How does ABDS link to other projects at Lifeblood?
Learn more about the different projects your completed survey responses and blood samples will be used for.
Dr Alexis Perros is a research fellow, and she's using genomic techniques and samples from the ABDS biobank to help answer questions about blood group systems and iron storage. In her spare time, you can find her chasing after her toddler, baking and spending time with family.
Read more about Alexis here
Can you tell us about your study?
We're using advanced genetic testing and associated ferritin testing (that’s a blood protein that contains iron) to figure out which donors might be at risk of iron deficiency after donating. We've finished initial testing and are now expanding our research by testing more donor samples from the Australian Blood Donor Study. Our strategy is suitable for wider donor screening to determine genetic variants potentially involved in donor iron recovery.
What do you hope you will find?
Our study could help us personalize how often donors can safely give blood and improve donor health management.
Can you explain genomics?
Genomics is the study of genetic material such as DNA, which basically are the instructions needed to create the human body. Units of DNA, called genes, are responsible for many pathways and processes in the body. By determining the exact order of the DNA bases in genes of interest (also known as sequencing), we can investigate genes and their variations. These changes may play a role in biological process like iron storage capacity, and blood group systems.
What part of this study are you most excited about?
The opportunity to improve the experience of our donors! Particularly by keeping them informed of their ability to recover their iron stores.
What is your favourite part of doing research at Lifeblood?
My research at Lifeblood contributes to not only donors, but also to the wider transfusion community. Knowing that our research can make a real difference inspires and focuses our research projects.
Recent publications from the study
, , , , , , et al. Willingness of blood donors in Australia to provide additional data and blood sample for health research. Transfusion. 2021; 61: 2855–2861. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.16629
Carley Gemelli
Research Program Co-ordinator
Carley coordinates program management for R&D and works as a project manager across a number of projects. Her research focuses on improving the donors’ experience when their donation is postponed. She’s interested in using statistical techniques to analyse data and developing techniques to encourage donors to return.Carley has a research background in Medical Science and Epidemiology looking at infectious diseases and longitudinal health risks. She has a Masters in Applied Statistics and Clinical Epidemiology. She loves working in an applied setting and seeing research findings translated into practice.
Doctor Surendra Karki
Research Fellow
Surendra is an experienced epidemiologist and health researcher. He collaborates with other teams both within and outside of Lifeblood to establish and run strategically valuable long-term donor health studies. As a part of Biostatistics and Epidemiology team at Lifeblood, he ensures high quality epidemiology and statistical methods are applied to get study results that guide decision making for donor health policies. He is keen to collaborate with universities and students on blood donor health research, and train the next generation of epidemiologists and health data scientists.
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