Journeys in research: Canadian Blood Services’ trainee Carina Paredes shares her story

Congratulations to Carina Paredes who successfully defended her PhD thesis this month, October 2025. Dr. Paredes received a Canadian Blood Services Graduate Fellowship Program award for her research on “Transcriptome analyses of Staphylococcus aureus grown in platelet concentrates with focus on virulence” and has been a member of Dr. Sandra Ramirez-Arcos' Lab located in Ottawa since 2020.

Through personal reflections, photos, and quotes, this story offers a glimpse into the meaningful contributions of emerging researchers and the value of mentorship, collaboration, and purpose-driven science. Join us in celebrating her achievement and Canadian Blood Services trainee experience, described below in her own words.

My name is Carina Paredes, and I joined Canadian Blood Services in 2020 as an M.Sc. student affiliated with University of Ottawa in the Microbiology and Immunology program under the supervision of Dr. Sandra Ramirez-Arcos. In 2021, I transferred to the PhD program, and I was granted a Canadian Blood Services Graduate Fellowship Award. I successfully defended my PhD thesis entitled “Transcriptome analyses of Staphylococcus aureus grown in platelet concentrates with focus on virulence” on October 16^th, 2025. The most important findings of my research work were recently published, and my work was featured on the cover of the July issue of the Antibiotics journal and in the recent Canadian Blood Services July R.E.D. blog in the “Spotlight on select publications” section. 

“My PhD research data have prompted further investigation on antibiotic resistance and virulence in S. aureus. Overall, I have advanced knowledge on the complex processes involved in platelet-bacteria interactions in the unique platelet concentrate storage environment, which could be used to propose mechanisms for the prevention of septic transfusion reactions involving bacterially contaminated platelet concentrates.” 

During my time as a trainee, I was given the opportunity to participate in several internal events organized by Canadian Blood Services, both as a member of organizing committees and as an engaged participant. I was a member of the organizing committee for the Monthly Science Seminar Series meetings in 2023 and 2024, and I also participated in the Canadian Blood Services’ Research Day in 2023 and was a member of the organizing committee in 2024. 

“My time at Canadian Blood Services has been more than an academic chapter - it has been a journey of discovery, resilience, and growth, that has significantly broadened my research scope, enriched my academic portfolio, and reshaped my interests in science. Canadian Blood Services stands out as an exceptional workplace, and it was a privilege to conduct my research studies with the invaluable and continuous support of colleagues and trainees of the Microbiology Lab.” 

Furthermore, I have showcased my work at the University of Ottawa, Canadian Blood Services, and multiple microbiology and transfusion relevant conferences in Canada and abroad, including a Biofilms Conference in 2021 (USA), the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine in 2023 and 2024 (Canada), the International Society for Transfusion Medicine congresses in 2020 and 2024 (Spain), and the International Virtual Conference on Staphylococcal Infections in 2023 and 2025. I would like to highlight that I won 1st place in the 2024 Graduate Student Seminar Day competition of the University of Ottawa. Due to my contributions to science, I was awarded a Scholarship by the Federation of Portuguese and Canadian Business and Professional (FPCBP) Inc. in 2024. 

As I pursued my PhD degree, I felt compelled to engage in social programs that benefitted my community. I joined the Luis de Camões Portuguese School where I have been teaching Portuguese to children on weekends since December 2023.  

 “I am truly grateful to our generous blood donors and the netCAD Blood4Research program for providing blood components used in my studies. I also appreciate the financial support I have received from Canadian Blood Services, including its competitive funding programs like the Graduate Fellowship Program.” 

Canadian Blood Services – Driving world-class innovation  

Through discovery, development and applied research, Canadian Blood Services drives world-class innovation in blood transfusion, cellular therapy and transplantation—bringing clarity and insight to an increasingly complex healthcare future. Our dedicated research team and extended network of partners engage in exploratory and applied research to create new knowledge, inform and enhance best practices, contribute to the development of new services and technologies, and build capacity through training and collaboration. Find out more about our research impact.   

The opinions reflected in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Canadian Blood Services nor do they reflect the views of Health Canada or any other funding agency.