The Big Data Working Party brings together ISBT members with documented expertise or active interest in big data, omics, donor research, recipient outcomes, epidemiology, transfusion data infrastructure, and public health use of donor data and samples. During the reporting period, the Working Party drew participation from a broad international network represented through its meetings, presentations, and collaborations.
Chairperson and committee
Chairs: Christian Erikstrup (Australia) and Angelo D'Alessandro (United States)
Vicechair: Antoine Lewin (Canada)
Membership
The Working Party currently comprises 57 members from 23 countries. 11 members were welcomed in the reporting period.
Meetings
The WP held its first meeting during the ISBT Congress in Milan. The meeting was structured as two linked scientific sessions, reflecting the Working Party’s aim to connect large scale clinical, donor, recipient, epidemiological, and omics based approaches in transfusion medicine.
The first session, From Clinical Epidemiology to Transfusion Outcomes, included six presentations:
- Professor Simon Stanworth - NHSBT, UK : An update on data-enabled strategies for transfusion practice in UK, and the PETRA programme in Europe
- Professor Ruchika Goel - Johns Hopkins University and Vitalant Corporate Medical Affair, USA: Machine Learning and Perioperative Thrombotic Events in Transfusion Recipients: Michelle Fransen - Director in the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association, USA
- Michelle Fransen - Director in the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association, USA: Associations Between Frequent Plasmapheresis, Biomarkers, and Health Outcomes: A 2-Year National Prospective Cohort Study Protocol
- Senior Director Mars Stone – Vitalant Research Institute, USA: Pandemic Pivot to Preparedness: Evolving Blood Donor Surveillance to Track Emerging Respiratory Threats
- Dr. Antoine Lewin - Hema-Quebec, Canada: Vein-to-vein databases: uses and considerations in transfusion research and a focus on a Canadian initiative
- Bertram Kjerulff - Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark: Sequential data and new initiatives in The Danish Blood Donor Study
The second session, From Omics to Molecular Epidemiology, included six presentations:
- Dr. Grier Page - RTI International, USA: GWAS studies on hemolysis and metabolism in REDS RBC Omics
- Brian Custer – Director of Vitalant Research Institute, USA: Update on the REDS-IV-P RBC-IMPACT study
- Mikko Arvas – senior scientist Finnish Red Cross, Finland: Blood Service Biobank – 8 years of experience from Finland
- Tamir Kanias – investigator Vitalant Research Institute, USA: Big data for big muscles – How does the heterogeneity in androgen levels among male donors impact donor health and the quality of red blood cell products
- Professor Emanuele Di Angelantonio - NHSBT, University of Cambridge, UK: Big data and donor health – NHSBT perspective
- Katja van den Hurk - Head of Donor Studies at Sanquin, the Netherlands: Genetic (and other) determinants of iron and RBC parameter trajectories in whole blood donors
The Milan sessions demonstrated the breadth of current big data research in transfusion medicine, including donor health, vein to vein databases, machine learning, blood component quality, plasma donation, infectious disease surveillance, biobanking, omics, and molecular epidemiology. The meeting was used to identify future priorities for the WP and to discuss how the group can provide a platform for exchange, collaboration, and educational activities.
January 12, 2026, virtual: Scientific presentation:
Presenter: Dr. Nareg Roubinian, MD, PHD, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
Dr. Nareg Roubinian is a Senior Physician in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Kaiser Permanente Oakland and Richmond Medical Centers. He is also has an extensive background in research.
Title: Donor SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination and transfusion outcomes in recipients of platelet and plasma products
The presentation highlighted the value of linked donor and recipient data for addressing clinically relevant questions that cannot be answered through conventional surveillance alone. The general discussion focused on the need for upcoming meetings to show the full breadth of big data applications, from donor cohorts and recipient outcomes to omics, infectious disease surveillance, and artificial intelligence.
March 2, 2026, virtual: Scientific presentations:
- STRategies to Improve Donor ExperienceS (STRIDES) - Emanuele Di Angelantonio, Professor, University of Cambridge and NHSBT, UK
- Deep latent variable modelling reveals clinically significant subgroups among transfusion recipients - Elissa Peltola, Data Engineer, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
- Segmented Machine Learning to Study Peri-Operative Red Blood Cell Transfusions and Associations with Venous Thromboembolism - Ruchika Goel, Professor, Hematology/Oncology, SIU School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University and Na Li, Associate Professor, University of Calgary, Canada
The meeting continued the Working Party’s exchange of experience across institutions and methods.
Activities during the period
During the reporting period, the Big Data WP moved from establishment into active scientific exchange, building a shared community around large scale donor and recipient data, omics, biobanking, machine learning, artificial intelligence, donor surveillance, and vein to vein research. Scientific sessions, virtual meetings, the Transfusion Today article series, and a review on big data and artificial intelligence in transfusion medicine helped define the WP’s scope and increase its visibility. The period also identified strong opportunities for collaboration with other ISBT Working Parties and external initiatives, particularly on harmonised data structures, donor biobank use, public health surveillance, and responsible implementation of artificial intelligence.
Working Party Publications
During the reporting period, the Big Data WP moved from establishment into active scientific exchange, building a shared community around large scale donor and recipient data, omics, biobanking, machine learning, artificial intelligence, donor surveillance, and vein to vein research. Scientific sessions, virtual meetings, the Transfusion Today article series, and a review on big data and artificial intelligence in transfusion medicine helped define the WP’s scope and increase its visibility. The period also identified strong opportunities for collaboration with other ISBT Working Parties and external initiatives, particularly on harmonised data structures, donor biobank use, public health surveillance, and responsible implementation of artificial intelligence.
Challenges and Opportunities
The main challenge for the Big Data WP is also its major opportunity: the field is highly diverse, with members working across donor cohorts, recipient databases, laboratory data, omics platforms, machine learning, epidemiology, and public health surveillance. This diversity provides scientific strength, but it also requires a clear structure for collaboration. Data governance, differences in national legislation, and heterogeneity of data remain important barriers. Future development will require focused subgroups and close collaboration with other ISBT Working Parties.
Summary
During April 2025 to March 2026, the Big Data WP focused on establishing its activities and creating opportunities for scientific exchange. The WP held an in person meeting in Milan and two virtual meetings, covering topics such as donor studies, recipient outcomes, vein to vein databases, biobanking, omics, infectious disease surveillance, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The WP also contributed to a Transfusion Today article series and a review on big data and artificial intelligence in transfusion medicine. These activities helped clarify the scope of the WP and identified areas where future collaboration may be developed.
