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Dr. Morris A. Blajchman is currently Head of Transfusion Medicine at McMaster University and also the Medical Director of the Hamilton Centre of Canadian Blood Services. He is a hematologist who qualified at McGill University (Montreal, Canada). His postgraduate training was at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School (London, England). The latter was with Sir John Dacie.
Dr. Blajchman has been at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario since 1970, where he is Professor in both the Departments of Pathology and Medicine.
Dr. Blajchman has published over 330 articles and book chapters. He has been active in both clinical and basic research. His research topics include: the investigation of the hemostatic function of novel platelet products and substitutes; leukoreduction as a potential benefit for transfusion recipients; the immunomodulatory mechanisms of transfusions; bacterial contamination of cellular blood products; transfusion requirements in critical care; and the structural-functional relationships of clotting factors.
Dr. Blajchman was awarded the prestigious Emily Cooley Award by the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks) in 2004. in recognition of his many contributions to Transfusion Medicine. In receiving the award at the AABB's annual meeting, Dr. Blajchman gave a lecture entitled "Landmark Studies That Have Changed the Practice of Transfusion Medicine".
Dr. Blajchman has also received the Canadian Blood Services Lifetime Achievement Award (October 2003), and most recently (November 2004) gave the Royal College of Pathologists Foundation Lecture. This lecture was entitled "Perceptions of Blood Safety - 2004: What the Future Holds" and was delivered at a Symposium entitled Transfusion Medicine Today in London (UK) at the Royal College of Pathologists.
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Why did you go into hematology?
I became interested in hematology during my residency training. One of the important influences on my career was a patient with a-methyldopa-induced warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia. This was approximately at the time that the first report of a-methyldopa-induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia was reported (Worlledge SM et al. Lancet ii:135-139;1966). This experience led to my seeking the opportunity to work with Dr. Sheila Worlledge et al. at the Royal Post Graduate Medical School, in London, England; a goal I realized in 1968.
Who or what has most inspired you in your work?
I consider that I have had three primary mentors. Professor Sir John Dacie, at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London, England. His strong focus on striving for excellence had a profound long-lasting impact on me.
Soon after coming to McMaster University to assume a faculty position, I met Dr. Jack Hirsh who had a great influence on my subsequent research career. Dr. Hirsh instilled in me an approach to asking targeted, well formulated, research questions.
Finally, Dr. Sheila Worlledge who instilled in me a life-long interest in the scientific basis of Transfusion Medicine.
Which scientific papers have made a great impression on you?
As indicated above, the 1966 Lancet article by Worlledge et al., reporting the association between the ingestion of a-methyldopa and autoimmune hemolytic anemia was very important in attracting me into Hematology and subsequently Transfusion Medicine.
Later on, the creative and seminal work of Professor Robin Carrell of Cambridge University, England, whose work defined the structural-functional relationships of SERPIN molecules made an important impact on my research on antithrombin. This work by Carrell et al. is summarized in a recent review article by him (N. Engl. J. Med. 2002; 346:45-53).
What is the most important lesson you've learnt in your professional life?
An important lesson that I learned early in my career was that procrastination could be deadly!
I realized that it is much more important to make a decision, than not to make a decision; even if you understand that such a decision could be wrong. Not to make a decision, when a decision is required, can often lead to an unintended and serious outcome.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
I feel that my most significant contribution to Transfusion Medicine was the use of experimental animal models to examine Transfusion Medicine issues.
Another, is that my endeavors have covered the gamut of Transfusion Medicine from randomized-controlled trials, preclinical animal models, as well as investigations into the basic science of the molecular mechanisms of clinically relevant biological effects.
A third achievement, of which I am very proud, is the establishment of Transfusion Medicine Reviews. Founded in 1987, in January 2005 it will be entering its nineteenth year of publication.
What are the best and worst aspects of your job?
The best aspect of my job it the many people, all around the world, that I have met; many of whom have become close friends. The worst aspect of my job has been the strong realization that despite all our best efforts, thousands of people around the world have been adversely affected by blood product transfusions. Rather than becoming defensive about what has happened, we in Transfusion Medicine should strive to improve the situation for future blood product recipients.
When or where are you happiest?
I am happiest when I am busy, whether doing work relating to my scientific interests, or looking after patients. Even when I am on vacation, I like being busy!
What do you do to relax?
I very much enjoy listening to music, especially operataic music. I also enjoy reading and playing tennis. Another love is travel, because it affords me the opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds and cultures. I also am interested in wine tasting.
What book are you reading at the moment?
I am currently reading The Lost Museum by Hector Feliciano. This book, by an investigative reporter, is about the Nazi conspiracy to steal the world's greatest works of art and the subsequent cover-ups by various musea to avoid returning these pillaged works to their rightful owners.
What's your most evocative piece of music?
The work of the German composer Carl Orff entitled "Carmina Burana" is one of my favorite pieces of music. This music is a very colorful example of how music is capable of evoking a large variety of emotions. In this work for orchestra, chorus and individual vocalists, rhythmic music is set to a series of poems written in a medieval primitive style. This evocative music captures the primitivism of the poetry!
What's your favorite film?
My favorite film is the "Horse's Mouth". In this 1958 film, Alec Guinness stars as an eccentric down-on-his-luck artist, who is always at odds with the people around him. In this hilarious comedy, the artist stops at nothing to pursue his craft!
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies include the collecting of old books relating to Jewish/Hebrew culture. In particular, I am interested in a book called the "Hagaddah". Jews worldwide use the Hagaddah on Passover to learn about the exodus from Egypt of the Israelites. Over the last five centuries there have been approximately 8,000 different printed published editions and I have been particularly interested in illustrated editions. These exhibit the wide-ranging artistic creativity of the authors showing the cultural and religious aspirations of Jews over the centuries.
What car do you drive?
A 1997 Honda Accord
What are your unfulfilled ambitions?
One of my unfulfilled ambitions is to publish a "Hagaddah" of my own. My desire is to leave it as a legacy for my children and grandchildren. In it, I would outline what I perceive are the major messages of this important product of our extensive heritage.
How would you like to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as having contributed significantly to the overall well-being of my family and my profession.
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