University Hospital Blood Centre, Lund

In Sweden, the BloodGen project is based at the Blood Centre in the University Hospital of Lund. The blood centre in Lund is the administrative and testing headquarters for the Skåne Regional Blood Services in southern Sweden and is one of its ten laboratories. In addition to routine testing laboratories, the blood centre also has the merit of being the Nordic reference laboratory for genomic blood group typing, a SWEDAC-accredited laboratory. Investigative research into human blood groups as well as developmental research into blood and blood components is performed at the blood centre.

Dr. Martin Olsson is the deputy director of the blood centre, with special responsibilities for immunohaematology, and the director of research. He is the project leader of a number of projects under the umbrella of “Target molecules and mechanisms of protection in blood-group-related haemolysis - Genetic and functional studies” that spans the investigation of glycosyltransferase genes to the role of potentially protective plasma proteins, e.g. a-1-microglobulin. He has developed and optimized molecular assays for the prediction of red cell phenotypes from adult and fetal DNA to provide a clinical service for the Nordic countries for all clinically important blood groups, particularly ABO for which the laboratory serves as a world-wide reference laboratory.

Dr. Jill Storry is a post-doctoral fellow at the blood centre with responsibilities for immunohaematology practice and development of genomic typing assays. Her primary responsibility is the development and optimisation of assays for the BloodGen project and coordination of the Lund laboratory’s effort in BloodGen. She is a consultant for serologic practice in the blood centre, overseeing techniques and practice as part of a dedicated team. Other research interests include the molecular and biochemical investigation of null blood group phenotypes in the Nordic populations, together with other members of Dr. Olsson’s research group.