AABB Press Celebrates 30 Years of Publishing

This year marks a milestone for our association: the thirtieth anniversary of AABB Press, AABB’s book acquisitions program. Founded with the goal of providing valuable educational resources for a diverse group of health care professionals across the transfusion medicine and biotherapies community, AABB Press released its first title in 1996. Since then, the program has published nearly 150 titles covering topics ranging from blood banking and transfusion medicine to cellular therapy, transplantation and donor recruitment.

Huy P. Pham, MD, MPH, chair of the AABB Publication Committee, lauded AABB Press’s efforts to help the blood and biotherapies community navigate every era of change—from novel blood products to emerging therapies and evolving clinical practice guidelines to complex regulatory shifts—while equipping professionals to lead through defining moments like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the past 30 years, AABB Press has been a cornerstone of education for the transfusion medicine community, providing trusted resources that have supported generations of professionals,” Pham told AABB News. “Today, as cellular therapies potentially redefine the future of medicine, AABB Press continues to lead by delivering innovative guidance, authoritative publications and practical educational tools that help our community navigate this exciting era of biotherapies.”

In 1996, AABB Press published its inaugural titles: Blood Irradiation: A User's Guide; CLIA and Transfusion Medicine: A Guide to Total Compliance; Donor Recruitment: Strategies for Success; Transfusion Reactions; and Validation in Blood Establishments and Transfusion Services. Since then, the catalog has grown to cover the scientific, technical, legal, regulatory and management aspects of blood banking, transfusion medicine, transplantation and biotherapies. The collection includes monographs, interactive CD-ROMs authoritative reference texts, conference proceedings and training materials, with popular titles such as Transfusion Medicine: Clinical Principles and Practice; Blood Donor Health and Safety; Judd's Methods in Immunohematology and Apheresis: Principles and Practice.

A New Path

Before launching AABB Press, AABB studied book acquisitions programs at other nonprofit associations and used those findings to develop a proposal that was approved by the Board of Directors. At that time, most AABB books were developed through committee work, often as companion publications for Annual Meeting workshops. AABB Press created a new publishing pathway, allowing subject matter experts to develop books beyond the traditional committee structure while expanding the Association's educational offerings. Committee-driven publications, including the Standards, the AABB Guide to... series, and the Circulars of Information, continue to be published alongside AABB Press titles.

The AABB Press Oversight Committee—later renamed an Editorial Board and now known as the AABB Publications Committee—was established in 1994 to guide the program. In whatever configuration, the roster features a diverse group of association volunteers representing a broad base of scientific and administrative interests. The committee helps identify emerging topics, provides oversight for the Association's book acquisitions efforts and assists AABB Press staff in recruiting editors and authors and evaluating book proposals. In addition, committee members consider member feedback, publishing trends and AABB strategic priorities throughout the acquisitions analysis process.  

“Congratulations to AABB and all members who participated in the nurturing and growth of AABB Press,” stated David Ciavarella, MD, past chair of the AABB Press Editorial Board. “You educated scientists, clinicians, regulators and the public at large throughout the world in the important field in which we work.”

Today, AABB continues to publish trusted resources that shape the field of blood banking, transfusion medicine and biotherapies through its extensive catalog of standards, guidelines, reference books, case studies, data cards and handbooks. Health care professionals are also encouraged to submit proposals for new publications, helping ensure the catalog continues to evolve alongside advances in transfusion medicine and biotherapies.

“The Publications Committee is committed to listening, collaborating and responding to the evolving needs of our members,” Pham said. “Our mission is to create resources that not only address today's challenges but also inspire innovation, cultivate the next generation of leaders, and strengthen our profession. Together, we are advancing transfusion medicine and biotherapies while ensuring the highest quality care for the donors and patients who depend on us.”