Since 1985, the National Blood Foundation (NBF) has awarded $7.5 million in grants to 177 scientific researchers.
The important focus of research is transfusion medicine, to include aspects of immunology, hematology, tissue and transplantation medicine, cellular therapies, emerging infectious disease, immunohematology, donor health, 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 these areas. Important areas of research for the grant program include:
IMMUNOLOGY
Alloimmunization, immune modulation, and tolerance
Animal models for the study of graft-vs-host disease
Biology of autoimmune hemolytic anemia
HEMATOLOGY
Autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants
Detection of residual disease following stem cell transplants
Effects of growth factors in vitro and in vivo
Biochemistry of coagulation factors
IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY
Blood group serology
Biochemistry of red cell antigens
Molecular genetics of the blood groups
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Studies on Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, SARS and babesiosis and other emerging diseases
Effect of allogeneic transfusion in HIV-infected and immunocompromised patients
Improved detection of transfusion - transmitted diseases
CELLULAR THERAPIES
Cell separation, cell culture or expansion studies for cell therapy applications
Development of novel cell therapies or assays to measure cell viability or function
Pilot studies in regenerative medicine
Studies on mechanisms or roles of cells in stem cell transplantation
Studies on cytokines or growth factors involved in stem cell differentiation
NEW! PATIENT BLOOD MANAGEMENT
Treatment of pre-admission anemia and bleeding tendencies; Intraoperative/postoperative blood recovery; Surgical hemostasis; Appropriate indications for transfusion; Changing physician behaviors; Blood utilization review.
Grants applications are evaluated on the basis of their scientific merit, relevance to and impact on transfusion medicine, 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 therapies, and are in addition to scientific research.
2012 Scientific Research Grant Awardees
2012 NBF Grant Recipients' Lecture and Luncheon Speakers at AABB Annual Meeting
2012 Dale A. Smith and Pall Prize Awardees
1985 - 2012 Scientific Research Grant Recipients/Scholars
Apply for an NBF Scientific Research Grant (Grant cycle 2013)
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.