Highlights of BLOOD-ISBT Regional Congress, Perth (26-29 October 2025)

Highlights of BLOOD-ISBT Regional Congress, Perth (26-29 October 2025) 

The BLOOD-ISBT 2025 Regional Congress in Perth saw the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) join with the three local Societies: Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ), Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT), and Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand (THANZ). This is the third time ISBT has come to Australia, with joint ISBT and International Society of Haematology (ISH) congresses held in Sydney in 1966 and 1986.  

The BLOOD local organising committee and the ISBT Scientific Secretary are to be congratulated on their expansive program, which featured speakers and topics encompassing the broad scope of haematology and transfusion, capped by an excellent social program. This was a truly international conference, with 49 international speakers representing the four societies, and around 2,000 delegates travelling from 50 countries.  

Lifeblood was well represented by speakers in the main program, as well as in the poster display, which both showcased the research and other work undertaken across the organisation. Current and former Lifeblood colleagues were also recipients of prestigious awards presented by the ANZSBT and ISBT. 

ANZSBT Ruth Sanger Award 

Associate Professor Rhonda Holdsworth received the ANZSBT Ruth Sanger Award, which is ANZSBT’s highest honour, and is given in recognition of a significant contribution to the field of transfusion medicine. The awardee also gives the Ruth Sanger Oration, always a major highlight of our annual BLOOD conferences. Rhonda’s oration, “Immunogenetics – expanding the horizon for transplantation and transfusion”, captured the changing landscape of tissue typing, HLA immunogenetics, and platelet and neutrophil immunology across a long and outstanding career. Until her retirement, Rhonda served as Director of the Lifeblood Transplantation and Immunogenetics Service (TIS) for 40 years. 

ISBT Award 

Dr Clive Seed received the ISBT Award, which is presented by the ISBT Executive Board in recognition of a significant contribution to ISBT and the fields of transfusion medicine and science. Although now retired after 33 years with Lifeblood, Clive was acknowledged for his internationally recognised work in improving risk modelling for transfusion-transmissible infections and evidence-based eligibility policies.  

ANZSBT James Isbister Award 

Dr Rena Hirani was the recipient of the inaugural ANZSBT ‘James Isbister Award’. Rena is a Senior Research Fellow at Lifeblood, and the award recognises her highly regarded studies of the ABO and Rh blood group distribution in Australian blood donors. 

This James Isbister Award, sponsored by the National Blood Authority (NBA), acknowledges the immense contribution made by Emeritus Professor James Isbister AM, across more than 40 years of clinical, research and teaching interests in haematology, transfusion and patient blood management. 

Scientist and transfusion practitioner education in the spotlight  

Oral presentations and posters [1] highlighting the exciting work being done by Lifeblood’s Clinical Education team (CET) in the areas of scientist and transfusion practitioner education were also incredibly well received, generating a lot of interest from local and international colleagues: 

Oral presentation 

Sarah Kowalski: Essential online learning to assist laboratory scientists to get bench-ready for transfusion  

Jo Greaves: Introduction of the Lifeblood Transfusion Practitioner certificate: bridging the education gap for Australian transfusion practitioners 

Posters 

Sarah Kowalski, Simon Benson, David Roxby, John Casey: Using online learning to demystify antibody investigations 

Jo-Anne Greaves, Trish Roberts, Anne Canty, Clare Hennessy: Charting the course – evolution of transfusion practitioner education in Australia 

Reference 

1. (2025), Abstract. Vox Sanguinis, 120: 5-182. https://doi.org/10.1111/vox.70106