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The Science Behind Sickle Cell: From SNP to Sickling

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Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is one of the most well researched and understood genetic blood disorders. Despite this, its impact is profound both clinically and socially. At its core lies a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), just one nucleotide change is all that’s required for such significant downstream effects ranging from red cell morphological changes to global health schemes. This post takes a walk through that journey from the SNP through to the sickling and how such a small change can lead to such a big problem.

1–2 minutes
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Interpreting IG flags on the Sysmex XN: A Biomedical Scientist’s Practical Guide

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Immature Granulocyte (IG) flags are more than just a numerical threshold they’re an insight into a patient’s underlying immune response. Whether you’re new to blood film review or an experienced BMS refreshing your practice, this guide will walk you through how to approach samples flagged for IG review, how to decide if a manual differential white cell count (DWCC) is needed, and how to interpret what you see on the slide.

1–2 minutes
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The Update!

I’ve had some free time recently away from everything. Specifically I spent a couple of weeks on holiday in the obviously sunny and ever prospering midlands of England. That being said I have now arrived slap bang into my final year of university. I use the phrase “slap bang” for a reason. It’s only day four and already I’ve been busy. But with what?

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The Haematology Laboratory

In my previous post I provided an overview of my time on placement. What I’d like to do with this post, is give a little more insight into the on goings of the haematology laboratory, the sections within it that a biomedical scientist can work in and what goes on in these sections.

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The Placement Year

As I mentioned in previous posts, there are a number of criteria that must be met in order to attain registration as a biomedical scientist. Today I will be discussing the placement year. Details of what went on during my placement year, how I coped and what I felt like throughout the year.

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Bacteria Turning Type A/B blood into Type O

So, I had other plans for what my first scientific based post was going to be. However, as you may have noticed. The scientific community has rather obsessively purported this story around the globe. As a scientific blogger and specifically as the “Blood Geek” I really think I should make comment on this article and explain to you all what the fuss is all about and whether it is, everything it’s cracked up to be.

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Where’s all the science?

Eh, Blood Geek? I came here for some high quality science and I’ve seen none yet. What are you doing?

So you’re still here so far. Perhaps you’ve only just stumbled here and you’re wondering to yourself. Where is all the science? Well I’m here to answer that question for you and I’m writing a whole post about it because I want to leave my readers without a doubt in their minds as to the direction of this blog.

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The Beginning Years (Academic)

As we progress through this journey, we arrive at the beginning of my journey to becoming a Biomedical Scientist (BMS). When we last left off, I had realised where I was really meant to be. On a different side of healthcare. Somewhere that I could apply a much more scientific approach to, but all the while maintaining a presence in the journey of my patients. Biomedical sciences was the role for me, so I applied to the course during my working year out and thankfully was accepted to the programme. But what goes on during the initial years of the course? and how does a BMS come to bridge the gap of science and medicine?

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My First Hurdle

 

At this stage, with a little background provided in previous posts. It’s about time I started to bring you up to speed with my story. So lets start at the end of my BTEC study and discuss the swings and roundabouts method that I appear to have employed, in order to get where I am today. It’ll probably be nothing like what you’re expecting.

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