NRL for Immunohematology

Reference Laboratory for Immunohematology provides:

Solving discrepancies and troublesome cases in blood grouping and cross matching found in all transfusion centres in the Czech Republic - including introduction of molecular biology techniques into immunohematology testing
Maintaining the bank of frozen rare red cells and antibodies (as a member of the international exchange group SCARF)
Co-ordination of the national register of rare donors
Contribution to the International register of rare donors in Bristol, direct computer access to this register
Co-operation with International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (molecular biology of Rh and Duffy system, new variant in the MNSs system) and Immunohematology Laboratory of the New York Blood Centre (new variant in the Kell system) and laboratories in Innsbruck and Ulm (new variant in the Rh system)
Evaluation of blood grouping reagents and diagnostic systems used in the transfusion service
Associate member of the ISBT Working Party for the Standardisation of Blood Grouping Reagents
Supervising the system of external quality control of immunohematology tests for the Czech Republic
Quality control of HLA diagnostic sera produced by Czech Transfusion Service
Identification of specific platelet antibodies
Pretransplantation histocompatibility investigation

Educational Activities

Pregraduate: teaching medical students - seminars and practical courses (educational activity of UKEH - a joint organisation with 1st Medical Faculty of the Charles University Prague)
Postgraduate courses in immunohematology in co-operation with the Clinic of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine of the Postgraduate Medical Institute
International: faculty members of the European School of Transfusion Medicine

IHBT, Prague, Czech Republic; tel.: (+420) 221 977 111, fax: (+420) 224 913 728 E-mail: darce [at]