Our Funded Research Projects

Updated September 2023

Title Principal Investigator / Supervisor Program Project Start Date Project End Date Sort descending Total $ Awarded
Sex Now 2018: A national survey on blood donation and undiagnosed blood borne infections Principal Investigator: LACHOWSKY, Nathan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: TRUSSLER, Terry, GILBERT, Mark, SALWAY, Travis, JOLLIMORE, Jody, HAM, David, LOFTUS, Patrick, OLIVER, Brent, HANSEN, Brian, VISSER, Floyd, BRENNAN, David, GRACE, Daniel, OTIS, Joanne, LEBOUCHÉ, Bertrand, NUMER, Matthew, SAXTON, Peter
MSM Research Grant Program $421,719.00
Novel detection strategies for new platelet ligands and anti-platelet antibodies Principal Investigator: NI, Heyu

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: NEVES, Miguel
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program $150,000.00
Allowing MSM to donate in the context of pathogen reduction of blood components: mathematical modeling of the risk of HIV, HBV and HCV transmission through transfusion Principal Investigator: LEWIN, Antoine

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: GERMAIN, Marc, DELAGE, Gilles, ROBILLARD, Pierre, GRÉGOIRE, Yves, WILLIAM, Fraser
MSM Research Grant Program $39,618.00
Attitudes, behaviours, and acceptability related to current and future blood donation policy: A qualitative study of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal Principal Investigator: GRACE, Daniel

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: HART, Trevor, LAMBERT, Gilles, COX, Joseph , ADAM, Barry , BRENNAN, David , LACHOWSKY, Nathan, MOORE, David
MSM Research Grant Program $60,000.00
Évaluation de l’acceptabilité et de la faisabilité d’un programme de dons de plasma destiné au fractionnement, pour les hommes ayant des relations sexuelles avec d’autres hommes de la communauté gaie montréalaise Principal Investigator: OTIS, Joanne

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: GERMAIN, Marc, GODIN, Gaston, PRONOVOST, Frédérick, MONTEITH, Kenneth, MYHAL, Geneviève, GIRARD, Gabriel, MORIN, Michel
MSM Research Grant Program $229,507.00
Assessing alternative Canadian Blood Services blood donor deferral screening policies for men who have sex with men Principal Investigator: BRENNAN, David

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: ADAM, Barry, HART, Trevor, LACHOWSKY, Nathan, GRACE, Daniel
MSM Research Grant Program $60,000.00
Development of internet modules for serology curriculum delivery Principal Investigator: YAN, Matthew

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: PENDERGRAST, Jacob, TAIT, Gordon
BloodTechNet Award Program $35,500.00
Synthesis of carbohydrate derivatives for the improvement of red blood cell storage Principal Investigator: BEN, Robert

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: MEYER, Julia
Graduate Fellowship Program $79,500.00
Investigating the mechanism of anti-CD44 antibody amelioration of IVIg-treatable disease Principal Investigator: LAZARUS, Alan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: NORRIS, Peter
Graduate Fellowship Program $112,333.33
Monoclonal antibodies with anti-D like activity in amelioration of murine ITP Principal Investigator: LAZARUS, Alan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: KHAN, Ramsha
Graduate Fellowship Program $56,166.67
Of skin, sperm, and blood: A comparative analysis of exemptions in Canadian human tissue legislation Principal Investigator: CATTAPAN, Alana

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: VON TIGERSTROM, Barbara, NELSON, Eric, DAWSON, Rosanne
James Kreppner Award Program $43,275.00
Optimization of monoclonal anti-erythrocyte antibodies for improved immunoprophylaxis in a murine model Principal Investigator: LAZARUS, Alan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: NI, Heyu
Intramural Research Grant Program $400,000.00
A Framework for Accelerated Synthesis of Trial Evidence – FAST Evidence - to assess efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells and convalescent plasma for COVID-19 Principal Investigator: ALLAN, David

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: TINMOUTH, Alan, FERGUSSON, Dean, LALU, Manoj
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $25,000.00
Informing the distribution of COVID-19 convalescent plasma through implementation of CONCOR-1 in British Columbia Principal Investigator: SHIH, Andrew

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: VASARHELYI, Krisztina, MANUSHA, Stephania Anna, STEINER, Ted, MCMASTER, Robert, DALY, Patricia, LI, Na, DOWN, Douglas, HEDDLE, Nancy, PETRASZKO, Tanya, LIOW, Eric, PAVLOVICH, Sasha, RUTHERFORD, Alexander
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $30,000.00
Influence of eryptosis and storage on transfused red cell recovery in sepsis Principal Investigator: SHEFFIELD, William

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: BRANCH, Donald, LIAW, Patricia, HEDDLE, Nancy, QADRI, Syed
Intramural Research Grant Program $283,569.00
Investigating a new class of small molecule ice recrystallization inhibitors for red blood cell cryopreservation Principal Investigator: BEN, Robert

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: AMPAW, Anna
Graduate Fellowship Program $112,333.33
Blood utilization epidemiological profile to evaluate appropriate use (BLUE) Principal Investigator: ZELLER, Michelle

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: ARNOLD, Donald, WEBERT, Kathryn, HEDDLE, Nancy, NING, Shuoyan, BARTY, Rebecca
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $29,964.00
Management of iron deficiency anemia in the pediatric emergency department: Pilot study of red blood cell transfusion versus IV iron therapy Principal Investigator: LIEBMAN, Mira

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: PAMBRUN, Chantale, JAIN, Rini, SIMPSON, Ewurabena, HAMID, Jemila
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $29,831.00
Rapid verification variant D phenotype by genotyping in a regional laboratory Principal Investigator: BERARDI, Philip

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: FUNG KEE FUNG, Karen, GIULIVI, Antonio, NEURATH, Doris, CLARKE, Gwen
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $30,000.00
Optimizing rejuvenation to improve the product quality of pathogen-inactivation and γ-irradiated red cell concentrates Principal Investigator: SHEFFIELD, William

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: QADRI, Syed, SCHUBERT, Peter, DEVINE, Dana
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $30,000.00
Monovalent Fc receptor blockade using novel fusion proteins: The road towards an IVIg replacement Principal Investigator: LAZARUS, Alan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: SHEFFIELD, William, BRANCH, Donald
Intramural Research Grant Program $400,000.00
Canadian cord blood banking: Legal and policy responses Principal Investigator: CAULFIELD, Timothy

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: MURDOCH, Blake, MARCON, Alessandro
James Kreppner Award Program $50,000.00
Donor characteristics and the quality of red cell concentrates Principal Investigator: ACKER, Jason

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: MYKHAILOVA, Olga
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program $165,000.00
Virtual transfusions competency assessment Principal Investigator: VAN VLIET, Paula

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: DEYDEY, Kim, WESOLOWSKI, Mike
BloodTechNet Award Program $32,795.00
Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: novel mechanisms and therapeutic approaches Principal Investigator: NI, Heyu

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee:
Canadian Blood Services-CIHR Partnership Operating Grant Program $471,393.00
Canadians’ attitudes and opinions regarding cardiac donation after cardiocirculatory death: A mixed-methods study Principal Investigator: BALL, Ian

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: WEISS, Matt, D'ARAGON, Fred, PARSONS LEIGH, Jenna, HONARMAND, Kimia, BASMAJI, John, SIBBALD, Robert
Kenneth J. Fyke Award Program $95,929.00
Novel mechanisms of platelet aggregation: Roles of non-classical beta-3 integrin ligands and fibronectin in thrombosis and hemostasis Principal Investigator: NI, Heyu

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee:
Canadian Blood Services-CIHR Partnership Operating Grant Program $398,871.00
Expanding treatment options for inflammatory bowel disease: A novel mechanism of antibody-based immunotherapy Principal Investigator: SLY, Laura

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: HORWITZ, Marc, BRESSLER, Brian, RASSEKH, Rod, TURVEY, Stuart
Canadian Blood Services-CIHR Partnership Operating Grant Program $408,540.60
Novel cell-surface engineering methods to increase immune-tolerance of allogenic cell transplantation Principal Investigator: KIZHAKKEDATHU, Jayachandran

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: MOON, Haisle
Graduate Fellowship Program $90,333.33
Elianna Saidenberg Transfusion Medicine Trainee Principal Investigator: SHIH, Andrew

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: TAPLEY, Laura
Elianna Saidenberg Transfusion Medicine Traineeship Award $105,000.00
The mechanism of action of monoclonal antibody blends in the potential replacement of anti-D in HDFN Principal Investigator: LAZARUS, Alan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: CRUZ-LEAL, Yoelys
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program $165,000.00
Blood product demand forecast modeling using clinical predictors Principal Investigator: DOWN, Douglas

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: BLAKE, John , TRIFUNOV, Rick, COURTNEY, Thomas, HEDDLE, Nancy, CHIANG, Fei, LI, Na
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $30,000.00
Evaluation and improvement of cold stored platelets Principal Investigator: DEVINE, Dana

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: ZHAO, Hanqi (Wayne)
Graduate Fellowship Program $112,333.33
Identification of mechanisms leading to antibody independent RBC hemolysis Principal Investigator: BRANCH, Donald

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: FRIAS BOLIGAN, Kayluz
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program $150,000.00
TAD-POL (Transfusion-Associated-Dyspnea: Prospective observation and laboratory assessment) Principal Investigator: CSERTI-GAZDEWICH, Christine

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: BRANCH, Donald, LAZARUS, Alan, CALLUM, Jeannie, LIN, Yulia, PENDERGRAST, Jacob, LIEBERMAN, Lani, SHEHATA, Nadine, PAVENSKI, Katerina, SKEATE, Robert
Intramural Research Grant Program $278,027.45
Development of a small molecule cocktail for the expansion of cord blood stem cells Principal Investigator: PINEAULT, Nicolas

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: BLAKE, John, AUDET, Julie
Intramural Research Grant Program $237,600.00
Evaluating the role of donor characteristics and blood component manufacturing on the quality of red cell concentrates Principal Investigator: ACKER, Jason

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: BRANCH, Donald, CLARKE, Gwen, NAHIRNIAK, Susan
Intramural Research Grant Program $398,382.84
Are cervical cancer brachytherapy outcomes associated with pre-brachytherapy hemoglobin values and transfusion practice? An observational study comparing two academic centres. Principal Investigator: SOLH, Ziad

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: LAZO-LANGER, Alejandro, D'SOUZA, David, CALLUM, Jeannie, LEUNG, Eric, CHIN-YEE, Ian
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $27,669.50
Elianna Saidenberg Transfusion Medicine Trainee Principal Investigator: LAU, Wendy

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: TORDON, Bryan
Elianna Saidenberg Transfusion Medicine Traineeship Award $210,000.00
Reducing IVIG usage by developing novel prophylaxis therapies against FNAIT Principal Investigator: NI, Heyu

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: PASMAN, Yfke
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program $165,000.00
A study to understand C1 esterase inhibitor distribution and patterns of use in Canada Principal Investigator: ARNOLD, Donald

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: HEDDLE, Nancy, KEITH, Paul, WASERMAN, SUSAN, WEBERT, Kathryn, NING, Shuoyan, SHIH, Andrew, MORRISON, Doug, YAN, Matthew
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $29,858.62
Assessing unintentional creation of bias against MSM as a function of exposure to blood donor screening questionnaire and assessing sexual behaviour risk factors of those successfully passing blood donor screening Principal Investigator: FISHER, William

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee:
MSM Research Grant Program $56,000.00
New platform for targeted gene editing of hematopoietic stem cells for cellular
therapy
Principal Investigator: PINEAULT, Nicolas

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: MAGANTI, Harinad
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program $120,000.00
Measurement of heavy metals in donor blood in Canada Principal Investigator: DEVINE, Dana

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: SERRANO, Katherine, LEVIN, Elena, MURPHY, Michael, BARAKAUSKAS, Vilte, HADJESFAMDOARI, Narges, ARRIETA, Angele, RICHARDSON-SANCHEZ, Tomas
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $29,971.00
Understanding general population impact and opportunities from changes to blood donation deferral screening and criteria for men who have sex with men Principal Investigator: LACHOWSKY, Nathan

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: BRENNAN, David, CARD, Kiffer, DRYDEN, OmiSoore, GASPAR, Mark, GILBERT, Mark, GRACE, Daniel, KNIGHT, Rodney, LEBOUCHÉ, Bertrand, MORGAN, Jeffrey, SALWAY, Travis
MSM Research Grant Program $310,000.00
Demonstration of genetic blood group transition in patients undergoing ABO-mismatched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by peripheral blood quantitative polymerase chain reaction targeting the ABO locus Principal Investigator: SHIH, Andrew

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: LAZO-LANGER, Alejandro, D'SOUZA, David, CALLUM, Jeannie, LEUNG, Eric, CHIN-YEE, Ian
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $15,990.00
Blood and stem cell donation for men who have sex with men in Canada: A toolkit for healthcare professionals Principal Investigator: FINGRUT, Warren

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: GOLDMAN, Mindy, SHIH, Andrew, ELMOAZZEN, Heidi, ALLAN, David, PETRASZKO, Tanya, YAN, Matthew, COUPAL, Dylan, SEGALL, Romy, CHOWDHURY, Fuad, CAI, Helen, KUMAR, Shamini Vijaya, TRAADE, Daniel, ROSENFELD, Aaron, KAVEH, Farrokhi
BloodTechNet Award Program $20,000.00
McMaster Centre for Transfusion Research Principal Investigator: ARNOLD, Donald

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee:
Transfusion Medicine Research Program Support Award $1,303,333.50
An interactive virtual tour of blood product manufacturing at Canadian Blood Services Principal Investigator: BODNAR, Melanie

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: CHARGÉ, Sophie, YAN, Mathew, ABE, Tricia, TORDON, Bryan, CLARKE, Gwen
BloodTechNet Award Program $20,000.00
A machine learning based framework to analyze blood product transactional data for reducing discards Principal Investigator: CHENG, Calvino

Co-Investigator(s) / Trainee: ABIDI, Syed Sibte Raza, BLAKE, John, LIWSKI, Robert, QUINN, Jason, ABUSHAREKH, Ashraf, ABIDI, Samina, XIANG, Richard
Blood Efficiency Accelerator Program $29,950.00