Research. Education. Discovery.

Welcome to 2020! Take a look back with us by checking out the five most visited R.E.D. blog posts in 2019.

When doctors select compatible red blood cell units for transfusion into a patient, they don’t consider the sex of the patient and whether the donor is the same (sex-matched) or opposite sex (sex-mismatched). But a study led by Dr. Michelle Zeller, Canadian Blood Services medical officer and assistant professor in the department of medicine at McMaster University, suggests that the role of donor sex in red blood cell compatibility may be worth a closer look.

On Nov. 13, 2019, the Centre for Blood Research hosted the 13th annual Earl W. Davie Symposium in Vancouver, BC. This symposium brings together world-class researchers, eager trainees, and a giant in the world of blood coagulation – Dr. Earl W. Davie himself.

When a patient has unexpected red blood cell antibodies (non-ABO) in their blood, selecting compatible red blood cell donor units for transfusion is critical. New serological best practices for health-care providers, available on Canadian Blood Service’s professional education website, help ensure patients receive red blood cell units that are the best match for them.

The Canadian Blood Services Centre for Innovation has been doing research to develop a “new” product for transfusion that some might find surprising: whole blood! Yes, the fluid that is originally drawn from a donor. To learn why, we need to delve into the history of blood transfusion and innovation over the past century.

The Centre for Innovation supports research, innovation and education in key areas in blood, plasma, stem cells, and organs and tissues. This support is in part through the many competitive funding programs centre administers. These are open to Canadian researchers interested in pursuing projects focused on Canadian Blood Services priorities. Read on to learn about the recent recipients of funding through our Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and our Blood Efficiency Accelerator Award Program.