Haematology

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

Lead

People

Network

Projects

Professor Christopher Ward

Northern Blood Research
Senior Staff Specialist and Director of Research
Department of Haematology, RNSH
Medicine, Northern Clinical School

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

Shane Kirk

Project Officer

Ameya Hanamshet

Molecular Haematology Fellow

Helen Impey

Quality Officer

Tsun (Carol) Tse

Registered Nurse

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.

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