Red blood cell transfusions are a crucial and often life-saving treatment for patients living with anemia, sickle cell disease and other conditions. This post describes recent research from the Centre for Blood Research exploring a novel way to assess the quality of stored red blood cells.

Each year, the Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (CSTM), in partnership with Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec, hosts an exciting conference for professionals in the transfusion medicine. We asked research trainees and transfusion medicine fellows to reflect on their experience attending the CSTM 2022 conference, held May 26–29 in Toronto.

Canadian Blood Services’ Clinical Guide to Transfusion co-editor Dr. Gwen Clarke is stepping back from her role after 20 years with the publication. Since 2002, Clarke has helped shape the Guide into one of the most visited resources on our professional education website.

The Canadian Blood Services Research Ethics Board evaluates research applications and acts as a resource to support Canadian Blood Services in maintaining ethical integrity in its research activities. The REB is currently seeking a new Volunteer Ethics Member to contribute to this multidisciplinary board.

Canadian Blood Services chief scientist, Dr. Dana Devine, attended her first meeting with the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative in 2002. This September, she’ll commence a four-year term as President of the international research organization.

Nicolas Pereyra, a graduate student at the Centre for Blood Research, placed third in the University of British Columbia’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Read on the learn about the research he presented and his perspectives on the value of good science communication.

Canadian Blood Services, in partnership with the Centre for Blood Research, just launched our first ever Research 180 Video Competition for trainees. Read on to learn more!

Recent research investigating the impact that different infusion pump types have on red blood cell quality can help inform the use of these pumps for red blood cell transfusions and create a framework for their evaluation. A new Canadian Blood Services Research Unit summarizes this work undertaken by Canadian Blood Services researchers.

Dr. Niamh Caffrey, an epidemiologist in Innovation and Portfolio Management’s donation policy and studies group, shares her experience attending this year’s Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (CSTM) annual meeting.

Two chapters in Canadian Blood Services’ Clinical Guide to Transfusion were recently updated to provide health-care providers with the latest guidance on treating patients with hemostatic disorders and hereditary angioedema. Both chapter updates, available on Canadian Blood Services’ professional education website, were completed by a team of experts led by Dr. Man-Chiu Poon, emeritus professor of medicine, pediatrics and oncology at the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine.