By Kelly McKenna My name is Kelly McKenna, and I’m a single mom to two amazing kids. One of them is an eight-year-old boy who has Fanconi anemia (FA). Logan’s medical journey started during my pregnancy at the 20-week anatomy...
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Akiko Shimamura
Bone Marrow Failure and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Program | MD, PhD | Boston, USA
Dr. Shimamura directs the Bone Marrow Failure and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Program of the Dana Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Her research focuses on translational studies spanning clinical through basic science investigations to understand the genetic and molecular basis of bone marrow failure, MDS, and leukemia predisposition with the goal of developing more effective and less toxic treatments. Dr. Shimamura had previously directed the Bone Marrow Failure Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital and then at Seattle Children’s Hospital before returning to Boston Children’s Hospital in the fall of 2015.
Dr. Shimamura has mentored numerous students and post-doctoral fellows who have moved on to careers in academics, medicine, or the biotechnology industry.
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By Sarah Borden Our lives changed forever the day we learned our son Eli was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia. Just days earlier, we had celebrated his fourth birthday with family and friends, blissfully unaware of the journey ahead. When faced...

“If I had waited another six months, my story wouldn’t be the same.” Katherine was born into a world shaped by loss. Her older sister, Gracie, was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia (FA) shortly after the family moved to the United...