Dr. Geraldine Walsh is a scientific writer with the Canadian Blood Services’ Centre for Innovation. A PhD scientist with a passion for communication, Geraldine supports Canadian Blood Services’ research and development scientists with writing, editing and preparing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Geraldine was captivated by the fascinating topic of blood during her graduate studies at The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (in Dublin, her hometown). During her PhD, she studied blood platelets, the little cell fragments that maintain the delicate balance between clotting and bleeding in our bodies. Today, her role as scientific writer allows her to combine a love of science with a love of writing and a real dedication to quality science communication.
Honouring Earl W. Davie (1927-2020)
Thursday, September 10, 2020
In 1964, a seminal paper described the “waterfall” sequence of coagulation, representing a huge leap in our understanding of how blood clots. One of its authors, Dr. Earl W. Davie, a giant of blood coagulation research, died in June 2020 at the age of 92. We reflect on his legacy.
Knowledge synthesis forum highlights dedication of research teams and stakeholders, commitment of Canadian blood operators
Friday, July 31, 2020
In 2017, Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec launched a research program dedicated to advancing donor eligibility criteria specific to men who have sex with men. In November 2019, the blood operators hosted a knowledge synthesis forum in Toronto to bring stakeholders together and see where this research stands. A report from this forum is now available on blood.ca.
COVID-19 resources for health-care professionals
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Did you know that there’s a wealth of information available on the Canadian Blood Services’ Professional Education website to help transfusion medicine health-care professionals as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic?
Tipping the balance: research finds new links between viral infections and coagulation
Thursday, June 04, 2020
Two recent studies from the laboratory of Canadian Blood Services senior scientist Dr. Ed Pryzdial shed light on how viruses interact with the blood coagulation system. These interactions may give viruses an advantage in their ability to infect, but they also provide new avenues to explore in the quest to find effective antivirals.
Canadian Blood Services scientist Alan Lazarus honoured by the Canadian transfusion community
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
The Ortho Award is presented each year at the Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine annual meeting to honour an individual member who has provided a major service or innovation in transfusion medicine. Congratulations to Canadian Blood Services scientist Dr. Alan Lazarus who is the 2020 recipient.
Funding awarded to research and education innovators
Thursday, April 02, 2020
Congratulations to the recipients of funding recently awarded through the Centre for Innovation’s BloodTechNet Award Program and Graduate Fellowship Program. This funding supports innovators in education and graduate students conducting research in the field of transfusion science.
Improving a quality test for cord blood samples
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Cord blood is a rich and important source of stem cells for transplantation. Recent research from Canadian Blood Services has shown how tests of thawed cord blood samples could be improved so that they produce results that better reflect the quality of the cord blood unit. Improving these tests could increase the number of cord blood units that can be released for transplantation.
Lay Science Writing Competition winner: A story worth telling
Thursday, February 20, 2020
The Centre for Innovation is delighted to announce the winner of the 2019-2020 Canadian Blood Services Lay Science Writing Competition. Read on to find out who won and when you can read their heartfelt winning entry.
Nominations now open for the 2020 Canadian Blood Services Lifetime Achievement Award
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Do you know of an individual whose contributions might be worthy of the Canadian Blood Services Lifetime Achievement Award? To receive this honour, a nominee’s landmark contributions must be 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. Nominations are open until May 19, 2020.
Earl W. Davie Symposium – 13 years of inspiration
Thursday, December 19, 2019
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.