Canadian Blood Services is looking forward to connecting with members of the transfusion community at CSTM 2024, happening this May in Saskatoon! In this second post in a series of blogs counting down to CSTM 2024, Dr. Jennie Haw shares her insights in lead-up to the event.

Canadian Blood Services is looking forward to connecting with members of the transfusion community at CSTM 2024, happening this May in Saskatoon! In lead-up to the event, a series of blogs will preview some of the contributions of our research and education network to CSTM 2024.

In this blog, Dr. Brodie Nolan describes how Canadian Blood Services’ Blood Efficiency Accelerator Award Program (BEAP) is supporting the development of national best practices and a new registry for lifesaving transfusions that occur outside of hospitals.

The Specialization in Transfusion Science (STS) program is a new training program in development at the University of Alberta. Once launched, it will be the only program in Canada where medical laboratory technologists can develop advanced competencies in transfusion and earn credentials.

Recipients of the Canadian Blood Services Lifetime Achievement Awards are individuals whose landmark contributions are recognized as both extraordinary and world class in the field of transfusion and transplantation medicine, stem cell or cord blood research in Canada and/or abroad.

A study led by Canadian Blood Services researchers has provided new insights into the complex mechanisms behind the immune responses involved in conditions such as hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn by identifying the role of trogocytosis in antibody-mediated immune suppression (AMIS).

or this blog, we invited Heather Sampson, the Chair of Canadian Blood Services’ Research Ethics Board, to reflect on her experience with research ethics and what she looks forward to in this role.

Taking a look back at a few of your favourite articles of 2023 from the Research, Education, and Discovery Blog.

Every year Canadian Blood Services publishes a report highlighting its achievements in research and development. The Innovation & Portfolio Management Annual Impact Report, 2022 – 2023, is now available on blood.ca.

Canadian Blood Services, in collaboration with the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) collaborative, conducted a study to understand plateletpheresis-associated lymphopenia, a rare condition associated with platelet donation. The study found that implementing a procedure called plasma rinseback significantly mitigated the development of lymphopenia in frequent, long-term platelet donors. Canadian Blood Services routinely uses plasma rinseback, ensuring the well-being of generous platelet donors and reducing the occurrence of lymphopenia.