Trainee reflections from the Norman Bethune Symposium 2026

Our partnership with the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is helping to train the next generation of researchers in transfusion science. This blog post highlights just some of the achievements in education, training and knowledge mobilization accomplished by CBR trainees.   

On April 15, 2026, the Centre for Blood Research hosted their 14th annual Norman Bethune Symposium. This symposium – which takes place both in-person in Vancouver with a live link also available for virtual viewers – is a key knowledge exchange event that gathers scientists, clinicians, healthcare professionals, and trainees to discuss advancements in the field of blood research. In this post, two conference participants share their reflections and takeaways as trainees studying in the lab of Canadian Blood Services’ adjunct scientist, Dr. Syed Qadri, at Ontario Tech University.

Sonia Mirza

Master’s of Science candidate

Did you attend virtually or in-person?

I attended the 14th Norman Bethune Symposium (NBS) in person. It was a wonderful opportunity to also see the beautiful University of British Columbia campus.

Tell us about the research you presented at the event

As an early-career researcher, it was an incredible honour to be a plenary speaker and present a poster at this year’s NBS. I was able to share my work on the potential links between anemia and dementia, using hospital data. Specifically, I examined the demographic and clinical profiles of patients with dementia and anemia, compared to those without anemia. The ultimate aims of this study were to increase awareness of anemia, underscore its clinical significance, and mitigate the degree of cognitive impairment observed in high-risk populations.

Since this work took a different branch of blood-related research, it was illuminating to hear the diverse perspectives present in the audience, including bench scientists, physicians, and patients. Following the talk, a senior couple chatted with me about the value they saw in this research, given that several family members had experienced the challenges of anemia. These conversations always help to contextualize and ground my work, remembering that there are real lives attached to all of the numbers, and this research is for them.

What was the most exciting talk at the Symposium? 

All of the speakers at this year’s NBS had presented incredible work, whether on gene therapy, innovations in blood storage, or improving blood donor screening, to name a few. These talks were technical, but focused ultimately on improving hematological health outcomes. For example, CRISPR technology revolutionized how we approached genetic disorders, including thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder which alters red cells’ production of hemoglobin.

It was then amazing to hear from Emily Lee, a university student who shared her story of living with a specific type of thalassemia called beta-thalassemia and her experience with CRISPR. Ms. Lee told us how the CRISPR therapy helped her to distinguish her true self and live a life she was not previously able to, like travelling. This angle of research is arguably the most important, but often concealed. I commend the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) for including patient voices, allowing us, as scientists, to see how the work touches people’s lives.

Any other comments about your experience at the 2026 Norman Bethune Symposium?

I am deeply grateful to have been able to attend and participate in this year’s Symposium with the support of the 2026 CBR Travel Award. The city of Vancouver is absolutely beautiful, and it was even more meaningful to have been able to explore with my lab mate and friend. I also appreciate the support of the CBR office staff who facilitated this wonderful experience, my team at Canadian Blood Services for their guidance, and my supervisors for their consistent mentorship. Lastly, from a trainee perspective, I encourage anyone in a similar position to always take the opportunity, whatever that may look like for you.

Nawal Elshamiy

Master’s of Science candidate

Did you attend virtually or in person?

I attended the symposium in-person. It was also my first time visiting Vancouver and it was also a great experience to share my work alongside my lab mate and friend, Sonia. I had a wonderful experience connecting with other researchers in my field to exchange ideas and knowledge.

Tell us about the research you presented at the event

I presented a poster on the investigation of differential sphingolipid signaling in human and bovine red blood cells. My research aims to better understand mechanisms of programmed cell death in mammalian red blood cells, with the overall goal of gaining a deeper understanding of various red blood cell signaling pathways.

What was the most exciting thing you learned at the Symposium? 

This year’s symposium highlighted many important themes and lessons. From discussions on novel therapies for blood disorders, the role of infectious disease in transfusion science, and public health research, the event emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of hematology research across Canada. I really enjoyed learning about care approaches for conditions such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease, as they can have a profound impact on patients’ quality of life.

Another major theme was the importance of patient-centered research. As scientists and researchers, it is easy to focus on the technical aspects of our work and lose sight of its broader purpose. Hearing firsthand testimonies from patients directly impacted by these research initiatives brought this purpose into perspective. Furthermore, it also reinforced the value of the research process and its role in advancing patient care.

Any other comments about your experience at the 2026 Norman Bethune Symposium?

I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the Centre for Blood Research for their generous travel award, as well as the CBR organizing committee for delivering this informative symposium. It was a wonderful event to honor Dr. Norman Bethune, who made significant contributions to medicine. I would also like to thank Canadian Blood Services and their blood donors, who made this research possible, as well as Abby Wolfe and Alex Williams from the knowledge mobilization and strategic alliances team for informing me of this opportunity. Finally, thank you to my supervisor for your guidance and mentorship.

Want to learn more about the research that was presented at the 2026 Norman Bethune Symposium? Go to the Centre for Blood Research webpage to read the program and view a recording of the symposium presentations.

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.