serves as an internal laboratory and teaching center, where students and residents are provided with resources to prepare them for the future,” said Fabio Rizzante, D.D.S., MSc, Ph.D., MBA, assistant dean for innovation and associate professor. “Alumni are also encouraged to visit the Innovation Laboratory.”

Rizzante explained, “Spearheading this collaborative environment will integrate and leverage technology to improve evidence-based education, clinical efficiency and patient outcomes. By immersing students in cutting-edge digital workflows and interdisciplinary collaborations, the college ensures that they graduate with the skills and experience needed to thrive in today’s modern dental practice.” 

The board approved the hiring of Carol Shannon as vice president of Institutional Advancement, with a start date of March 3. In this role, Shannon will lead fundraising efforts, foster meaningful donor engagement and spearhead strategic initiatives critical to the growth and success of MUSC.

With an extensive background in health care fundraising and community engagement, Shannon has held leadership positions at top institutions, including NYU Langone Health and Johns Hopkins Medicine.  

### 

About MUSC 

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org. MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.