Background
Research on blood donor health attributes could address issues associated with blood donation and blood product quality and provide insight into long-term health and well-being of donors as well as transfusion safety. We established a cohort of donors who consented to data acquisition through surveys and linked health data sources, and blood collection for genomic and biochemical analysis. We aimed to assess the feasibility of sample collection and processing using existing Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (Lifeblood) operations and to demonstrate the utility of this biobank for donation and transfusion safety research.
Methods
Recruitment of whole blood and apheresis donors into the Australian Blood Donor Study (ABDS) commenced with a small pilot in November 2022, then ongoing collection of blood samples throughout Australia during 2023/24. Eligible donors were recruited two weeks prior to their scheduled donations. Data from donors collected through demographic, health, lifestyle and behavioural surveys were managed in a REDCap database. Blood samples were transported to the ABDS Biobank in Sydney using existing Lifeblood logistics. Deidentified serum, plasma and buffy coat samples were extracted and stored at -80°C for future analysis and DNA extraction.
Results
The average participant age was 50 years; 55% were female and 97.1% gave permission for external data linkage. Recruitment and sample collection concluded August 2024, 9080 donors were recruited, of which 71% provided blood samples. From 6460 donor samples entered in the biobank, 99% included buffy coat samples for genomic studies, and 77% included serum for biochemistry analysis. Recruitment into the study and DNA extraction for approved genomic studies of red cell storage and donor iron metabolism is ongoing.
Conclusions
These findings confirm that recruitment of donors into an expanded longitudinal cohort study and biobank is feasible within Lifeblood operations. Our biobank samples and data are available for further health and transfusion safety research.