Specialist in Blood Banking(SBB) programs prepare medical technologists to demonstrate a high level of academic and technical proficiency through intense didactic sessions and practical work. SBB programs cover a wide variety of subjects that include genetics, immunology, blood groups, component and cellular therapies and complications of transfusion (to name just a few) in order to make the resulting SBB capable to fill many different roles in world of blood banking and/or transfusion medicine. In addition to didactic and practical work, many SBB programs also encourage their students to plan and carry out a research project. Such projects teach SBB students the skills they need to think critically about the information that they learn, pose a question, perform an extensive relevant literature search and then plan, execute, analyze, write and present their research project. Due to the complicated nature of such a project, a mentor typically guides the student through the process. This session will highlight research projects of 3 former SBB student/mentor pairs. Each pair will explain why and how their research project was performed and how project conclusions affected/did not affect practice at their facility.

Award Description: The Sally Frank Memorial Award and Lectureship was established in 1982 in memory of Ms. Sally Frank and her dedication to red cell serology and education. This award recognizes an individual who is, or has been, a medical technologist involved with these fields and has demonstrated quality research, teaching and/or service abilities in the technical aspects of immunohematology.