Dr. Allan Doctor, a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is making significant strides in the development of an artificial blood substitute that could potentially be used in emergency situations where traditional donated blood is not available or suitable.

Dr. Doctor and his team have been working on this project for many years, and their research has led to the creation of a synthetic hemoglobin molecule that can carry oxygen, similar to the natural hemoglobin found in human blood.

According to Dr. Doctor, “The beauty of this molecule is that it’s very simple. It doesn’t have any of the immune components, and so we think it has the potential to be used in the emergency setting.”

One of the key advantages of this artificial blood substitute is that it would be much easier to store and transport than donated blood, which has a limited shelf life and requires special handling. Additionally, the synthetic hemoglobin molecule would not require blood typing or matching, making it a valuable resource for emergency situations.

However, there are still several challenges that need to be overcome before this artificial blood substitute can be used in clinical settings. One of the main challenges is to ensure that the synthetic hemoglobin molecule does not cause any adverse effects in the body, such as inflammation or immune responses. Another challenge is to make sure that the artificial blood substitute can effectively deliver oxygen to the tissues and organs in the body.

Dr. Doctor and his team are continuing to work on these challenges and hope to develop an artificial blood substitute that can save lives in emergency situations around the world. As Dr. Doctor notes, “We’re trying to build an artificial red cell that can go anywhere in the world and be used by anybody.”

Via The Impactlab