Mon Sep 16 16:16:36 UTC 2024: ## NHS Scientists Uncover New Blood Group, Solving 50-Year-Old Mystery and Potentially Saving Thousands of Lives
**Filton, UK** – A team of scientists at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying a new blood group system called MAL. This revelation solves a 50-year-old mystery surrounding the AnWj blood group antigen, previously discovered in 1972 but poorly understood.
The newly developed test will be a lifesaver for patients who would have adverse reactions to blood transfusions, making it easier to find compatible donors for those with rare blood types. The test also has the potential to impact the lives of hundreds of patients around the world who require blood transfusions annually.
Louise Tilley, a senior research scientist at NHSBT, who dedicated 20 years to this project, stated, “This discovery means better care can be offered to rare patients.”
Philip Brown, a recipient of blood transfusions and bone marrow transplant, emphasizes the importance of this breakthrough: “Anything we can do to make our blood much safer and a better match for patients is a definite step in the right direction.”
Nicole Thornton, Head of the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory at NHSBT, highlighted the immense effort involved in the project: “There is so much work that goes into proving that a gene does actually encode a blood group antigen, but it is what we are passionate about, making these discoveries for the benefit of rare patients around the world.”
The discovery has significant global implications, as NHSBT serves as a reference lab for countries worldwide, providing crucial antibodies for research and diagnostics. The team is already working on new projects that could lead to the identification of additional blood group systems, further advancing our understanding of blood groups and improving patient care.
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