Red cell reference

Who are we?

Lifeblood's Red Cell Reference Service provides an internationally recognised scientific and diagnostic service to support transfusion practice and clinical need.

Our primary role is to support the clinical management and transfusion of patients and delivery of specialised blood components through:

  • excellent customer service 
  • specialised red cell serology and molecular genotyping services 
  • supporting the maintenance of a phenotyped inventory and rare donor panel, including an inventory of rare frozen red cells 
  • supporting education and exchange of resources nationally and internationally 
  • providing expert scientific and clinical advice
  • international collaboration to resolve complex cases, and
  • maintaining the Antibody Register.

To find out more, please see the National Red Cell Reference Service Strategy 2019-2023 

Note: Our testing services are not available to the general public, patients should discuss their situation and the need for testing with their health care practitioner.

How do we do this?

Antibody investigations

We’re able to resolve complex antibody investigations and anomalous blood groups because we can assess rare anti-sera and phenotyped red cells.

Antibody investigation services offered include:

  • atypical antibody identification
  • resolution of complex mixtures of atypical antibodies
  • resolving crossmatching difficulties, including investigation of anomalous reactions due to monoclonal antibody therapy
  • serological investigation of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, including allo- and auto-absorption studies to detect underlying alloantibodies
  • investigation of red cell induced transfusion reactions, and
  • investigation of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN).
Blood grouping anomalies, phenotyping and genotyping

We’re able to resolve blood groups anomalies including the classification in the weak and partial RhD status, and phenotyping or genotyping for most blood groups antigens. We may use serological and molecular techniques including single nucleotide polymorphisms and next generation sequencing for blood group determination.

We use non-invasive prenatal analysis (NIPA) for blood group genotyping to determine fetal blood groups in certain high-risk pregnancies to guide clinical management.

Locations

Red Cell Reference Service has laboratories in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA with an on-call service for life-threatening situations where identification of atypical antibodies or blood group resolution is required to provide appropriate blood for transfusion.

For access to the on-call Red Cell Reference Service, please call the Customer Service Delivery team in your State.

NSW / ACT / NT

Laboratory hours

8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday (Public holidays excluded) 

 

Enquiries

Phone: 02 9234 2189 

Fax: 02 9234 2193 

Email: RedCellReferenceEnquiriesNSW@redcrossblood.org.au 

Manager: Karyn Campbell 

 

Address 

Red Cell Reference Laboratory 

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood 

Dock A Blood In 

17 O'Riordan Street 

Alexandria NSW 2015 

VIC / SA

Laboratory hours 

8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday (Public holidays excluded) 

 

Enquiries 

Phone: 03 9694 0282 

Fax: 03 9694 0331 

Email: RedCellReferenceEnquiriesVIC@redcrossblood.org.au 

Manager: Ina Messig 

 

Address 

Red Cell Reference Laboratory 

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood 

100 - 154 Batman Street 

West Melbourne VIC 3003 

WA

Laboratory hours 

8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday (Public holidays excluded) 

 

Enquiries 

Phone: 08 9421 2864 

Fax: 08 9421 2375 

Email: RedCellReferenceEnquiriesWA@redcrossblood.org.au 

Manager: Tanya Cawthorne

 

Address 

Red Cell Reference Laboratory 

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood 

290 Wellington Street WA 6000 

QLD

Laboratory hours 

8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday (Public holidays excluded) 

 

Enquiries 

Phone: 07 3838 9493 

Fax: 07 3838 9410 

Email: RedCellRefLab@redcrossblood.org.au 

Manager: Yew Wah Liew 

 

Address 

Red Cell Reference Laboratory 

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood 

44 Musk Avenue (deliveries via Blamey Street) 

Kelvin Grove Brisbane QLD 4053 

(PO Box 41 Everton Park QLD 4053) 

National Red Cell Reference Manager

Enquiries 

Tanya Powley 

Phone: 07 3838 9351 

Fax: 07 3838 9427 

Email: TPowley@redcrossblood.org.au 

 

Address 

National Red Cell Reference Manager 

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood 

44 Musk Avenue (deliveries via Blamey Street) 

Kelvin Grove Brisbane QLD 4053 

(PO Box 41 Everton Park QLD 4053) 

 

Red Cell Reference Laboratory Request Form

Red Cell Reference Laboratory Request Form

Form
Discrepancy Notification

Discrepancy Notification

Form
Genotyping Information Sheet

Genotyping Information Sheet

Information Sheet
Anti-c Quantitation Testing Information Sheet

Anti-c Quantitation Testing Information Sheet

Information Sheet
Allogeneic Adsorption Testing Information Sheet

Allogeneic Adsorption Testing Information Sheet

Information Sheet
Antibody Investigation Testing Information Sheet

Antibody Investigation Testing Information Sheet

Information Sheet
Anti-D Quantitation Testing Information Sheet

Anti-D Quantitation Testing Information Sheet

Information Sheet
ABO Investigations Testing Information Sheet

ABO Investigations Testing Information Sheet

Information Sheet
Weak or Partial RhD Testing Information Sheet

Weak or Partial RhD Testing Information Sheet

Form
Molecular Genotyping Frequently Asked Questions

Molecular Genotyping Frequently Asked Questions

Information Sheet
Secure send information pack

Secure send information pack

Information Sheet
NIPA for Clinically Significant Fetal Blood Group Antigens thumbnail

NIPA for Clinically Significant Fetal Blood Group Antigens - Information Sheet September 2023

Information Sheet