Talking Transfusion: The Transfusion Evidence Round-Up Podcast

In honour of International Thalassaemia Day, in this podcast episode, we explore top research relating to transfusion and stem cell transplantation in people with thalassaemia. Our reviewers cover a range of topics including novel oral treatments, different preparations of red blood cell products and allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Welcome to this special quarterly edition of the Transfusion Evidence Round-Up , produced by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) and the Transfusion Evidence Library (TEL) . In honor of International Childhood Cancer Day , we’ve partnered with the ISBT Cellular Therapies Working Group to bring you a joint Round-Up highlighting the latest evidence in both Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy . In this episode, we explore top research shaping pediatric hematology and stem cell transplantation, including the impact of minimal residual disease on outcomes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia from the FORUM Trial. We also highlight advances in TCRαβ/CD19-depleted hematopoietic stem cell transplantation , second transplants for relapsed acute myeloid leukemia, and outcomes following CAR-T therapy in children and young adults. Whether you’re a transfusion specialist, cell therapy researcher, or healthcare professional interested in pediatric oncology, this top-ten selection of articles offers insights that cross the boundaries of both fields.

In this episode of Talking Transfusion: The Transfusion Evidence Round-Up Podcast, we speak to the reviewers of the December Transfusion Evidence Round-Up. The theme of the round-up was "Best of Transfusion Evidence Library 2025", and covered a variety of papers encompassing a wide range of important and interesting transfusion topics.

Did you miss the Blood 2025 and ISBT Perth 2025 Congress? Or perhaps you joined us in Perth and are now looking to dive deeper or revisit the highlights? In this podcast episode, Allison Mo (hematologist from Melbourne, Australia) and Catherine Kimber and Susan Brunskill (from the Systematic Reviews Initiative, UK) sit down with two special guests, Pierre Tiberghien and Aaron Hess, to reflect on their experiences at the joint Blood and ISBT Congress held in Perth in October 2025. Our guests share their perspectives, memorable moments, and key takeaways from the event. Pierre Tiberghien is the ISBT President and a Professor of Medicine at the Université de Franche-Comté. Aaron Hess joins us as a transfusion medicine specialist with the New Zealand Blood Service, offering valuable insights into his time at the congress.

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to highlight one of the world’s most prevalent and serious cancers. In this episode of Talking Transfusion, hosts Allison Mo (hematologist from Melbourne, Australia) and Catherine Kimber (from the Systematic Reviews Initiative, UK), speaks with reviewers from the September Transfusion Evidence Roundup . Together, they explore recent articles on transfusion in blood cancer care—covering the latest findings, clinical challenges, and the crucial role transfusion support plays for patients living with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and related conditions. This discussion brings evidence and awareness together, underscoring how research drives better outcomes for patients.

In this podcast episode, we talk with Amira Badawy about her experience as Harold Gunson fellowship recipient at the ISBT Milan congress and her research work.

In this episode of the Milan Minutes, Peter discusses his experiences at the ISBT congress including his role as facilitator of the workshop “Tackling complex cases in the immunohematology reference laboratory”.

Molly Sherwood is the Director of Research at the Allo Hope Foundation, a non-profit organisation which offers resources, educational materials and support for patients with haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) and alloimmunised women. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Sociology from Wake Forest University and spent nearly a decade in life sciences research consulting, specializing in epidemiology, regulatory affairs, and strategic publication. Molly has led large-scale research efforts, including clinical and consumer studies, collaborating with nonprofits, industry, NIH, and the FDA. Molly was diagnosed with maternal alloimmunization herself in 2018, and soon after transitioned into her role at the Allo Hope Foundation where she manages research in HDFN, patient and provider education, and grant writing. In this podcast episode, Molly discusses her experience at the ISBT Milan congress, where she presented on “Emergency resuscitation of females of childbearing potential and risk mitigation of HDFN” including the development of recent multi-disciplinary guidelines.

Niall O’Hagan is an early-careers behavioural scientist working at the University of Nottingham in the UK. He has been working with Professor Eamonn Ferguson on the NHS Blood & Transplant funded PROMPT project researching how people interpret and interact with the English blood screening tool. This project encompasses interviews with both donors and recipients, surveys, readability testing and experiments. Niall presented his work at the recent IBST congress in Milan and was awarded a Harold Gunson Fellowship. His background and research interests outside of blood is health psychology, specifically looking at drug misuse within gay male populations. In the podcast, Niall reflects on his first ISBT congress experience and discusses his project findings.

Missed the ISBT regional congress in Milan? Or did you attend but still keen to hear more about some of the presenters and their research? In this series of mini podcast episodes, Dr Allison Mo from ISBT and Ms Katherine Kimber from the Systematic Reviews Initiative talk to four attendees at the recent 2025 ISBT regional congress in Milan, Italy to gain insights into the research they presented there, their conference highlights and the career pathways they have taken which brough them to join us in Milan. Our four presenters are: Niall O’Hangan, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom, who presented on “I can’t remember what I did last summer: a signal detection analysis of memory bias in donor screening questionnaires that may reduce blood safety” Molly Sherwood, Allo Hope Foundation, United States, who presented “Emergency resuscitation of females of childbearing potential and risk mitigation of HDFN” Peter Ligthart, Sanquin, Netherlands, workshop facilitator of the “Tackling complex cases in the immunohematology reference laboratory” session Amira Badawy, Menofia University, Egypt, who presented on “Evaluating the efficiency and quality of transfused cold-sotred platelet concentrates with additive solution in oncology patients”

In this episode of Talking Transfusion, we will discuss the February Transfusion Evidence Round Up topic “World Anaemia Awareness Day”. Our expert reviewers will delve into a selection of the top papers which discuss recent advances in the treatment and prevention of anaemia globally.

In this episode of Talking Transfusion: The Transfusion Evidence Round-Up Podcast, we wrap up 2024 by looking at the top papers featured in the Transfusion Evidence Library for this year. Join our reviewers as we cover a wide range of topics and papers, and find out what has been making research headlines in transfusion medicine in 2024.

In this episode of Talking Transfusion: The Transfusion Evidence Round-Up Podcast , we recognize World Trauma Day by diving into the crucial role transfusion medicine plays in trauma care. Join Dr. Allison Mo, co-chairs Susan Brunskill and Catherine Kimber, and expert reviewers as they examine key studies and evidence-based practices that address the urgent needs of trauma patients. We discuss the latest research on massive transfusion protocols, the management of bleeding in trauma settings, and the evolving strategies for blood component therapy. Our panel explores how these findings can impact real-world clinical decisions, enhancing patient outcomes in emergency trauma situations. Tune in to learn how transfusion practices are shaping the future of trauma care and what innovations are on the horizon for improving trauma management worldwide. www.isbtweb.org

Welcome to the Talking Transfusion podcast, introduced by Dr. Allison Mo. This podcast is a joint initiative of ISBT and the Systematic Review Initiative (SRI), where we highlight 10 selected papers from the Transfusion Evidence Round-Up .