• Dr. Amal K. Ayed Consultant Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine.
• Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Council in Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
• Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department in Farwaniya Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
• Chairperson of Faculty of OBGYN program at Kuwait Institute for Medical Specializations (KIMS).
• President of the Kuwait Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kuwait Medical Association.
• Head of MFM Unit in Farwaniya Hospital Qualifications: • B. M. B. Ch., Kuwait. • MRCOG, UK. • Maternal and Fetal Medicine, UK. • FRCOG

Sigismond LASOCKI is a French professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. He is the head of Angers’ university hospital Anesthesiology & Critical Care Department. He is the chair of NATA and the President of the French college of professors of anesthesiology and critical care. He is the elected ESAIC council member for France, and an administrator of the SFAR. His areas of expertise are anemia and iron metabolism in critically ill and perioperative patients. He has more than 300 publications on pubmed.

• Former Director of the central Blood bank in Tripoli Libya.
• Former Health minister advisor in Libya.
• The Current representative of Libya in the Arab Authority for blood transfusion Services.
• The Former focal point for the EU project to strengthen blood transfusion services in Libya.
• Current national WHO focal point for blood transfusion services.
• The current General Director of the National Blood Transfusion Service Authority in Libya.

Dr. May is the Head & Medical Director of the Dubai Blood Donation Center, Pathology & Genetics Department. She is Expert Member for Transfusion Safety, WHO, and is the Regional Director for Eastern Mediterranean Region, ISBT, Dubai, UAE.

Saud Alzaid is a Trauma Surgeon and intensivist who serves as an assistant professor of surgery at Kuwait University. He is also responsible for the Clinical Skills Lab at Kuwait University and serves on the Fellowship Affairs Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Canada. He is grateful for the opportunity to speak today infront of such an esteemed crowd.

Hanaa Al Halabi is currently a Quality Management Coordinator in Kuwait Central Blood Bank. A graduate of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health in Kuwait University 2004. In 2004, Appointed as Medical Laboratory technologist in Kuwait Central Blood Bank, Ministry of Health, has experience in blood banking including immunohematology donor/patient testing, component preparation and modification, blood and component storage and distribution. In 2016, assigned as Quality Management Coordinator. Participated in “3rd quality management symposium” and won “Best Poster” award. Member of HBB SOP team, HBB inspection team, HBB electronic integration team and training and continuous education unit.

Head of the Hemobiology and Blood Transfusion Center at CHU Mustapha since September 2017 to present. President of the National Commission of Experts of the National Blood Agency since June 2018 to present. President of the Scientific Council of the National Blood Agency (ANS) since February 2021 to present. President of the Regional Pedagogical Committee for the Hemobiology-Blood Transfusion specialty (CPRS Center) since May 2023 to present. Member of the Expert Clinicians Committee at the National Agency for Pharmaceutical Products (ANPP) since its creation to present. Elected Member of the Local Drug Committee of CHU Mustapha. Member of the National Scientific Research Committee at the Ministry of Health. Member of the National Expert Committee for the Management of Hemophilia at the Ministry of Health. Secretary General of the Algerian Society of Transfusion and Hemobiology (SATH) since December 2017. Member of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) since 2013. International Lead Auditor ISO 9001 "RABQSA." Trainer in Clinical Research Methodology accredited by the International Francophone Clinical Epidemiology Network (Réseau d'Épidémiologie Clinique International Francophone, Lyon) since March 2008. Trainer accredited by the Francophone University Agency (Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie, AUF) for statistical analysis and the use of the R software in clinical research since January 2019.Chef de service du Centre d’hémobiologie et transfusion sanguine du CHU Mustapha depuis septembre 2017 jusqu’à ce jour. Previous Positions Held: Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Annaba, in charge of postgraduate studies, scientific research, and external relations (December 2014 – September 2017). Head of the Blood Transfusion and Cytology Unit at CHTS CHU Annaba (February 2004 – September 2017). Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine in Annaba (2011 – 2017). Deputy Director of the Pharmacy Department at the Faculty of Medicine in Annaba (September 2013 – December 2014). Defense of a DESM thesis entitled: "Methodology for Implementing a Quality Approach in Blood Transfusion: A Risk Management-Focused Approach" (January 2011).

Head of Training and Continuing Education Unit at the Kuwait Central Blood Bank. She leads and develops professional training programs and oversees educational workshops. Dedicated and experienced Medical Technologist with over 14 years of expertise in medical laboratory diagnostics.

Quentin Eichbaum was born and raised in Namibia and South Africa. He initially studied law at the University of Cape Town and then completed his MD, MPH, PhD/postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston followed by residency and fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is currently Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and immunology and Professor of Medical Education and Administration at Vanderbilt University where he also directs the a fellowship in pathology, as well as the Pathology Program in Global Health and the Vanderbilt Pathology Education Research Group. He serves on numerous national and international global health education and pathology committees. For example, he chairs the Global Transfusion Forum at AABB, and the International Affairs Committee at ASFA. He is on the Board of Directors on the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH - the largest academic global health organization in the world with over 180 institutions and a network of 30 000) and is the Chair of the CUGH Education Committee. He co-founded the Consortium of New Sub-Sahara African Medical Schools (CONSAMS) and is involved in health professional education and clinical medicine in several African countries.

Dr. Katerina Pavenski is the Head of Division of Transfusion Medicine and clinical hematologist at St. Michael’s Hospital-Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Canada. She is an associate professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology and is cross-appointed to the Department of Medicine, University of Toronto. She divides her time between transfusion medicine and classical hematology. She is actively involved in clinical research and teaching. Her research interests include thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, clinical transfusion medicine, patient blood management and therapeutic apheresis. She is the Vice-Chair of the International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines (ICTMG) and Regional Director (North America) of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Board of Directors.

Mr. Eoin McGrath is the Executive Director of ICCBBA, formerly known as the International Council for Commonality in Blood Banking Automation, since March 2022. ICCBBA develops and maintains the international ISBT 128 standard for terminology, coding, traceability and labelling of medical products of human origin (MPHO). He previously worked as Director of Advocacy & Quality of Care at the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) where he led the pioneering JACIE Accreditation programme and coordinated EBMT's interactions with European Union agencies, national regulators and other stakeholders.He coordinated EBMT's successful efforts to achieve a qualification opinion by EMA on the EBMT cellular therapy registry and regularly interacted with European regulators in the field of cell therapies.He holds a BA in History from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

• Nov. 1978 – March 1984: Study of Chemistry at the Technical University, Munich, Germany
• March 1984: Diploma in Chemistry
• May 1984 – Nov. 1984: Diploma Thesis on Photoresist-Technology
• Dec. 1984 – May 1985: Sabbatical South-East Asia, China, New Zealand and Australia
• May 1985 – March 1986: Continuation Study in Economics/Laws at the Technical University, Munich, Germany
• March 1986 – July 1988: Doctoral Thesis on Absorption Behaviour of Pharmaceuticals on Anorganic Surfaces at the Technical University, Munich, Germany
• July 1988: Ph.D. in Chemistry
• Sept. 1988 – Sept. 1990: Evaluation Department, Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, Tutzing, Germany; Responsible for Internal Evaluations Thyroid/Cardiac Markers
• Oct. 1990 – 1997: Evaluation Department; Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, Penzberg, Germany; Responsible for Internal and External Evaluations Infectious Disease Markers
• 1997 – 2001: Department Clinical Trials; Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany; responsible for International Studies and Evaluations Infectiology (CE/CTS/PEI, AdM, FDA, MoH) and Serum Acquisition Infectious Disease Markers
• 2001 – June 2019: Director Department Clinical Operations; Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany; additional responsibilities in organisation and conduction of International Registration Studies and Evaluations in the field of PCR Microbiology, Infectious Disease Market-Introduction Studies, Infectious Disease/Lab Automation Consultancy and Blood Screening Market
• June 2019 – now: Independent External Consultant Infectious Disease Assays and Lab Organisation (Blood Donation Centers, IVD Laboratories)

Amin Turki graduated from the University of Münster, Germany and earned his PhD from Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France. He is currently deputy-head of the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Marienhospital University Hospital Bochum and leads the junior research group “Computational Hematology” at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine at the University Hospital Essen. His main areas of expertise are malignant hematology, cellular therapy as well as Data-Science in Hematology.

Director General of Egyptian National blood transfusion Services MOHP Member and reporter of Egyptian regulatory Council of blood operations

• Graduated from Faculty of medicine “Ain Shams University” in 2003.
• Master’s degree in clinical pathology “hematology” Ain Shams University in 2008
• Started work at National blood transfusion services, AlAgouza, Giza, Egypt from 2005 until 2012.
• Clinical pathology Resident at Ain Shams University hospitals “Al-Demerdash Hospital” from January 2006 until January 2007.
• Joined Kuwait central blood bank in January 2013 and worked in both donation and immunohematology departments.
• Became head of immunohematology department in Kuwait central blood bank since November 2015.
• Clinical tutor in hematological pathology and clinical hematology programs for postgraduate training programs at Kuwait Institute for Medical specializations.

Dr. Vrielink (1958) was educated at the University of Amsterdam in Medicine and wrote his thesis (1996) on the ‘Laboratory diagnosis of viruses transmitted by blood transfusion’. From 1985 until his retirement in May 2025 Hans Vrielink worked as transfusion and apheresis medicine specialist at Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, the national blood transfusion service in the Netherlands. He has published many articles and chapters in internationally recognized journals and books. Hans Vrielink is initiator of (inter)national courses in the field of apheresis for physicians and nurses and trained since 2013 almost 1,000 apheresis nurses and physicians. Since his retirement, Hans Vrielink serves as consultant in Transfusion and Apheresis Medicine and blood banking. He is involved in training and advising organisations and governments in low and middle income countries in blood banking, transfusion medicine and apheresis all over the world.Hans Vrielink is international JACIE / FACT inspector. Hans Vrielink is involved in many international associations, for instance as past- president of the World Apheresis Association and of the European Society for Hemapheresis, and active in various ISBT working parties.

Jackie Damen PhD, ​PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST, SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT, HEMATOLOGY. STEMCELL Technologies Education DepartmentWith a career spanning over three decades, Dr. Damen has garnered extensive experience in the field of hematopoiesis, with particular strengths in stem cell biology and protein biochemistry. As the Director of the Contract Assay Services department at STEMCELL Technologies, Dr. Damen was responsible for overseeing client-directed customized study design and execution. This involved evaluating the effects of large and small molecules, drugs, and cytokines on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells for more than 150 biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients globally. She is deeply committed to education, actively participating in numerous educational initiatives, online webinars, and presentations at high-profile conferences, including the annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) conference and the International Society of Cellular Therapy (ISCT). Dr. Damen's current focus is on Educational Services, where she advises on and provides training courses for the integration of Hematopoietic Products, Assays, Protocols, and Instruments.

• BMed.Sci, MBChB, MSc, PhD, FRCSConsultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Ethicist.
 
• Department of Community Medicine and Behavioural Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University

Martin L. Olsson received his M.D. in 1991 and Ph.D. in 1997 from Lund University in Sweden where he is a Professor and Senior Consultant in Transfusion Medicine and the Medical Director of the Nordic Reference Laboratory since 2001. He was a Visiting Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School in 2003-2008 and recently served as Vice and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University. His main clinical and research interest is the molecular genetics of blood groups and their functional roles in health and disease. Prof. Olsson has a long list of peer-reviewed articles, is a frequently invited speaker and co-author of the popular Blood Group Antigen FactsBook. His many awards include prestigious prizes from AABB, BBTS and ISBT. He was President of ISBT from 2018 to 2020 and is currently President of the Swedish Society of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine.

Salwa is, Professor in Hematology & Transfusion MedicineShe had her MRCPath in Hematology 1999 and Certificate in Transfusion Medicine2000 and FRCPath on 2007.President of Saudi society of Friends of Thalassemia & Sickle Cell AnaemiaFormer Haematology & Transfusion Medicine Consultant at King Abdalaziz UniversityPart time consultant at Blood Transfusion Services Center, MOHPresident of Saudi Society of Transfusion Medicine & servicesShe is a Member of WHO ECBS (Expert Committee for Biological Standardization), Member of Advisory Panel of blood Regulation Availability and Safety (AGBRAS),. Chief Scientific Officer and Vice president of Saudi Society of Transfusion Medicine.Salwa is a member of AABB Committee for Global Standard, a member in ISBT Global Safety Working Group and member in ISBT Hemovigilance working party. an executive committee member for ISBT-ATMF (Arabic Speaking Transfusion Medicine Forum) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.She is the Guest editor for Transfusion special edition from Middle East, a member in Editorial Board of Asian Journal of Transfusion Science, Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohematology (www.ajts.org). She is a reviewer for Applied Hematology Journal, Saudi Arabia.She is an American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Assessor and College of American Pathology (CAP) Inspector. She has intrest in Haemovigilance, Accreditation, Blood Safety and CORONA viruses researches. She had a lot of publication and engaged in many researches, Scientific Committees Member, Chairperson and speaker in many international Conferences. Presented more than 100 presentations nationally and worldwide.Academic DevelopmentCourses Attended:1. LMI courses on Leadership, Jeddah 2013.2. Enhancing Student Learning through effective teaching University of Florida, USA January 2010.3. Developing Leaders in Healthcare Education 12-15 July 2009 The British Medical Association, UK.Society Memberships: AABB (American Association of Blood Banks) ISBT (International Society of Blood Transfusion) RCPath (Royal College of Pathologist) SSTM (Saudi Society of Transfusion Medicine) Saudi Society for Thalassemia and Sickle cell Anaemia PatientsAcademic Activities:Involved in: Postgraduate teaching Involve in Diploma teaching, MSc student Supervision and fellowship program Undergraduate teaching Continuous Education in Transfusion Medicine.

He graduated from the University of York in 1998 with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and was awarded his PhD from the University of Nottingham in 1991. He is a chartered health and occupational psychologist, a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and co-founding president of the British Society for the Psychology of Individual Differences (www.bspid.org.uk/). He was elected as a Distinguished International Affiliate of Division of Health Psychology of the American Psychological Society in 2014. He is an associate scientific member of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) collaboration He sits on and advises committees on blood donor policy. He is a member of the NHS Blood and Transplant 'For the Individual Assessment of Risk' (FAIR) Steering group, where he heads up the behavioural science research. This work on FAIR has contributed to UK policy changes to donor selection policy with respect to enhanced equality around (i) sexuality and sexual behaviour and (ii) donors from minority communities. He is also a steering group member of the "Blood Donation and HIV International Expert Reference Group (BHIERG)" for the: New Zealand Blood Service. He won the University's Institute of Policy and Engagement Best Policy Impact Initiative award in 2022 for the FAIR work and was awarded the Vice-Chancellors Medal 2022.

She has dedicated her professional life to the study of Immunohematology and Blood Group Genetics, with the goal of providing the safest and most effective transfusion treatments for a wide range of patients. Her academic journey has taken her through several prestigious university centers, and her professional career has been enriched by international collaborations that have deepened and expanded her expertise. Thanks to this experience, she and her team established Italy’s first registry of rare blood donors and founded the Regional Rare Blood Bank and Reference Center for the Lombardy Region, specializing in the resolution of both simple and complex red cell and platelet immunohematology cases. She has also been actively involved in numerous research projects within her operational unit and is a co-author of several scientific publications in the field.

Prof. Dr. Rada Milos Grubovic Rastvorceva, MD MSci PhD is Consultant in Transfusion Medicine and Hematology. She is Scientific Program Manager at European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) at the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Goce Delcev University, Stip, N. Macedonia. Dr. Grubovic is Chair of the ISBT Blood Supply Management Working Party. She has been President of Macedonian Society for Transfusion Medicine and Chief Medical Officer of Institute for Transfusion Medicine of RNM in Skopje, N. Macedonia. Dr. Grubovic was awarded with Princes of Wales Memorial Award by the British Blood Transfusion Society, Fulbright Scholarship by the US Department of State, Award for Scientific Contribution in the Field of Medical Sciences and Certificate of Recognition for Scientific Productivity by the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Goce Delcev, Stip, N. Macedonia and many other domestic and international recognitions. She has more than 20 years working experience in the transfusion medicine field and extensive research experience in clinical transfusion, blood donation, apheresis, blood safety and supply, cellular therapy, transplantation medicine, quality management and etc. She gained additional research experience at King’s College Hospital, London, UK and University of California Los Angeles, USA. She was National Project Manager of the EU IPA project “Strengthening of the Blood Safety System” and collaborator of EBA at EU projects SUPPORT-E and SUPPLY. Dr. Grubovic was a national representative in European Committee on Blood Transfusion at EDQM, Council of Europe and in European Commission on SoHO (bilateral screening chapter 28) and institutional representative and board member of European Blood Alliance (EBA). She was advisor of Macedonian Minister of Health 2012-2015 and was a founder and Project Leader of National COVID-19 convalescent plasma program (PI – trial NCT04397523). She participated in numerous research projects and authored and coauthored more than 250 scientific publications. Dr. Grubovic is a member of ISBT, AABB, ISCT, MMA, MMC, MSTM and editorial board member and reviewer in more than 20 international medical journals.

Dr. Oumeziane obtained her medical degree in 1988 from Algiers university- faculty of medicine and trained in hem pathology and transfusion medicine in Algiers Hospital University where she obtained her post-graduation degree in 1993Dr Oumeziane Has more than 25 years’ records of achievement and demonstrated success in leading managing and delivering services in blood banking her extensive and varied experience within a variety of blood services, including providing support /advice to the Clinical team.Dr Naima oumeziane is currently the medical director of Abu Dhabi blood bank/ a Seha entity. Prior to this she was working for the UAE ministry of health as the laboratory and quality manager of Abu Dhabi central blood bank from 2000-2005 and served as a member of the UAE supreme national blood transfusion committee for more than 10 years.

Dr. Gopal Patidar, MD, Additional Professor, Department of Transfusion Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Chairperson, ISBT Haemovigilance Working Party

Dr. Yuyun Siti Maryuningsih SoedarmonoMedical Doctor with specialization in Transfusion Medicine and a doctorate in Biomedical Sciences, leading the blood system program, under the Product Standards, Specifications and Nomenclature Unit, Medicine and Health Products Policies and Standards Department, WHO Headquarters Role: to manage the development of global written and measurement standards in the field of blood transfusion and assist Member States in improving their blood system.

Brian Custer is the Director of Vitalant Research Institute in San Francisco, a Senior Vice President of Research and Scientific Programs at Vitalant, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. He holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and PhD in Health Outcomes Research from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is the chair of the ISBT Transfusion Transmitted Infectious Diseases Working Party, an Associate Editor for Transfusion, and member of several AABB committees. He is a principal investigator of several US NHLBI and FDA-funded national and international research studies and has authored over 250 publications.

Dr. Marcus Picard-Maureau holds the position of a Senior Scientific Affairs Director International at Cerus Europe B.V., Amersfoort, The Netherlands, since 2015, focusing on blood safety in transfusion medicine. He holds a Master of Science in biology and a PhD in molecular virology from the University of Wuerzburg, Germany. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rudolf-Virchow-Center for Experimental Biomedicine in the molecular virology group, he became lecturer and junior research group leader at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, working in the virology department. In 2010 he joined the scientific affairs team of Abbott Laboratories in Wiesbaden, Germany, supporting new molecular diagnostic tools for microbial pathogens. He is member of AABB, ISBT, ESCMID and the German Society for Virology (GFV).

Dr. Hanan Alawadhi is a Consultant Hematopathologist and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, with a dedicated interest in transfusion medicine. Dr. Hanan obtained her M.D. from Kuwait University’s Faculty of Medicine and completed her postgraduate training at the University of Ottawa, earning Canadian Board Certification in Hematological Pathology.

She currently serves as the Medical Director of Kuwait Blood Administration Services where she oversees Kuwait’s national blood supply and plays a key role in advancing national transfusion practices.

She is also the Program Director for the Hematological Pathology Postgraduate Training Program where she is the leading force in shaping the next generation of hematopathologists. She leads curriculum development, mentorship, and training initiatives that integrate the latest advances in laboratory medicine, transfusion science, and clinical diagnostics.

Her leadership played a key role in advancing transfusion services, improving clinical practices, and shaping medical education in hematology and transfusion medicine.

Dr. Aziza Hammadi is a physician specialising in transfusion medicine, holding an M.D. and postgraduate qualifications in Transfusion Medicine, as well as a University Diploma in transfusion safety. With experience in transfusion medicine since 2003, she currently serves at a government institution as a specialist in transfusion medicine. Her professional focus encompasses the comprehensive pillars of transfusion medicine: donor recruitment, blood donation promotion, collection, testing, component processing, storage, patient blood management, quality management, hemovigilance, transfusion safety, regulatory affairs, and governance implementation.Dr. Hammadi currently serves as President of the Arab Transfusion Medicine Forum (ATMF) and is an active member of several international transfusion medicine professional organizations, including the ISBT International Society of Blood Transfusion, Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), the British Blood Transfusion Society (BBTS), the Asia Association of Transfusion Medicine (AATM); and the African Society of Blood Transfusion (AfSBT), Her current interests include advancing blood safety protocols through the utilization of artificial intelligence to enhance transfusion safety practices and foster international cooperation in transfusion medicine.

• Clinical Hematologist and Thrombosis Specialist Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital

• Chairman of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
• Director of Blood Bank & Transfusion Medicine
• Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Peyrard is a PharmD, PhD, and European Specialist in Laboratory Medicine, with 30 years of experience in transfusion medicine and blood banking. Until September 2024, he was the Director of the National Reference Department of Immunohematology and Rare Blood, at the French Blood Establishment (EFS) in Paris, France. He is now the so-called “Responsible Person” at the French Blood Establishment national headquarters, in charge of the quality and safety of blood products. He is also the national Director of Medical Affairs and Research. In addition, Dr. Peyrard serves as a Director of research in a joint research unit (UMR_S1134 BIGR), involving the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, University of Paris City & University of Antilles, and EFS, within a group whose main topics focus on immunohematological safety in patients with sickle cell disease, and characterization of new blood group systems and antigens. He regularly teaches immunohematology and transfusion medicine at various universities in Paris. He authored or co-authored 100 peer-reviewed publications and actively contributed to the discovery of 10 human blood group systems and molecular characterization of 15 red cell antigens. Dr. Peyrard is a full member of the French National Academy of Pharmacy, as the representant of the immunohematology and blood transfusion fields. He is the Past-Chair of the ISBT Working Party on Immunohematology, Vice-Chair of the ISBT Working Party on Rare Donors, and member of the executive committee of the ISBT Working Party on Red Cell Immunogenetics and Blood Group Terminology. Dr. Peyrard is Associate Editor of Transfusion, the official Journal of the AABB.

Maha Badawi obtained her MBBS degree from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She then completed postgraduate training in internal medicine, hematology, and transfusion medicine at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC). Maha returned to Jeddah in 2014 and currently works as an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University.

She is the director of Blood Transfusion Services in King Abdulaziz University Hospital. Maha completed Masters in Health Professions Education in 2020, and is currently the program director for the adult hematology fellowship program in her training center. She is a member of the Hematology Research Unit in King Fahd Medical Research Center at King Abdulaziz University, and is a member of multiple committees in the Ministry of Health and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. She also joined ISBT Academy Standing Committee in 2018. Maha’s research interests include hemoglobinopathies, donor motivation, and blood utilization.

Dr. Arwa Al Riyami, a senior consultant of haematology at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), has received the ‘Harold Gunson Award’ from the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) for her research work shedding light on the impact of pandemic on blood bank workers.

Dr. Arwa has nearly 60 scientific researches in the field of blood transfusion and haematology.

Dr. Fung is Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Vermont. He has been a Trustee of the ABPath since 2021 and his current responsibilities include Chairperson, Test Development & Advisory Committee for Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine; Chairperson, Test Development & Advisory Committee for ABPath CertLink Clinical Pathology; Chairperson, Finance and Audit Committee; and Chairperson, Ethics and Professionalism Committee.

Dr. Fung earned his B.A. in Biology from Wesleyan University. He received both his M.D. degree and Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He completed two years of residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Washington University in St Louis before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh to complete his residency training and fellowship training in Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine. Dr. Fung is board certified in Clinical Pathology and Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine and is participating in the Continuing Certification Program.

Education:

• Graduated from faculty of medicine, Kasr El-Eini, Cairo University, Egypt, 1987
• Master of Clinical and Chemical pathology, Kasr El-Eini, Cairo, Egypt, 1992
• MD of immunology, Kasr El-Eini, Cairo, Egypt, 2005

Experience:

• Clinical Pathology at Al-Sahel Educational Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
• Clinical Pathology at Cairo Kidney Center, Egypt
• Kuwait central blood bank; October 2005 till now
• Immunohematology department; January 2007 till 2013
• Head of Stock Management and Hospital Liaison Departments; 2013 till now

Dr. Khadija Lahjouji is a medical doctor and senior expert in transfusion medicine and transfusion safety, with over 25 years of experience. She is the former Director of the Moroccan National Blood Transfusion Center and the immediate past President of the Arab Authority for Blood Transfusion Services. Currently, she serves as Head of Cooperation at the Moroccan Agency for Blood and Blood Derived Products. Dr. Lahjouji is also Vice-President of the Moroccan Society of Transfusion Medicine and a board member of both the Francophone society of blood transfusion (SFTS)and Arab Transfusion Medicine Forum(ATMF). She has actively contributed to national and regional initiatives in blood safety, plasma fractionation, hemovigilance,and related fields, and was honored with the Arab Award for Blood Transfusion Services in 2018.

• Dr. Eman Monir earned her MBBCh from Zagazig University in 2006 and completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Pathology in 2016
• She began her career in 2008 as resident at the Zagazig Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Egypt, where she became head of the Quality Management department in 2014
• In 2018, she joined Kuwait Central Blood Bank, where she has worked in both the Donation and Hospital Liaison departments and acts as a senior member of the Stock Management Team
• Since December 2021, she has been the Whole Blood Donation Supervisor at Kuwait Central Blood Bank.

Ruchika Goel MD MPH is board-certified in Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine. Her training included a pediatrics residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins, and Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, and the New York Blood Center

Ruchika is a member of the Hematology-Oncology faculty at the Simmons Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University. She is also Associate Medical Director of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pathology in the Division of Transfusion Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Ruchika has received multiple awards for her medical research, and has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and books in both Transfusion Medicine and Pediatrics. She serves on the AABB Clinical Transfusion Medicine Committee (contributing to the article discussed in episode 055CE of this podcast), the AABB Pediatric Subsection Committee, and the ISBT Clinical Transfusion Pediatric Group Working Party.

M.D., Ph.D., and clinical hematologist at the Besançon University Hospital in France until 2009, Pierre Tiberghien has directed a regional blood establishment within the Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS), the French transfusion public service. Professor of medicine.

(Immunology) at the Marie and Louis Pasteur University in Besançon, he has lead a research laboratory focused on immune interactions and cellular therapies. Pierre Tiberghien was director of medicine and research at EFS headquarters in Paris from 2009 to 2017 and is currently senior advisor for European and international medical and scientific affairs. Pierre Tiberghien is President of the European Blood Alliance.

BSC in Medical Technology Laboratory Science 1992, Appointed as a Medical Laboratory Technology Kuwait Central Blood Bank, Ministry of health Since 1992, Medical technologist in Virology Laboratory 1996 Acting Deputy of Administrational Affairs of Central Blood Bank 2005, Head of Quality Management & Continuing Education Department 2006, Assessor for AABB Accreditation program since 2007, Member in the ASTD 2008, Quality management and Safety Manager 2009, Chairperson for Private Blood Banks Laboratories committee 2009, member in the ISPT 2009

• 2016 – 2022: Vice President Marketing & Strategic Purchase – HUMAN Gesellschaft für Biochemica und Diagnostica mbH, Wiesbaden
• 2012 – 2016: Head of Customer Segment Marketing / Business Partners – Roche Diagnostics International, Rotkreuz, Switzerland
• 2011 – 2012: Vice President Marketing & Support – Roche Diagnostics International Agencies, Mannheim
• 2009 – 2011: Head of Marketing & Support Central Lab and Decentralized Testing – Roche Diagnostics International Agencies, Mannheim
• 2007 – 2009: Head of Roche Molecular Diagnostics & Applied Science – Roche Diagnostics International Agencies, Mannheim
• 2006 – 2007: Senior Marketing Manager Strategic Marketing – Roche Diagnostics Germany, Mannheim
• 2004 – 2006: Senior Marketing Manager Molecular Diagnostics – Roche Diagnostics Germany, Mannheim
• 2001 – 2004: Key Account Manager Bloodbanks and IVD Laboratories – Roche Diagnostics Germany, Mannheim
• 1995 – 2001: Product & Marketing Manager Research Products – Boehringer Mannheim, Germany
• 1992 – 1995: Scientific Assistant / PhD Thesis – DKFZ (German Cancer Research Centre), Heidelberg