Strategic priority 2
The Trust will maximise the Research and Development ambitions of the Welsh Blood Service
5. Welsh Blood Service research
The achievements of Welsh Blood Service in the research ambitions in 2023-2024 have been reported in both the quarterly update and are WBS’s Research, Development, and Innovation Reports, which are available on the Welsh Blood Service’s website (www.welsh-blood.org.uk/research-development-and-innovation). We have reported in many topics and achievements, such as:
Breakthroughs in Kidney Transplant Treatments: Dr. Felicity May's pioneering research in histocompatibility and immunogenetics paved the way for advancements in kidney transplant treatments, marking significant progress in patient care.
Recognition at the Advancing Healthcare Awards Cymru: Chloe George's exemplary contributions earned her the prestigious Healthcare Scientist of the Year award, underscoring the dedication and innovation of healthcare professionals in Wales.
Collaboration with UK's Defence Services: Our Component Development & Research Laboratory collaborated with the Ministry of Defence to explore cutting-edge developments in blood components for military applications, showcasing our commitment to serving diverse sectors.
Impactful Funding from the European Blood Alliance: Securing funding from the European Blood Alliance enabled our Component Development & Research Laboratory to investigate innovative methods for manufacturing platelet concentrates, enhancing the quality and safety of blood products in collaboration with experts across Europe.
Advancements in Kidney Transplant Patient Outcomes: Deborah Pritchard's research aims to improve outcomes for kidney transplant recipients, demonstrating our ongoing efforts to enhance patient care through scientific inquiry and innovation.
Nurturing Next Generation Scientists: The Welsh Blood Service continues to cultivate talent, as highlighted by four trainee biomedical scientists featured in the BBTS Bloodlines newsletter, reflecting on their career journeys and contributions to the field.
The department responsible for managing will now be known as Research, Development, and Innovation Services. The team has been working diligently to prepare the WBS's new Research Strategy, and the team is excited to introduce this new strategic direction soon in 2024.
Collaboration
Our collaboration continues to sustain and grow nationally and internationally. In the illustration below the blue markers mark our support R&D being performed in NHS Wales, while the red markers show where our collaborative partnerships with higher education institutions or other blood services are.
6. Welsh Blood Service research performance indicators
6.1 Open projects portfolio
6.2 Other projects performed in 2023-24
6.3 The support of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative
6.4 Key performance indicators of the Welsh Blood Service RD&I strategy
