News

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of blood cancers and recognise the millions of people affected worldwide each year. This month, we acknowledge the patients who contribute to research, as well as the researchers, clinicians and collaborators working together to improve outcomes and quality of life for people living with blood cancer. Together, we’re turning research into better care.

We're proud to have more than 14 staff presenting and showcasing their research at the upcoming Blood 2026 Conference in Auckland. Across four days, our team will be contributing 22 posters, 5 oral presentations, 3 breakfast meetings and a dedicated exhibition booth. We’re looking forward to sharing our latest research, connecting with colleagues and collaborators, and showcasing the breadth of work being undertaken across the Transfusion Research Unit.

We are delighted to announce the first participant recruitment in Canada on the RATIONAL Platform Trial this month, marking the official commencement of the Canadian arm of the trial. With Australia already open and actively recruiting, the initiation of recruitment in Canada represents an important milestone in expanding the trial internationally. RATIONAL-PT aims to generate real-world evidence on immunoglobulin (Ig) versus antibiotic use in patients with blood cancers and hypogammaglobulinemia, with a focus on infection prevention and informing evidence-based clinical practice. Congratulations to our Canadian colleagues and collaborators on this achievement, and thank you to everyone contributing to bringing this international initiative to life.

On 15 September, World Lymphoma Awareness Day recognises the ongoing collaborative efforts to improve outcomes for people living with lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Our work in leading the Lymphoma and Related Diseases Registry (LaRDR) and the Global Lymphoma Registry Alliance (LyRA) highlights how we generate real-world research insights that inform patient care in lymphoma and CLL. Together with Lymphoma Coalition, LyRA's founding sponsor, we embed patient voice in advancing lymphoma research.

The Asia-Pacific Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (APAC MRDR) Study team invites you to the annual APAC MRDR Open Meeting on Thursday 10 September 2026. For more information, contact apacmrdr@monash.edu. Register here for this free event.

Congratulations to Dr Allison Mo and the PLATYPUS study team on securing over $400K in funding from the National Blood Authority for the 'Optimising platelet transfusions and medications to prevent bleeding in patients with bone marrow failure syndromes' (PLATYPUS) project. This important research will investigate how to better prevent bleeding in people with bone marrow failure syndromes, with the aim of improving patient care while optimising the use of platelet transfusions and medications.

We are pleased to announce that the Australasian Lymphoma Alliance (ALA), Lymphoma and Related Diseases Registry (LaRDR) and Lymphoma Australia (LA) are again hosting a hybrid Lymphoma Breakfast Meeting during the BLOOD Conference. The theme for the meeting is 'Working together to improve lymphoma patient outcomes'. We will present updates on the work of the ALA, LaRDR, and LA. Tuesday 20 October, Auckland (NZ) and online. Register now to secure your place for this free event.

The Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (MRDR) is pleased to host the Annual Breakfast Meeting during the Blood 2026 conference – 19 October, Auckland (NZ) and online. This hybrid event is a great opportunity to hear updates on the latest registry data and progress, current MRDR projects and to network with the myeloma community. Register now to secure your spot for this free event. All are welcome!

Clinical trials addressing critical bleeding in trauma draw from a small patient population. The Transfusion in Trauma meetings look toward a coordinated approach to optimise the number of practice-changing studies being undertaken in Australasia. This interactive forum on 14 October 2026 is open to all professionals actively involved in trauma care, trauma services, and clinical trials in transfusion, including specialties in prehospital and emergency care, surgery, anaesthesia, ICU, haematology, nursing, allied health and trial methodology. Register here.

We’re thrilled to announce the official launch of the BloodCare Centre of Research Excellence website. The newly established CRE is an NHMRC-funded program established in 2026, to coordinate Australian supportive care research focused on blood cancers. Visit the website to learn more about our team and projects.

The inaugural Blood Synergy and OPTIMAL CRE Joint Open Meeting, held on Monday 23 August, brought together more than 90 participants in person and 130 online. We thank all our speakers, hosts and participants for their valuable contributions, engagement and enthusiasm in making the meeting such a success.

Our team is pleased to welcome Tatiana Andonegui to TRU.

Our team are pleased to welcome Dr Bayley Matthews, Dr Marie Ishida and Dr Galina Polekhina to TRU.

The provisional program for the Blood Synergy and OPTIMAL Centre of Research Excellence is now available. Join the co-hosted hybrid Open Meeting on Monday 24 August. Everyone with an interest in blood transfusion and immunoglobulin use is invited to attend. The meeting showcases research that is addressing evidence gaps to reframe clinical practice. Registration is free, and now available here.

The OPTIMAL CRE is pleased to host a webinar exploring the current challenges and future directions in immunoglobulin use, bringing together perspectives on international policy, supply, and and emerging research into patient-centred care. Join us for a discussion on how these intersect to shape the future of immunoglobulin use. Registration is free, and now available here.

We have several potential PhD projects available for support through the NHMRC-funded Blood Synergy program. Candidates will contribute to a large multidisciplinary program of research which focuses on making better use of blood and improving outcomes for recipients of blood products in the following target areas: critical bleeding, critical illness, blood disease, or immunoglobulin use. More information.

Congratulations to Professor Erica Wood on receiving a 2026 ISBT Award. The ISBT Award is granted to individuals or organisations/teams who have contributed significantly to ISBT, and to the fields of transfusion medicine and science.

Congratulations to Professor Erica Wood, Dr Catriona Parker, Dr Allison Mo and Catherine Kimber from the Systematic Review Initiative (SRI), who hosted a workshop at International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) 2026 highlighting how systematic reviews can be conducted to strengthen the use of high-quality evidence in transfusion practice.

Neil Waters, TRU's Deputy Head (Operations), presented on the National Transfusion Dataset (NTD) at the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Congress in Kuala Lumpur. The NTD is developing the first integrated, vein-to-vein national dataset of blood use and clinical outcomes in Australia. We're thrilled to be sharing our expertise with our colleagues and professionals from around the world at ISBT. The aim is for the NTD to create new opportunities to inform national transfusion policy and practice, and improve blood utilisation, patient management and outcomes.

We are pleased to announce a new publication from the Blood Synergy team on the true cost of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. This study is a prospective time-driven activity-based costing study at a large Australian university reaching hospital. The findings will inform future transfusion-related resourcing and cost-effectiveness evaluations of treatments which aim to reduce RBC transfusion burden and improve quality of life in people with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Read the publication here.

This World Sickle Cell Day, the focus is on empowering young people living with sickle cell disease (SCD) to feel informed, confident, supported and heard. The theme – Young Voices Rising – recognises that young people are not simply recipients of care. They are active participants in their health, their communities and their futures. At the heart of this year’s campaign is a powerful message: Own Your Health Now. Live Well with Sickle Cell.

On World Blood Donor Day, we recognise blood donors everywhere and highlight the urgent and ongoing need for safe blood and blood products around the world. At the Transfusion Research Unit, we see first-hand how blood and blood products play a vital role in patient care. At the same time, our research helps improve safety, effectiveness and outcomes for those who rely on transfusions. We extend our sincere thanks to all blood donors for their contribution and commitment. Your generosity has a profound impact on patients, families and the community.

The Transfusion Research Unit proudly marked an exciting milestone – one year since recruitment commenced for the Role of Antibiotic Therapy or Immunoglobulin on iNfections in hAematoLogy (RATIONAL) Platform Trial. Over the past 12 months, RATIONAL-PT has brought together clinicians, researchers, and healthcare organisations across Australia, New Zealand, and Canada with a shared goal: generating high-quality evidence on infection prevention strategies for patients with blood cancers through an innovative platform trial design.

Congratulations to Dr Jasmine Singh who received the best poster prize for her poster “Differential effect of aspirin for cancer prevention and mortality with large CHIP” at the Cancer Prevention Research Conference in Atlanta, jointly convened by Cancer Research UK and the American Cancer Society.
Professor Zoe was invited to co-chair the conference session on clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) alongside leading researcher Prof Sidd Jaiswal. Pictured with the poster are Prof McQuilten, Dr Jasmine Singh, and collaborators attending the conference.

Our team are pleased to welcome Dr Claire Marceaux and Ms Jessie Lu-Lee to TRU. Claire and Jessie will be working together as Program Managers for the newly established BloodCare Centre of Research Excellence in supportive care for people with blood cancers.

The Blood Synergy and OPTIMAL Centre of Research Excellence are co-hosting the Open Meeting 2026 – a hybrid meeting held on August 24th. Everyone with an interest in blood transfusion and immunoglobulin use is invited to attend. The meeting showcases research that is addressing evidence gaps to reframe clinical practice. Registration is free, and now available here.

A warm welcome to Dr Marija Borosak who joins the TRU team this month. Dr Borosak will be working with the Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (NAIT) registry. She brings a wealth of experience in laboratory haematology and we are very pleased to welcome her to the team.

TRU is pleased to welcome Professor Chungho Kim. Professor Kim is visiting from Korea University, South Korea and is spending a year-long sabbatical with the team. During this time, he aims to facilitate collaborative research opportunities.

Congratulations to Dr Jasmine Singh for the recent publication in the Aging Cell scientific journal. This review article explores the relationship between clonal haematopoiesis, the presence of mutations of blood cells, and diseases of ageing. The full paper can be accessed here.

We are pleased to announce a new publication from the Blood Synergy project and research fellow, Dr Sara Carrillo de Albornoz. This study compared the full costs of intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy, highlighting the importance of considering total system costs when evaluating immunoglobulin delivery models. This paper was published in the Supportive Care in Cancer Journal and can be viewed here.

Follow our page to stay up to date with the latest research, publications, events and collaborations in transfusion medicine and blood research. We look forward to sharing the work of our team and connecting with the broader research and healthcare community.

Every year on 8 May, the global community comes together for International Thalassaemia Day: a global call to advance equitable access to timely and accurate diagnosis, quality treatment, and lifelong care. The Australian Haemoglobinopathy Registry is supporting this effort by documenting the picture of thalassaemia across Australia.

In honour of International Thalassaemia Day, the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) released a new episode on its Talking Transfusion podcast, exploring the latest research shaping transfusion care and stem cell transplantation for people living with thalassaemia. Hear from our team members, Helen Haysom and Claire Smales, who work on the Australian Haemoglobinopathy Registry. Talking Transfusion is curated by our research fellow, Dr Allison Mo.

The results from the Cryopreserved vs Liquid Platelets II (CLIP-II) trial have been published in the JAMA research journal. This trial was a collaborative effort between the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre (ANZIC-RC), Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, and the Transfusion Research Unit, and analysed the effectiveness and safety of cryopreserved platelets in an intensive care setting. The published results can be read here.

Congratulations to Dr Adam Irving who has been awarded a Cancer Research Fellowship from Cancer Council Victoria and the Victorian Department of Health. The fellowships support early-career and mid-career researchers who undertake high-quality cancer research. This fellowship will support Adam in establishing the EpiMAP Lymphoma project, creating a forecasting system to predict lymphoma trends and treatment outcomes across Australia.

TRU is pleased to welcome Ms Claire Smales to the team as part of the RMIT Pharmaceutical Sciences placement program. Claire will be completing her Honours qualification by undertaking a professional placement with TRU over the next 40 weeks. TRU has been taking part in this scheme since 2017, helping to prepare students for careers in research.

The Haemoglobinopathy Registry (HbR) was pleased to contribute both data and support to a formal submission to the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) to introduce sickle cell disease (SCD) screening to Australia’s newborn bloodspot screening program. This application was also supported by Australian Sickle Cell Advocacy Inc. MSAC announced the addition of SCD screening to the program in February and implementation will be rolled out first in Victoria, and then nationally.

We’ve recently welcomed Ms Sheila Azouji-Benjamin to our team as project manager with the National Transfusion Dataset. Sheila has a background in biomedical science and experience in multi-centre trials, real-world evidence studies, and the development of clinical research databases, including the delivery of a national UK sickle cell research database over the last five years.

Congratulations to Research Fellow Dr Sara Carrillo de Albornoz for the recent publication of a health economics paper in the Cancer Medicine scientific journal. Using a retrospective longitudinal study of linked hospital data, this paper discusses the costs associated with prevention and treatment of serious infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Read the full paper here.

Congratulations to the Lymphoma and Related Diseases Registry (LaRDR) for enrolling their 10,000th patient in January this year. Registry work requires great teamwork and the LaRDR thanks their sites, Principal Investigators, study coordinators and industry partners for this incredible milestone.