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National Blood Foundation

Celebrating 27 Years of Awarding Grants, 1983-2010

The National Blood Foundation (NBF), established in 1983, has a history of supporting research and education that advances transfusion medicine and blood banking to benefit both patients and donors. Funds are raised annually from corporations, blood centers, foundations, and individuals by NBF for the National Blood Foundation Research and Education Trust Fund (NBFRET) and NBF. NBF and NBFRET, which are 501(c)(3) organizations, provide grants for scientific research in the fields of transfusion medicine and blood banking and support educational initiatives that benefit the transfusion medicine community.

National Blood Foundation

Tax ID #36-2384118

8101 Glenbrook Road

Bethesda, MD 20814-2749

Phone +1.301.215.6552

Fax +1.301.907.6895

Email: nbf@aabb.org

Mission

The mission of NBF is to advance transfusion medicine and cellular and related biological therapies by funding scientific research that benefits patients and donors.

NBF Highlights for 2009

NBF had a great, if not challenging, 2009 and we look forward to an even better 2010. Some of the highlights from the past year are:

Funded seven exceptional projects in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies for a total of $522,000 from a field of 43 high quality applications requesting over $3 million in funding.
Added The Institute for Transfusion Medicine (ITxM) as the 13th CORD (Council on Research & Development) member to help keep the funding for grants healthy and growing.
Three exceptionally eloquent lectures given at the NBF Grants Lecture & Luncheon at the AABB annual meeting by Lan Zhou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Medical Director of Molecular Diagnostic Lab, Case Western Reserve University, speaking on her project The Regulation of Granulopoiesis by Fucosylated Glycans through Selectin-Mediated Adhesion and Fringe-Modified Notch Signaling Pathways; Taku Kambayashi, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on The Role of GMCSF in Regulatory T Cell Proleration and Homeostasis; and Jeanne E. Hendrickson, MD, Department of Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Children’s Hospital, on the Effect of Host Inflammation on Alloimmunization to RBC Transfusion.
Awarded the Pall Prize to Dr. Lan Zhou of Case Western Reserve University for her outstanding project entitled: The Regulation of Granulopoiesis by Fucosylated Glycans through Selectin-Mediated Adhesion and Fringe-Modified Notch Signaling Pathways. This prize is and has been generously funded for several years by the Pall Medical Corporation to an individual for innovative and creative research that may ultimately lead to improving transfusion medicine outcomes.
Awarded the Dale A. Smith Memorial Award to Dr. Dudley Spencer who invented the sterile connecting device in 1985 when he was with E.I. DuPont. The Dale A. Smith Memorial Award, established in 2002 and endowed by Fenwal Division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation, recognizes an individual or institution that focuses on innovation and creativity in the application of technology for improving transfusion medicine.
Fielded a highly successful golf tournament and Run for Research which raised almost $150,000 for the NBF mission of funding medical research in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies.
Through the generosity of CaridianBCT, produced a stunning History of Blood poster which delineates the high points of transfusion medicine from 1628 to 2009. These posters were distributed at the NBF booth at the AABB annual meeting.
Cohosted with AABB, the first CEO Summit at the AABB annual meeting in New Orleans. Over 150 “C-suite” attendees participated to interact with Tommy Thompson, former Health & Human Services Secretary and an industry panel on how the industry is preparing for health care reform. This event was generously supported by CaridianBCT and Terumo.
Hosted a highly successful Leadership Forum in West Palm Gardens, Florida where more than 60 industry leaders debated the most pressing issues facing transfusion medicine.

Grants Programs

Apply for an NBF Scientific Research Grant (Grant cycle 2010)

Opportunities to Partner with the National Blood Foundation

2010 NBF Board of Trustees

NBF Staff

NBF Donors for 2009 (PDF)

In Honor of ...... Tributes & Memorials
Donations

Scientific Research Grants Program

Since 1985, the National Blood Foundation (NBF) has awarded $6 million in grants to 159 scientific researchers.

The important focus of research is transfusion medicine, to include aspects of immunology, hematology, tissue and transplantation medicine, cellular therapies and related biological therapies, emerging infectious disease, immunohematology, donor health and recruitment and retention, and implementation of technological devices.

Priority is given to new investigators and innovative projects with the potential to have a practical impact on patients and donors in transfusion medicine. Important areas of research for the grant program include:

TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND IMMUNOLOGY

Alloimmunization, immune modulation, and tolerance

Animal models for the study of graft-vs-host disease

Biology of autoimmune hemolytic anemia

TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND HEMATOLOGY

Autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplants

Detection of residual disease following marrow transplants

Effects of growth factors in vitro and in vivo

Biochemistry of coagulation factors

TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY

Blood group serology

Biochemistry of red cell antigens

Molecular genetics of the blood groups

TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Studies on lyme disease, West Nile Virus, SARS and babesiosis

Effect of allogeneic transfusion in HIV-infected patients

Improved detection of transfusion - transmitted diseases

Grants applications are evaluated on the basis of their scientific merit, relevance to and impact on transfusion medicine and science, focus and appropriateness to the scope of funding, and likelihood of yielding meaningful data.

Other Studies and Research

NBF has also funded research and studies on critical issues that benefit patients and donors in the fields of transfusion medicine and cellular and related biological therapies, and are in addition to scientific research.

2009 Scientific Research Grant Awardees

2009 Grants Lecture & Luncheon Speakers at AABB Annual Meeting in New Orleans Selected

2009 Dale A. Smith and Pall Prize Awardees

Apply for an NBF Scientific Research Grant

(Grant cycle 2010)

The National Blood Foundation annually awards grants for one or two-year research projects, with a maximum award per grant of $75,000.

For more information about applying, visit NBF Grants.

Opportunities to Partner with the National Blood Foundation

The National Blood Foundation (NBF) since 1983 has helped shape the future of transfusion medicine through its Scientific Research Grants Program and its education initiatives. Contributors to NBF and the National Blood Foundation Research and Education Trust Fund (NBFRET) are partners in providing a critical funding source for grants to early-career scientists and for forums and lectureships in transfusion medicine. Members of the Council on Research and Development (CORD) and the Partners Program are major contributors to the mission of NBF and offer both financial and intellectual support. Blood centers, corporations, foundations, and individuals partner with NBF through a variety of annual fund programs. Contributors choose to donate unrestricted or restricted funds, create endowments to honor outstanding individuals in transfusion medicine, and fund, through sponsorships, programs that benefit patients and donors in the community.

Council on Research and Development

The Council on Research and Development (CORD), established in 1988, includes leaders of major health care corporations and blood centers who are dedicated to supporting the programs of the National Blood Foundation (NBF). CORD members currently contribute $75,000 annually to the National Blood Foundation Research and Education Trust Fund (NBFRET) which funds the grants program. A representative from each CORD corporation and blood center serves on the NBF Board of Trustees.

Current Council on Research and Development members are:

Abbott Laboratories

American Red Cross

Blood Systems/United Blood Services

CaridianBCT (Formally Gambro BCT)

Fenwal Inc.

Gen-Probe
Haemonetics Corporation

ITxM
New York Blood Center

Novartis Diagnostics
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics

Pall Medical

Roche Diagnostics

For more information about how your organization can be a CORD member, call +1.301.215.6551, or email nbf@aabb.org.

PARTNERS PROGRAM

The National Blood Foundation Partners commit both financially and intellectually to support the work of NBF. The Partners Program was established in 2003 to provide corporate leaders, blood center CEOs and other industry executives with an exclusive opportunity to share information, create relationships and partnerships, and learn first-hand about the current issues critical to the transfusion medicine community from experts in the field. Partners and CORD members participate in the NBF Leadership Forum each spring, have VIP status at the AABB Annual Meeting & TXPO each fall, and are recognized in NBF and AABB News. Partners currently contribute $5,000 to $25,000 annually based on their actual gross corporate sales or center revenue.

Current NBF Partners are:

BCA/hemerica
Beckman Coulter

Blood Bank Computer Systems, Inc.

Blood Centers of the Pacific

BloodCenter of Wisconsin Inc.

Bonfils Blood Center

The Blood Alliance Inc.

Florida's Blood Centers Inc.

Global Med Technologies, Inc.

Group Services for America’s Blood Centers
HemoCue

LifeSouth Community Blood Center
Mediware Information Systems
Puget Sound Blood Center

Rhode Island Blood Center

Terumo Medical Corporation

UnitedPharma/MacoPharma

For more information about how your organization can join the Partners Program, call +1.301.215.6551, or email nbf@aabb.org.

Other Opportunities for a Partnership with the National Blood Foundation:

Leadership Forum

In 2003, the NBF Leadership Forum was designed to provide an exclusive venue for blood center CEOs, medical directors, transfusion medicine physicians and researchers, corporate executives and industry experts to discuss the key issues facing the field. Today, it is an excellent opportunity for attendees to collaborate with one another, and to share new solutions impacting the transfusion medicine and cellular therapies field. Our goal this year is to continue to advance the dialogue and discussions among this prestigious group of attendees.

The Eighth Annual National Blood Foundation Leadership Forum will be held in Washington, DC on April 25-27, 2010. A welcoming reception will be held on Sunday April 25 at 6 pm. NBF CORD and Partner members receive complimentary registration at this “invitation only” conference. To read the highlights of last year’s Leadership Forum, click here. For more information, contact nbf@aabb.org.

2009 NBF Events at AABB Annual Meeting in New Orleans
The 13^th Annual NBF Golf Tournament and Challenge Cup was held in New Orleans on Friday, October 23 and the 11^th Annual NBF 5K Run for Research/1 Mile Walk on Sunday, October 25. Contributions help support the NBF Grants program and show your colleagues and customers that you support the field of transfusion medicine. Contact nbf@aabb.org for details and to see how your organization can raise its visibility while doing good at the Annual Meeting next year in Baltimore, October 8-12, 2010. For more information on participating in and /or sponsoring the 14^th Annual NBF Golf Tournament & Challenge Cup, contact NBF staff at NBF@aabb.org for a registration or sponsorship form.

2009 Golf Tournament & Challenge Cup Results (PDF)
2009 Run Results (PDF)

Thank you to our 2009 Supporters:

Visionary ($25,000+)
CaridianBCT

Philanthropist ($20,000-$25,000)
Haemonetics

Pillar ($15,000-$19,999)
Terumo Medical

Guardian ($10,000-$14,999)
Morgan Stanley
Pall Medical

Benefactor ($5,000-$9,999)
American Red Cross National Headquarters
Biotest Diagnostics
BSI/UBS
LifeSouth Community Blood Center
New York Blood Center
Novartis Diagnostics
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics
Roche Diagnostics

Angel ($3,000-$4,999)
Beckman Coulter
Fenwal, Inc.
Immucor
Wells Fargo Advisors
Wyndgate

Patron ($1,000-$2,999)
BCA/hemerica
Blood Centers of the Pacific
Dale & Marie Malloy
Florida Blood Services
Héma-Québec
Puget Sound Blood Center

Friend (up to $1,000)
America’s Blood Centers
Blood Bank Computer Systems
Blood Centers of California
California Blood Bank Society
Carter Blood Care
Miller-Keystone Blood Center

Golf Tournament Sponsors
American Red Cross
Novartis Diagnostics
Biotest Diagnostics
CaridianBCT
Immucor
Beckman Coulter
Wyndgate Technologies
BSI/UBS
Pall Medical
Terumo
Blood Centers of America
Blood Centers of the Pacific

Miller-Keystone Blood Center
America's Blood Centers
Blood Bank Computer Systems
Blood Centers of California
California Blood Bank Society
Carter Blood Care

Run For Research Premier Sponsors
Blood Systems Laboratories
CaridianBCT
Florida Blood Services
LifeSouth Community Blood Center
Roche Diagnostics

NBF Grant Recipients’ Lecture and Luncheon Sponsor
New York Blood Center
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics

NBF CORD and Partner Breakfast
Dale and Marie Malloy, The Blood Alliance Inc, NBF Partner
Morgan Stanley
Wells Fargo Advisors

NBF Reception
Puget Sound Blood Center
Novartis Diagnostics

NBF Booth Premier Supporter
CaridianBCT

NBF Premier Supporters at the Annual Meeting
Haemonetics
Terumo

If you would like to participate in the NBF Golf Tournament as an individual or as a guaranteed foursome, please contact nbf@aabb.org for details. Space is limited and on a first-come first-serve basis so register early!

Foundation Partnerships
Foundations with like-minded goals to those of the National Blood Foundation support the work of NBFRET through grants. Currently a number of community health foundations are funding research and education in blood banking and transfusion medicine through NBF. With a mutual interest in providing quality health care to all individuals worldwide, foundations and NBF can build close working partnerships to help solve some of the most important health concerns of today.

The Santa Barbara Foundation

The Topeka Community Foundation

Individual Giving

Individuals often make donations to NBF to support its work, as well as to honor or in memory of someone. AABB members, families, co-workers, and friends who want to encourage scientific research or have experienced the value of maintaining an adequate and safe supply of blood are encouraged to recognize someone through a contribution to NBF. To donate please follow this link.

Memorial Awards and Endowments

Throughout the years major corporations, blood centers, and individuals have chosen to make grants to the NBF to establish an annual award or prize in honor of an individual who they believe was or is a leader in the field of transfusion medicine or blood banking.

In Honor of ...... Tributes & Memorials

For information about making an unrestricted or restricted grant, memorial award, or contribution, contact the office of the National Blood Foundation +1.301.215.6552 or by email -- nbf@aabb.org

Planned Giving to NBF

Your charitable gift planning, that includes the National Blood Foundation, can be of great benefit to all concerned. Such gifts enable NBF to strengthen its giving program for the future. Because tax and other financial consequences of each plan vary, you and your financial advisor can only make the best choice after careful consideration.