Professor Robert Flower

An image of Professor Robert Flower

Prof Robert Flower

National Research Lead- Transfusion Safety
Product Safety 

Transfusion Safety Research Group Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology

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Robert’s research focuses broadly on transfusion safety, with teams using in vivo and in vitro models to investigate impacts of transfusion as well as application of genotyping to improve matching of blood for patients.

He has a strong commitment to education and teaches university undergraduate and medical advanced trainees. He’s supervised completion of more than 87 postgraduate students.

Robert has over 400 papers and published abstracts in transfusion, virology and molecular genetics in the scientific literature.

Awards
  • Ruth Sanger Award (2023) the premier award of the ANZSBT given in recognition of a significant contribution to the field of transfusion medicine.
  • Australia and New Zealand Society for Blood Transfusion Immulab Award (2021) best presentation demonstrating improved quality standards.
  • Peter Schiff Award from the Australia and New Zealand Society for Blood Transfusion (2019). A recognition of lifetime achievement in research and education in Blood Transfusion.
  • QUT Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence (2018) in recognition of sustained performance and outstanding achievement in community partnership.
Leadership
  • Foundation fellow of Royal College of Pathologists Faculty of Science
  • NATA assessor for Transfusion

Key publications

Genetic Characterization of Blood Group Antigens for Polynesian Heritage Norfolk Island Residents.
O’Brien S, Lea RA, Jadhao S, Lee S, Sukhadia S, Arunachalam V, Roulis E, Flower RL, Griffiths L, Nagaraj SH
2023
Genes
14, 1740. 
View publication
The genomic landscape of blood groups in Indigenous Australians in remote communities
Jadhao S, Hoy W, Lee S, Patel HR, McMorran BJ, Flower RL, Nagaraj SH
2022
Transfusion
62(5):1110-1120
View publication
Using Whole Genome Sequencing to Characterize Clinically Significant Blood Groups Among Healthy Older Australians
Jadhao S, Davison C, Roulis EV, Lee S, Lacaze P, Riaz M, McNeil JJ, Thomas DM, Pecheniuk NM, Hyland CA, Flower RL
2022
Blood Advances
6(15):4593-4604
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The distribution of MNS hybrid glycophorins with Mur antigen expression in Chinese donors including identification of a novel GYP.Bun allele
Wei L, Shan ZG, Flower RL, Wang Z, Wen JZ, Luo GP, Ji YL
2016
Vox Sang
111:308-314.
View publication
Sixty years of antibodies to MNS system hybrid glycophorins: what have we learned?
Heathcote DJ, Carroll TE, Flower RL
2011
Transfus Med Rev
25:111-124.
View publication

Prof Robert Flower articles

metal piping crossed over each other, blue sky is in the background
How mechanical engineers see red blood cells

During its 120-day lifetime, a red blood cell completes around 170,000 circuits of your body. That’s about 500 km.

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illustration of four people in white lab coats
Blood groups beyond A, B and O: what are they and do they matter?

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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