What is the Blood Synergy?

The NHMRC Blood Synergy is a large program of research that includes clinical studies, trials, and patient registries concerned with blood transfusion practice and patient outcomes. We’re focused on making better use of blood products and improving outcomes for patients requiring blood as a result of trauma, critical illness, or blood disease.

The Blood Synergy was recognised with the inaugural Fiona Stanley Synergy Grant Award at the NHMRC Research Excellence Awards.

Blood Synergy Research Report 2022-2023
Blood Synergy Research Report 2022-2023
More
Blood Synergy Research Report 2020-2021
Blood Synergy Research Report 2020-2021
More
Snapshot of the Blood Synergy program
Snapshot of the Blood Synergy program
More

Our research program is managed by Monash University’s Transfusion Research Unit, in collaboration with the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre and Centre for Health Economics, and supported by the invaluable contributions and expertise of our investigator team, working groups, advisory committee, and individual researchers spanning Australia and New Zealand.

The Problem

Used wisely, blood transfusions save lives. However, there still exist limitations in ensuring their best use: 1. Blood products are not always available when and where they are needed, and 2. We don’t always have evidence to guide the way we use blood in different clinical scenarios.

The unexpected nature of many bleeding events combined with the labile nature of blood products presents the first challenge. Treatment of major haemorrhage requires urgent delivery of large volumes of red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Access to these products in out-of-hospital or remote settings is limited, due to the short shelf-life of blood products, and logistics of supply, storage and delivery in rural locations. The outcome is a significant delay in the timely delivery of blood products, and an increased risk of death.

The second significant challenge is the lack of evidence to guide best practice. Patient blood management (PBM) is an approach that places patient outcomes at the core of blood transfusion. It is international best practice, supported by the World Health Organization, health policy-makers, and professional societies. However, evidence in many areas is inadequate to formulate solid PBM recommendations, including on how blood is used, clinical outcomes, patient and clinician preferences, and costs. The result is a potentially inefficient, and ineffective use of blood, with reduced patient benefit.

The Solution

The Blood Synergy program is focused on addressing these shortcomings by testing new products and closing evidence-gaps, particularly in areas of high-volume use, high risk to patients, and high product costs.

Key to this endeavour is better knowledge around how blood is currently used across Australia. To establish the current standard of care, we are using observational studies, and expanding our established massive transfusion registry into a dataset collating information on all types of transfusions. Together these data will identify areas of greatest need and improvement.

To improve blood use, we are exploring ways to increase access to blood components in prehospital and rural and remote settings by examining alternatives to conventional blood products, such as those with an extended shelf-life. We are also using interventional studies to evaluate how blood products can be most efficiently and effectively used in the treatment of critical bleeding and critically ill patients.

Similarly, we are closing evidence gaps in the prevention and management of bleeding, anaemia and infection in blood diseases through a range of clinical trials. These studies will identify any unnecessary use of blood products in treatment of blood cancers, with the aim of improving patient outcomes as well as reducing transfusion risks and cost.

Meet the Team

Our team consists of national and international leaders in blood transfusion, bleeding disorders, trauma medicine, and intensive care, as well as laboratory science, health policy and health economics.

Professor Erica Wood AO
Professor Erica Wood AO
Principal Investigator
Monash University
Professor Zoe McQuilten
Professor Zoe McQuilten
Chief Investigator
Monash University
Professor Peter Cameron
Professor Peter Cameron
Chief Investigator
Monash University
Professor Jamie Cooper AO
Professor Jamie Cooper AO
Chief Investigator
The Alfred Hospital
Professor Michael Reade AM
Professor Michael Reade AM
Chief Investigator
The University of Queensland
Dr Lisa Higgins
Dr Lisa Higgins
Chief Investigator
Monash University
Professor Judith Trotman
Professor Judith Trotman
Chief Investigator
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Professor Simon Stanworth
Professor Simon Stanworth
Chief Investigator
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
Ms Linley Bielby
Ms Linley Bielby
Chief Investigator
Department of Health, Victoria
Dr Allison Mo
Dr Allison Mo
Associate Investigator
Monash University
Dr Andrew Flint
Dr Andrew Flint
Associate Investigator
Monash University
Professor Anthony Harris
Professor Anthony Harris
Associate Investigator
Monash University
Dr Brenton Sanderson
Dr Brenton Sanderson
Associate Investigator
Macquarie University
Associate Professor Craig French
Associate Professor Craig French
Associate Investigator
Western Health
Professor Enrico Coiera
Professor Enrico Coiera
Associate Investigator
Macquarie University
Associate Professor John Reynolds
Associate Professor John Reynolds
Associate Investigator
Monash University
Adjunct Associate Professor Rosemary Sparrow
Adjunct Associate Professor Rosemary Sparrow
Associate Investigator
Monash University
Professor Biswadev Mitra
Professor Biswadev Mitra
Partner Investigator
Monash University
Dr James Winearls
Dr James Winearls
Partner Investigator
Gold Coast University Hospital
Professor Jake Shortt
Professor Jake Shortt
Partner Investigator
Monash University
Associate Professor Tina Noutsos
Associate Professor Tina Noutsos
Partner Investigator
Menzies School of Health Research
Clinical Associate Professor Philip Crispin
Clinical Associate Professor Philip Crispin
Partner Investigator
Canberra Hospital
Dr Robert Weinkove
Dr Robert Weinkove
Partner investigator
Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, NZ
Dr Karina Brady
Dr Karina Brady
Program Manager
Monash University
Mr Neil Waters
Mr Neil Waters
Deputy Director - Operations, Transfusion Research Unit
Monash University
Ms Tina van Tonder
Ms Tina van Tonder
Project Manager (National Transfusion Dataset)
Monash University
Ms Kirsten Caithness
Ms Kirsten Caithness
Research Officer
Monash University
Dr Cameron Wellard
Dr Cameron Wellard
Data Manager
Monash University
Dr Elham Ashrafi
Dr Elham Ashrafi
Senior Research Officer
Monash University
Dr Fiona (Pin-Yen) Chen
Dr Fiona (Pin-Yen) Chen
Senior Data Officer
Monash University
Dr Thao Le
Dr Thao Le
Senior Research Fellow / Biostatistician
Monash University
Dr Adam Irving
Dr Adam Irving
Research Fellow / Health Economist
Monash University
Dr Catriona Parker
Dr Catriona Parker
Research Fellow
Monash University
Dr Khai Li Chai
Dr Khai Li Chai
PhD Student
Monash University
Ms Sara Carrillo de Albornoz San Juan
Ms Sara Carrillo de Albornoz San Juan
PhD Student
Monash University
Ms Jennifer Griffiths
Ms Jennifer Griffiths
Clinical Trial Coordinator (RATIONALISE and RATIONAL Platform)
Monash University
Mrs Helen Haysom
Mrs Helen Haysom
Project Coordinator (Massive Transfusion Registry)
Monash University
Dr Kim Huynh
Dr Kim Huynh
Project Manager (National Transfusion Dataset; 2021-22)
Monash University
Mr Alex Poole
Mr Alex Poole
Project Manager (InPUT; 2021-22)
Monash University
Ms Amber Degelia
Ms Amber Degelia
Clinical Trial Coordinator (TREATT; to 2021)
Monash University

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee is comprised of independent experts in transfusion and clinical research, consumer representatives and representatives from the National Blood Authority (NBA) and Australian and New Zealand Society for Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT).

Professor Mike Murphy
Professor Mike Murphy
Advisory Committee Chair
Independent Expert
Ms Kate Wilson
Ms Kate Wilson
Advisory Committee Member
Consumer Representative
Associate Professor James Daly
Associate Professor James Daly
Advisory Committee Member
Independent Expert
Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha
Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha
Advisory Committee Member
Independent Expert
Professor Mark Polizzotto
Professor Mark Polizzotto
Advisory Committee Member
Independent Expert
Professor Wendy Erber
Professor Wendy Erber
Advisory Committee Member
ANZSBT Representative
Ms Jo Cameron
Ms Jo Cameron
Advisory Committee Member
National Blood Authority Representative