Lay Science Writing Competition launched Nov 2, 2021 Once again, Canadian Blood Services is delighted to partner with the Centre for Blood Research at the University of British Columbia to host this competition, which supports our trainee network to develop vital communication skills by challenging them to showcase their research using plain language. The theme for this year’s competition is “Science behind the scenes”. We encourage applicants to get creative in their interpretation of the theme but entries could include stories giving a behind-the-scenes look into working in a laboratory, or

Funding to drive innovation and education DYK, Canadian Blood Services has multiple competitive funding programs open to Canadian researchers, educators and trainees interested in pursuing projects focused on Canadian Blood Services priorities? Through these programs, Canadian Blood Services drives innovation in blood transfusion, cellular therapy, and transplantation, and builds capacity through training and education. The following competitions are currently welcoming applications or letters of intent by November 15, 2021: Canadian Blood Services Graduate Fellowship Program: Providing

This post was originally published on the CBR blog on September 2, 2021 as: “CBR-SBME Research Day 2021: A Spotlight on Summer Student Research”. It was written by Ardin Sacayanan, CBR-SBME summer student alum from the Laksman Lab, and David Chen, CBR-SBME summer student alum from the Kizhakkedathu Lab. Ever wondered how you can make artwork with biological reagents found in the lab? How about exploring the latest bleeding-edge research in science and medicine? If these topics interest you, then you won’t want to miss out on this event recap of CBR-SBME Research Day 2021! The Centre for Blood

The latest evidence on managing patients with massive hemorrhage, a major cause of potentially preventable deaths, is now available in a recently updated chapter of Canadian Blood Services’ Clinical Guide to Transfusion. According to Dr. Gwen Clarke, associate medical director of laboratory services at Canadian Blood Services and co-editor of the Guide, the chapter on massive hemorrhage and emergency transfusion is a valuable resource for staff in hospital emergency departments, operating rooms and obstetrical services as well as medical, surgical and laboratory trainees. The management of

A powerful collaboration between blood services, research institutions and industry leaders promises to bring blood transfusion therapy to new levels of precision and safety. The work is being conducted by a group called the Blood transfusion Genomics Consortium (BGC) that includes global leaders in genomics and hematology. Their ambitious two-year plan aims to establish international standards for a comprehensive and affordable DNA-based blood typing test—setting the stage for the first clinical application of this type of high-throughput technology in transfusion medicine. According to

Honouring Dr. Elianna Saidenberg’s legacy Since 1999, the Canadian Blood Services Transfusion Medicine Traineeship Award has been supporting physicians to enter the field of transfusion medicine. In 2020, the award was renamed the Elianna Saidenberg Transfusion Medicine Traineeship Award to honour Dr. Saidenberg’s contributions to Canada’s blood system. The renaming of this impactful training award to honour Dr. Saidenberg’s legacy is fitting tribute. A tireless advocate for patients, Dr. Saidenberg leaves behind a lasting legacy of compassionate care. As well as her numerous clinical

Canadian Blood Services recently published its annual Surveillance Report by the Epidemiology & Surveillance Department, a summary of monitoring efforts related to transmissible infection testing in donors, possible transfusion-transmitted infections in recipients, and new, emerging pathogens. Surveillance also includes monitoring of donor safety. Ongoing surveillance is a central part of ensuring the continued safety of the blood supply. New in the 2020 report is a section on COVID-19 and donor safety. Concerns about transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus at donation sites prompted a number of

Amie T. Kron is the clinical research coordinator in transfusion medicine at Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto and is a member of the University of Toronto QUEST program, a research collaborative supported by Canadian Blood Services. Dr. Jeannie Callum is a Transfusion Medicine Specialist and Hematologist at Kingston Health Sciences Center and Professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at Queen’s University. She also serves as the lead for the QUEST transfusion research program at the University of Toronto. When the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in

The importance of having a blood supply from ethnically diverse donors—one that can meet the needs of all patients—is brought sharply into focus for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Sickle cell disease is an inherited life-threatening condition that is more common in Black and other racialized people. People living with SCD need regular blood transfusions and, like all patients who need blood transfusions, the safest blood for them comes from donors whose blood type matches their own. But unlike other transfusion patients, patients with SCD are especially vulnerable to the risks of

This post was originally published on July 22, 2021, on the Centre for Blood Research blog. Dr. Ed Conway is a Canadian Blood Services’ adjunct scientist. Canadian Blood Services and the Centre for Innovation are proud to partner with the Centre for Blood Research to deliver training and education events. At the end of 2020, Dr. Ed Conway’s tenure as director of the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) concluded after 11 dedicated years. His directorship was characterized by boundless energy and enthusiasm, and under his leadership, the CBR has grown and flourished. To honour Dr. Conway and his