Member Spotlight Q&A

What started your interest in Blood Transfusion?

Well! This is an interesting story. My interest in blood transfusion was unexpectedly triggered during my internship in medical school, following an incident that eventually turned into my calling. A co-intern and I were posted in the pediatric ward and engrossed in our daily routine that also involved taking care of all transfusions during our shift. A unit of blood was placed at a patient’s bedside on the over bed table probably by staff that awaited transfusion. My co-intern assumed it was for that patient and, without verifying, started the transfusion.

A few minutes in, the pediatric postgraduate (PG) on duty walked in, asked us for the details, and all three of us realized what was happening. That sinking feeling of impending doom hit us - we knew we’d just authored a textbook blunder, and the scolding was already warming up and en route. He rushed to stop the transfusion. By some stroke of luck, the unit was B Rh D positive and the patient was AB Rh D positive averting an adverse transfusion reaction, but an incident was surely reported.

We were just interns at the time, and while the PG took responsibility, the whole situation could’ve ended very differently. That incident made me deeply curious: how did that mismatch not cause harm? What makes a transfusion compatible, or dangerous? Back then, there was no structured training curriculum on transfusion safety, compatibility, or transfusion science during our undergraduate years and we usually skipped it due to the elective nature of transfusion services posting. That experience left me with a mix of curiosity concern and an everlasting memory. So, I personally refer to it as an “An incident that ignited interest and eventually turned into a calling.”

How did this interest develop and what are your main topics of interest now?

Following that early incident during my internship, my interest in transfusion medicine gradually evolved. During my MD and subsequent experience in TM, I developed a deeper appreciation for the critical role transfusion science plays in patient care far beyond simply issuing and transfusing blood components. Over time, hands-on experience in immunohematology, therapeutic apheresis, hematopoietic stem cell harvest, quality assurance etc. further solidified my interest. Currently, my main areas of expertise are apheresis sciences, Patient Blood Management and Immunohematology. I am also deeply engaged in quality improvement and research in Transfusion Medicine.

What have been the most rewarding times in your career?

The year 2024 has undoubtedly been the most defining and rewarding year of my career so far. It began in February with being selected for the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Clinical Research Training Institute–Asia Pacific (CRTI-APAC) in Sydney, Australia. This four day workshop was not only an incredible learning experience, but it also marked my first solo international trip, making it personally close to my heart.

In June, I had the privilege of being invited as a “speaker” at the 38th International ISBT Congress in Barcelona, Spain. September marked another milestone, I was honoured with the “Global Investigator Award” by LMCE (Laboratory Medicine Congress & Exhibition) and the 65th KSLM (Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine) Annual Meeting Seoul, South Korea. In November, I was nominated to the Academic Council of my university, a role that allows me to contribute to institutional strategy and medical education. Finally, the year closed with 2nd Prize for Poster Presentation at a national symposium on Neonatal and Pediatric Transfusion Practices at PGICH, Noida, India in December. “I look back on 2024 with immense gratitude—a year where dedication met opportunity and turned into unforgettable milestones.”