Investigating the systems used to determine blood groups in the UK and validating a new system to ascertain human blood groups to a clinical standard

Summary

Over 1000 DNA variants have been identified underlying the clinically relevant blood groups of people. The aim of the project is to find out whether blood groups can be determined equally well at the level of the DNA (genotyping) as by agglutination of red blood cells (phenotyping). This study is important to improve the level of matching for rare blood groups in patients who require frequent and sometimes lifelong transfusion support.

The Blood Group Genomics study is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, NHS Blood and Transplant, The Sanquin Blood Foundation and Affymetrix.