Department of immunology and transfusion medicine is responsible for blood donated at the Oslo Blood bank, and is concerned with all aspects of donor health, recruitment, retention and selection of blood donors, optimal storage and quality of the red cell, platelet and plasma products. Therapeutic use of plasma (convalescence plasma, plasma exchange) is also a field of study.
We have been studying immunomodulatory substances from edible medicinal mushrooms such as Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM) as add-on treatment in clinical trials for inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple myeloma and allergy, and current projects aim to explore effects in patients with inflammatory conditions in airways, such as allergic asthma.  
Projects underway also seek to provide more information about the role of calprotectin in different inflammatory conditions.

Aims/project plans:

1. Health, recruitment, retention and selection of blood and plasma donors
2. Response to covid-19 and covid-vaccination in blood and plasma donors
3. Allergy and immunomodulatory effects of dietary supplements in blood donors, transfused and allergic patients.
4. Plasma exchange to delay cognitive deterioration in early dementia
5. Immunology and cancer
6. Development and improvement of blood products for treatment of patients
7. Heart to heart - blood donor communication and future blood donor registry research (NORDONOR)

• Reduction of oxidative storage lesion for red cells using Hemanext system in clinical trial in hematology patients.
• Improved platelet products for hemotherapy of HLA-alloimmunized, platelet-refractory patients: platelets made HLA class I deficient by acid treatment.
• Freeze-drying of platelets for treatment of difficult diabetic wounds.
• Examination of new phthalate-free filters and plastics for blood products. Immunomodulating effects of the mushroom extract, Andosan^TM, in asthma patients and monitoring with a novel mast cell activation test for allergens. 
• Anti-COVID-19 effect of Andosan^TM in cell cultures.  

Contact

Group Leader
Lise Sofie Haug Nissen-Meyer
Department of immunology and transfusion medicine
Tel: +47 +22117828 / 48284525  
E-mail: lisoha@ous-hf.no