The Northern Blood Research Centre is the research division of Royal North Shore Hospital’s Department of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine.
Our projects focus on improving patient care through a better understanding of clinical disorders. We run trials of new anti-cancer agents and immunotherapy to overcome drug resistance. We also examine cellular systems to model disease states.
Our group of clinicians, scientists and nurses run research programs in thrombosis and haemostasis, lymphoproliferative disorders, stem cell biology and transplant outcomes.
Our laboratory is an international reference centre for platelet disorders, and provides training for young clinicians and scientists establishing careers in haematology.
Eosinophilic leukaemia in a patient
Structure of the P2Y12 receptor
Team Lead
Professor Christopher Ward
Northern Blood Research
Senior Staff Specialist and Director of Research
Department of Haematology, RNSH
Medicine, Northern Clinical School
Team Members
Dr Chris Weir
Postdoctoral Scientist
Dr Marie-Christine Morel-Kopp
Postdoctoral Scientist
Clinical Professor William Stevenson
Clinical Associate Professor
Professor Stephen Mulligan
Senior Staff Specialist, Royal North Shore Hospital
Professor Ian Kerridge
Senior Staff Specialist, Royal North Shore Hospital
Dr David Rabbolini (Affiliate)
Clinical Senior Lecturer
Dr Grace Gifford
Hospital Scientist
Dr Wei Xia
Hospital scientist
Dr Li Jun Bai
Hospital scientist
Dr Matt Greenwood
Hospital Scientist
Walter Chen
Research Assistant
Eva Yip
Clinical Trials Nurse
Thomas Hunenburg
Masters Student
Yandong (Peter) Shen
Research Fellow
Ahmad Alcheikh
George Mason
Clinical Associate Lecturer
Shane Kirk
Project Officer
Ameya Hanamshet
Molecular Haematology Fellow
Helen Impey
Quality Officer
Tsun (Carol) Tse
Registered Nurse
- Molecular diagnosis of inherited platelet disorders – genotyping and laboratory validation of suspected pathogenic variants
- Targeted therapy of lymphoproliferative disorders (CLL and lymphoma) – biological risk factors and screening of new therapeutics
- Cancer vaccines in veterinary medicine – leading to early phase clinical trials in human patients
- Stem cell biology in transplant medicine, long-term outcomes in transplant survivors
The Department of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine is linked to the Northern Sydney Cancer Network. It provides patient care including stem cell transplants.
The Northern Blood Research Centre has joined with three other teaching hospitals in NSW to form the Sydney Platelet Group, providing an integrated diagnostic pathway for inherited platelet disorders.
Our laboratory performs targeted gene sequencing and protein analyses, run by Dr Marie-Christine Morel-Kopp. The Northern Blood Research Centre also provides platelet genotyping for referring clinicians throughout Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
Leukaemia and lymphoma studies at the Northern Blood Research Centre, led by Professors Stephen Mulligan and William Stevenson focus on the development of new therapeutics, as part of the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Australian Research Consortium.
The Cancer Vaccine programme led by Dr Chris Weir involves collaborations with the University of Sydney Veterinary School, Flinders University, Vaxine, University of Queensland Veterinary School and veterinary hospitals throughout Australia.
Clinical trials conducted by the Department of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine include international and national multicentre trials via the Australian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Study Group and Australian Myeloma Research Consortium.
