Research opportunities in transfusion medicine.

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Abstract
In recent years, the translation of basic research in transfusion medicine has led to development of novel cellular therapies using well-characterized cell populations isolated from either bone marrow or blood (eg, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, T lymphocytes, dendritic cells). Refinements in cell therapies will make possible optimal stem cell engraftment, gene therapy, immunotherapy of cancer and infectious disease, and even solid organ regeneration. Moreover, the immune consequences of transfusion therapy are better appreciated and opportunities are at hand to prevent or blunt unwanted immune responses, such as platelet refractoriness and graft-vs-host disease. Transfusion medicine has become a broad, multidisciplinary field that has evolved beyond issues related to blood procurement and storage. The next series of advances in transfusion medicine will complement the current approaches of donor blood screening and viral/bacterial inactivation steps to ensure a safe and adequate blood supply.