Blood and Blood Products
Comprehensive capability to develop, validate, and field blood products and transfusion solutions optimized for battlefield and austere care. Focus includes whole blood logistics, cold-stored platelets, freeze-dried plasma, pathogen reduction and detection, blood substitutes, and biobanking to support rapid hemorrhage resuscitation and prolonged field care.
Technical Challenges
Maintaining cold chain and shelf-life for platelets and plasma in austere, temperature-extreme environments.
Ensuring pathogen safety (unknown agents, AMR) and rapid detection during emergency transfusion.
Rapid, compatibility-safe transfusion with limited immunohematology resources at point of injury.
Developing physiologically effective blood substitutes that match oxygen delivery without adverse effects.
Emerging Opportunities
Portable, low-power storage and monitoring systems that preserve multiple blood components for weeks.
Validated, deployable pathogen-reduction technologies compatible with whole blood and component therapy.
Rapid point-of-care crossmatch and infectious screening integrated into forward transfusion kits.
Scalable manufacturing of freeze-dried plasma and stable platelet formulations for mass-casualty scenarios.
Current and Emerging Technologies in Blood and Blood Products
Cold-stored platelets and whole blood logistics
Extended-storage cold platelets and optimized whole blood packaging reduce resupply frequency, improve hemorrhage control outcomes, and simplify forward transfusion protocols.
Lyophilized (freeze-dried) plasma
Room-stable plasma formulations that reconstitute quickly enable rapid coagulopathy correction when cold chain is unavailable, improving survival in delayed-evacuation scenarios.
Pathogen-reduction and rapid pathogen detection
Broad-spectrum pathogen-reduction for blood components plus molecular point-of-care assays reduce transfusion-transmitted infection risk and support safe forward transfusions.
Synthetic oxygen carriers and hemocompatible substitutes
Hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers and encapsulated RBC mimetics offer potential bridging therapies where blood is unavailable, with active research on safety and efficacy for combat trauma.
Portable transfusion devices and warming systems
Compact, rugged blood warmers, pressure bags, and flow-controlled transfusion pumps enable safe administration in prehospital, vehicle, and extended care settings.
Biobanking, cold chain innovations, and tracking
Smart packaging, RFID-enabled tracking, and decentralized biobanks maintain product integrity, traceability, and rapid inventory visibility for expeditionary operations.
Point-of-care compatibility and coagulation testing
Rapid blood-typing, crossmatch, and viscoelastic hemostasis assays at the point of injury guide component selection and targeted resuscitation.
Importance to Military Medicine
Combat casualty survival
Rapid access to effective blood products is a primary determinant of survival from hemorrhagic shock and polytrauma in near-peer and irregular warfare.
Prolonged and delayed evacuation
Stable blood products and portable transfusion solutions extend lifesaving care during extended field care when evacuation is delayed.
Austere readiness and force health protection
Field-ready blood systems sustain operational readiness across distributed forces and mitigate infectious risk through pathogen-reduction and surveillance.
Civilian-military synergy
Technologies developed for combat transfusion improve mass-casualty and rural civilian trauma care, strengthening national health security.
Alignment with the MTEC Mission
Accelerates deployment of validated transfusion solutions directly relevant to DoD casualty care priorities.
Supports cross-disciplinary consortium projects spanning hematology, bioengineering, logistics, and regulatory science.
Emphasizes rapid transition from R&D to field use—aligning with MTEC’s mission to get life-saving tech to warfighters faster.
Delivers dual-use benefits that enhance civilian emergency response, promoting broader public health impact.
Dual-Use (Military + Civilian) Applications
Civilian trauma systems adopt freeze-dried plasma and portable transfusion kits to improve rural and disaster response.
Pathogen-reduction and screening innovations reduce blood-borne infection risks across military and civilian blood banks.
Biobanking and cold-chain tracking solutions improve supply resilience for mass-casualty events and humanitarian missions.
Synthetic oxygen carriers provide surge capacity during shortages and may serve as adjuncts in both battlefield and civilian critical care.
Explore MTEC Members with Blood and Blood Products Capabilities
MTEC members bring clinical hematology expertise, regulatory and manufacturing experience, logistics engineering, and field-operational feedback that together accelerate safe, scalable blood-product solutions. Explore member profiles to identify partners in transfusion science, device development, pathogen mitigation, and supply-chain innovation.
126 Members with Blood and Blood Products capabilities.
The University of Texas System is a leading public university system in the United States, dedicated to improving lives through education, health care, and research. With over 256,000 students enrolled across 14 institutions, the UT System is committed to providing affordable access to higher education and producing a skilled workforce to drive Texas's economy.

The Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) is a member-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the bioeconomy of the United States. Its mission encompasses enhancing manufacturing, healthcare, and education and workforce development, aiming to create a scalable and effective manufacturing ecosystem for engineered cells, tissues, and organs.

Georgia Southern University is a vibrant institution with over 26,100 students across three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, and Hinesville. The university offers 132 degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels, emphasizing student success, community impact, and research excellence. With a commitment to inclusivity and engagement, Georgia Southern fosters a supportive environment for diverse learners, including military-affiliated and adult students. The university is dedicated to transforming lives through education and community engagement, aligning its programs with regional needs. Additionally, Georgia Southern provides accelerated pathways for students to fast-track their master's degrees, enhancing educational opportunities. The university also emphasizes career readiness and public impact research, preparing students for successful careers and contributing to community development.

Qidni Labs is a NATO DIANA company recognized by Fast Company as a 2025 World Changing Idea. The company has developed a portable, nearly waterless hemodialysis system that will make treatment accessible for over 10 million patients every year.

VirTech Bio is an early-stage biotechnology company based in Natick, Massachusetts, focused on developing a human-derived hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) for use as a temporary blood substitute in trauma and transplantation. The company leverages expertise in hemoglobin polymerization to address critical needs in emergency medicine and organ preservation, with a pipeline also targeting veterinary and research applications. Process innovations allow scalable and contract-based manufacturing, supported by significant non-dilutive funding from the US Department of Defense and private investment.

MTF Biologics is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to saving and healing lives by honoring the gift of tissue donation. They process tissue grafts from human donors for a wide range of clinical applications, positively impacting lives globally. MTF Biologics integrates service, science, and advocacy to improve healthcare and wellbeing, while also supporting research and innovation in tissue transplantation.

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research, teaching, and community engagement. As a premier public research university, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a catalyst for socioeconomic development, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

Auburn University Research & Economic Development is dedicated to advancing research and economic growth through a collaborative effort among its various colleges and departments. The organization focuses on fostering innovation, supporting faculty and student research, and facilitating partnerships with industry and government to address societal challenges and enhance the quality of life. Recent initiatives include the launch of the Team Science Series to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of the Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station to address coastal environmental challenges.
The Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research (I3R) at the University of Arkansas is dedicated to pioneering solutions to complex societal challenges through convergence research. With a mission to advance research excellence and stimulate economic development, I3R focuses on deploying innovations at scale through collaboration across various sectors, including academia, industry, and government.

UTMB is dedicated to supporting research, education, and scholarly endeavors, with a focus on creating the future of healthcare through innovative research and community engagement.

Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc. (ABL) is a global biomedical contract research and manufacturing organization dedicated to advancing vaccines, therapeutics, and other biologic products. ABL leverages its expertise in product development, GMP manufacturing, and immunological testing to support the development of candidate vaccines and therapeutics through preclinical and clinical stages. The company is involved in producing and testing oncolytic viruses, gene therapies, immunotherapies, viral vaccines, and recombinant protein vaccines.

ATCC is a nonprofit biological resource center, with a nearly century-long legacy supporting public health, biodefense, and global health security. ATCC provides critical infrastructure for infectious disease research and CBR threat response. Our biorepository operations support federal agencies, academia, and industry through secure specimen handling, reagent authentication, and global distribution. ATCC manages over 22 million vials under federal contracts, including repositories for NIAID, CDC, BARDA, NCI, FDA, and USDA. These programs enable rapid deployment of validated biological materials for vaccine development, diagnostic assay verification, and therapeutic screening against high-consequence pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. Certified under ISO 9001, 13485, 17025, and 17034, ATCC ensures quality, traceability, and regulatory compliance across its operations. Our high-containment laboratories (BSL-2 and BSL-3, with access to BSL-4 through partners) and Select Agent license position us to support MTEC-aligned efforts in emerging infectious diseases and medical countermeasure development for CBRN threats.

The University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia's leading research and teaching institutions, dedicated to transforming lives through education and research. UQ aims to create a better future by equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary for their chosen careers, while also addressing some of the world's most complex challenges through innovative research.
The University of Chicago is a prestigious urban research university committed to rigorous inquiry and intellectual freedom. Founded in 1890, it has produced numerous Nobel laureates and is known for its transformative education and groundbreaking research across various fields. The university fosters an inclusive and diverse learning environment, encouraging participation from all community members.

Boston University is a major research institution committed to leading breakthroughs across various disciplines. The Office of Research supports and advances research excellence, fostering collaboration among researchers, industry partners, and government leaders to address significant societal challenges.

Baylor University is a preeminent Christian research university committed to addressing the world's most meaningful challenges through top-tier research and scholarship. Recognized as an R1 research institution, Baylor focuses on infusing its distinct Christian mission into its research initiatives, fostering a commitment to excellence and innovation.

Arizona State University
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