Who is doing it
Eszter Varga, Postdoc researcher
Customized blood for everyone
“My dream? In 20 years, all patients will receive blood transfusions with lab-grown red blood cells. Each drop is exactly matched to the recipient’s blood group so that no immune response can occur.”
Who we do it for
Nimisha's dream?
“That a blood transfusion is possible with lab-grown red blood cells. This mitigates the risk of immune reactions.”
“I have thalassemia, a hereditary disease of the blood in which the red blood cells live shorter and are less able to carry oxygen. It makes me tired, very tired. But every three weeks I get a blood transfusion and life literally pours back into me. For the time being, this is only possible thanks to blood donors.”
Nimisha (34) has been receiving blood all her life and is forever grateful to all donors. But imagine that cultured blood could be produced on a large scale? This allows Nimisha to be 100% sure that the blood she receives will not be rejected by her body.
What we need
With your donation Sanquin Research Fund can purchase a small-sized bioreactor in order to safely produce cultured blood cells on a larger scale for further research under fully controlled conditions.
