Dr Germana Bancone
Contact information
Germana Bancone
Haematology Research Scientist at SMRU
Germana leads the activities of the Haematology laboratory of SMRU in support to both clinical and research work. Her main research interest is the study of inherited red blood cells disorders (IRD), in particular G6PD deficiency, in relation to clinical outcomes. Past and future research studies include the characterization of genotypes and phenotypes of G6PD deficiency in South-East Asia, the study of haemolytic risk during treatment with 8-aminoquinolines and other oxidative drugs and the use of innovative tools to better characterize RBCs phenotypes in the laboratory. She is also interested in G6PD deficiency contribution to the onset of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia. Working closely with the clinicians of SMRU, one of the aim of her research is to bring to the field better validated point-of-care tests to improve G6PD diagnosis at birth and before malaria treatment. Further research interests include the study of causes of anaemia in pregnancy and infancy and the investigation of markers of iron deficiency that can inform appropriate early treatment.
Before moving to SMRU in 2010, Germana worked in Rome and Burkina Faso studying the evolution of haemoglobin variants of West African populations and their impact on the capacity of Plasmodium falciparum to transmit from humans to mosquitoes. She also characterized G6PD mutations in African populations (Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Rwanda) to study protection against malaria and drug-induced anaemia. She obtained her PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology in Rome in 2008.
Key publications
-
Validation of the quantitative point-of-care CareStart biosensor for assessment of G6PD activity in venous blood
Bancone G. et al, (2018), PLOS ONE, 13, e0196716 - e0196716
-
Prevalences of inherited red blood cell disorders in pregnant women of different ethnicities living along the Thailand-Myanmar border
Bancone G. et al, (2017), Wellcome Open Research, 2, 72 - 72
-
The G6PD flow-cytometric assay is a reliable tool for diagnosis of G6PD deficiency in women and anaemic subjects
Bancone G. et al, (2017), Scientific Reports, 7
-
Haemolysis in G6PD Heterozygous Females Treated with Primaquine for Plasmodium vivax Malaria: A Nested Cohort in a Trial of Radical Curative Regimens
Chu CS. et al, (2017), PLOS Medicine, 14, e1002224 - e1002224
-
Single Low Dose Primaquine (0.25mg/kg) Does Not Cause Clinically Significant Haemolysis in G6PD Deficient Subjects
Bancone G. et al, (2016), PLOS ONE, 11, e0151898 - e0151898
Recent publications
-
G6PD Variants and Haemolytic Sensitivity to Primaquine and Other Drugs
Bancone G. and Chu CS., (2021), Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12
-
Vivax malaria in pregnancy and lactation: a long way to health equity
Brummaier T. et al, (2020), Malaria Journal, 19
-
No evidence that chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine induce hemolysis in G6PD deficiency
Schilling WHK. et al, (2020), Blood Cells, Molecules, and Diseases, 85, 102484 - 102484
-
G6PD deficiency in malaria endemic areas of Nepal.
Marasini B. et al, (2020), Malaria journal, 19
-
Quantification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity by spectrophotometry: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Pfeffer DA. et al, (2020), PLOS Medicine, 17, e1003084 - e1003084