Veterans Affairs Canada – Development of new approaches to improve the supply of universal “O-type” red blood cells.
Well-being, Health and Biomedical Discovery
Deadlines
Academic Unit: inquire with unit
Memorial Deadline: Wednesday 10th, April 2024
External Deadline: Monday 15th, April 2024
Description
Blood transfusions are used as a life-saving intervention in military and civilian health care systems. On the battlefield deaths are classified as non-survivable or survivable, with hemorrhage being the leading, preventable, cause of death in the latter category. The ability to resuscitate a traumatic hemorrhagic soldier as fast as possible is crucial for survivability. Blood transfusion is vital to this resuscitation.
A critical requirement in any blood transfusion is to match the blood types of the donor and recipient to avoid fatal ABO incompatibilities. While A and B blood can only be donated to people of the same type, O type blood can be given to anyone without significant concerns of hemolytic reactions. This results in high demands on O type blood, often resulting in short supply. Ways of improving the supply of O type blood are urgently needed to address this problem.
Research objectives
This opportunity is aimed at improving supply of “universal” O type red blood cells for use in transfusion, especially in cases where the blood type of the recipient cannot be identified rapidly. The intent is to provide a method in which A or B type blood can be converted to O type blood. Any methodology developed for this purpose should be usable on the battlefield in “far forward” austere situations where advanced medical technologies or laboratory procedures may not be present.
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