Devine, Dana

Dana Devine has a longstanding research career in blood products, transfusion medicine, platelet biology, complement biochemistry, and blood coagulation. Her experimental focus in transfusion medicine is in blood product processing and storage. Through the application of proteomics technology, Dr. Devine studies the impact of storage on platelet concentrate quality. She has investigated the biochemical signaling pathways involved in the development of the platelet storage lesion and developed potential interventions to reduce the deterioration of platelet quality during storage. Dr. Devine is interested in platelet apoptosis as it relates to stored platelets and in other functions of platelets – particularly their ability to translate proteins. Her research findings provide evidence-based data on which new methods may be developed to improve platelet quality to benefit transfused patients. In the area of red blood cells (RBC), Dr. Devine has examined how the timing of irradiation of RBC units affects the amount of cellular damage. Dr. Devine’s research also includes a significant component of applied development work with projects related to practical solutions to issues arising in the manufacture of blood products including process control and quality enhancement through modification of production processes or through understanding more about the significance of the variability of donor characteristics. A better understanding of the effect of manufacturing procedures, donor characteristics and other factors on the quality of blood products will lead to improvements in product quality and ultimately patient care.

• Member of the Research Advisory Committee, Australian Red Cross Blood Service 
• Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, Vitalant Research Institute (San Francisco) 
• Member of the Medical Advisory Committee, American Red Cross 
• Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, BloodWorks Northwest 
• Team Co-Leader, Conventional Components Team, Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative 
• Chair, R&D Leaders Group, Alliance of Blood Operators 
• Member, Board of Directors, AABB 
• Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences