This post was written with contributions from Dr. Miguel Neves, a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Heyu Ni’s Centre for Innovation lab at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “Transfusion For All Ages,” the 2017 Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (CSTM) annual meeting organized in partnership between CSTM, Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec, was recently held in Ottawa. We’ve gathered a few highlights from this annual gathering that brought together hundreds of transfusion medicine professionals. Check out the CSTM 2017 Photo Gallery. An inspiring keynote lecture by Juno award-winning

Last week, the 2017 Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine Conference “Transfusion for All Ages” rolled into Ottawa. Each year, the CSTM presents this event in partnership with Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec.

The 6th Annual Norman Bethune Symposium Through our Centre for Innovation, Canadian Blood Services provides funding for knowledge sharing and education events. One great example is the 6th Annual Norman Bethune Symposium that took place on April 6, 2017, at the University of British Columbia Centre for Blood Research. Dr. Norman Bethune (1890-1939) was a Canadian physician who in the 1930s spearheaded the implementation of the first practical mobile blood collection and distribution system and promoted universal access to health care. This symposium, held in his honour, is an informative and

Canadian Blood Services' Graduate Fellowship Program provides support for young investigators who want to initiate or continue training in the field of transfusion science. Graduate students undertaking full-time research training at a Canadian academic institution are invited to apply. The fellowship has a value of $25,000 per annum with an additional travel allowance of $1,000 per year of support. Students may be supported for a maximum of four years, with a requirement for successful renewal halfway through the fellowship. This post has been developed with support from Eve Rickert and Jetta

“When individuals have iron deficiency (or iron deficiency anemia), they may experience decreased exercise tolerance, increased shortness of breath with activity,” explains Dr. Pambrun, “possibly can also have a decrease in concentration or changes in mood.”

As a member of the Alliance of Blood Operators, Canadian Blood Services is fortunate to engage with dedicated and forward-facing colleagues from around the world. This spotlight interview was published in our internal newsletter and we have graciously been given permission to repost on this blog.

When a significant change to donor eligibility occurs, like the recent eligibility changes related to hemoglobin levels and iron health, we need to understand in advance the impact it could have on blood collections. Our in-house engineer, John Blake, did some nifty number crunching and estimated that the change would mean about 35,000 fewer donations collected in a year — hence the push for new donors to step forward to help fill the gap.

Through this program, partner organizations provide fellowship opportunities for PhD graduates – learning opportunities that can accelerate their professional growth and advance career readiness. Canadian Blood Services is pleased to participate in this program.

Platelets are essential for the formation of blood clots to stop bleeding. However, if platelets are activated when they’re not supposed to be, a clot can form within a blood vessel, blocking blood flow. These clots can cause medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes, which are major causes of illness and death worldwide. Current therapies to treat and prevent blood clot formation are associated with potentially dangerous bleeding side effects. Researchers at Canadian Blood Services are working on developing new drugs that don’t have these side effects but still provide effective

Dr. Hume, a professor at the University of Montreal and former executive medical director for Canadian Blood Services, works six months every year as a pediatric hematologist at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda.