Jason Acker

Dr. Jason Acker is a Senior Research Scientist with Canadian Blood Services and a Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. His research program focuses on understanding the response of cells, tissues and organs to ex vivo storage and the development of methods for their preservation and use as therapeutic products. Dr. Acker’s team applies scientific and technical evidence to support innovative changes in blood product manufacturing, storage and utilization at Canadian Blood Services. Dr. Acker leads efforts to assess new technology, products and processes that can improve the efficiency, quality and safety of blood and cell therapy product manufacturing. 

Research areas

• component production
• cryopreservation
• red blood cell biology
• cryobiology
• blood product process development and quality 

Awards

• King Charles III Coronation Medal, 2025
• Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, 2023
• Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, 2022
• Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Tier 1 Basic Science Award for Excellence in Mentoring, 2020
• Fellow of the Society for Cryobiology, 2019
• Graduate Student Supervisor Award, University of Alberta, 2019
• Killam Annual Professorship, University of Alberta, 2018
• Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Staff Recognition Award, 2018
• Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine - Ortho Award, 2017
• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012

Other appointments

• Co-Chair, Conventional Components Committee and member, Executive Committee, Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative, 2023–current. 
• Member and treasurer, Blood Component Working Party, International Society for Blood Transfusion, 2021–current. 
• Associate editor, Transfusion, 2018–current. 
• Member and chair, Research Committee, Alberta Transplant Institute, 2017–current.  
• Member, editorial board, Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy, 2013–current. 
• Member, editorial board, Biopreservation and Biobanking, 2009–current. 
• Member, editorial board, CryoLetters, 2008–current.  
• Member, editorial board, Cryobiology, 2004–current. 

Research interests

Dr. Jason Acker’s research focus is on understanding the biological response of cells to low temperatures, and has allowed him to contribute to the design of new methods for the long-term storage of cell-based therapeutics, tissues and organs. Understanding the changes that occur in blood cells during collection, isolation, clinical utilization and storage is important to the development of improved methods for the banking of cell-based therapeutics. The research undertaken by Dr. Acker and his lab leverages the unique opportunities and capabilities in Canada to support activities that allow his lab to develop tools and products that have improved clinical outcomes. Dr. Acker’s team has developed better methods for evaluating the impact that blood donor factors, manufacturing and storage have on the quality of cell therapeutics which has informed policies and practices around their appropriate use.