At the start of the pandemic, convalescent plasma was seen as potential therapy for treating COVID-19. But now, an international team led by Canadian scientists has published results from the largest clinical trial on convalescent plasma and COVID-19, showing it is not effective as a treatment against COVID-19.

Transfusions can be a life-saving treatment for people living with sickle cell disease but finding compatible blood can be a challenge because Black and racialized donors—the ones with the best potential to match most SCD patients— are underrepresented in the donor pool. Read about initiatives that can support this patient group by improving the red blood cell inventory.

Dr. Edward M. Conway’s 11-year tenure as director of the Centre for Blood Research was characterized by boundless energy and enthusiasm. A virtual symposium in April 2021 brought together researchers from Canada and the United States to pay tribute to Conway’s leadership and his contributions to blood research.

For the second year, the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) offered their annual congress online. In June 2021, the virtual “ISBT In Focus” explored the latest in transfusion medicine and science, immunohematology and cellular therapies. In today’s blog, two Canadian Blood Services’ delegates describe their experiences at the congress.

Postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Basit Yousuf, describes his experience attending and presenting at the 10th annual Norman Bethune Symposium.

Dr. Catherine Jenkins, scientist and LGBTQ+ advocate, is part of our effort to evolve donor screening questions.

The AABB Annual Meeting is considered a must-attend event for those wishing to learn about cutting edge research and technology advances in blood banking and transfusion medicine and science. Two Centre for Blood Research trainees describe their experiences at AABB 2020 – an international, high profile conference attended from the comfort of their own homes due to COVID-19 restrictions.

An article recently published on the Canadian Blood Services’ professional education website looks back on the impact of the pandemic on blood donation in Canada.

Through the Centre for Innovation’s competitive funding programs, Canadian Blood Services conducts and supports researchers and research projects in key areas. Recipients for one of our most dynamic programs, the BloodTechNet Award, were recently announced, and several other funding opportunities are now open for applications.

As this Centre for Blood Research profile highlights, the Centre for Innovation’s Dr. Peter Schubert keeps busy with his various roles at Canadian Blood Services and the University of British Columbia Centre for Blood Research. Read on to learn about his background, his research inspirations and his advice for young scientists.