The Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine’s annual conference took place in Calgary, Alberta in early June. The Centre for Innovation’s Geraldine Walsh was there and shares her highlights.

Before launching the Canadian Blood Services’ Lay Science Writing Competition for research trainees, the Centre for Innovation made sure to have the right team in place. Valuable support from Science Borealis and the Centre for Blood Research helped make our inaugural competition a success.

A team of experts gathered by the International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines has developed new clinical guidelines and accompanying patient and physician resources for Fetal and Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) – a potentially devastating illness in fetuses and newborns.

The Centre for Blood Research’s symposium was held in Vancouver, British Columbia in April. Featuring talks from world-class researchers, trainees and patients, the Norman Bethune Symposium provided attendees with the perfect blend of information and inspiration.

The ability to genetically modify a cell is a powerful tool. Genetically modified cells have advanced our understanding of how the body works and how diseases develop. They are currently used to treat a range of diseases, from cancers to bleeding disorders. Yet, not all cells are easily modified. Dr. Stefanie Novakowski’s joint 3rd place entry to our Lay Science Writing Competition explains more.

Red blood cells are like delivery trucks that deliver oxygen to the vital organs in our body. Iron is the flatbed of the truck which holds the oxygen in place. Our body loses iron when we lose blood, and women are at the highest risk for low iron since blood is lost monthly during childbearing years. Dr. Heather VanderMeulen’s joint 3rd place entry to our Lay Science Writing Competition dissects these issues.

Dr. Jason Acker was recently awarded the University of Alberta Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) Graduate Student Supervisor Award. We chatted to Dr. Acker to find out what this award means to him.

Lily Park’s entry was awarded 2nd place in our Lay Science Writing Competition. It describes research by a group at The Ottawa Hospital to improve patient outcomes following liver surgery, while reducing blood loss and the need for blood transfusion.

The 2018 award named for lawyer and tireless blood activist James Kreppner, will fund much-needed research into legal and regulatory issues around the long-term storage and use of biological samples.

Recipients of the Canadian Blood Services Lifetime Achievement Award are individuals whose landmark contributions are recognized as both extraordinary and world class in the field of transfusion or transplantation medicine, stem cell or cord blood research in Canada and/or abroad.