PROFESSOR MARCELA CONTRERAS
Nationality: Chilean
   
Professor Marcela Contreras is National Director for Diagnostics, Development and Research of the National Blood Service (NBS), and Professor of Transfusion Medicine at the Royal Free/University College Medical Schools, London. Her directorate consists of nine functions, two of which are: (1) Stem Cells and Immunotherapy (seven laboratories and the NHS Cord Blood Bank), and (2) Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (seven laboratories and the British Bone Marrow Registry). She has worked as a Consultant in Transfusion Medicine for the NBS for over 20 years. Previous appointments include Executive Director for London and the South East Zone of the NBS and Chief Executive and Medical Director of the North London Blood Transfusion Centre. She became Professor in Transfusion Medicine, Royal Free and University College Hospitals Medical School in 1998.

Outside of the National Blood Service Professor Contreras was a member of the Council of the Royal College of Pathologists, was Editor-in-Chief for Vox Sanguinis until April 2003, is presently the Vox Sanguinis Review Editor and a member of 12 editorial boards, MRCPath examiner, Past President of the International Society for Blood Transfusion (1996-98) and Past President of the Section of Pathology of the Royal Society of Medicine (1992-94). She was the President of the British Blood Transfusion Society from 2000 to 2002.

She became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1992, Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists in 1997 and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians London in 1998. She was elected to Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2003.

Professor Contreras has more than 370 publications to her name, including the textbook, “Blood Transfusion in Clinical Medicine”, with Professors P.L. Mollison and C.P. Engelfriet, and 11 other books, and she has been invited to lecture and chair sessions at international and national meetings in over 30 different countries. She has a keen interest in assisting developing countries with the establishment of transfusion services and advancement of Transfusion Medicine.

She is the recipient of honours such as the Transfusion Medicine Award from ACOBASMET & Group CIAMT, 2004; ISBT Award for outstanding contribution to blood transfusion and transfusion medicine, 2004; H.R. Nevanlinna Medal, Helsinki, 2002; Zoutendyk Medal, University of Johannesburg – South Africa, 1995; Honoured Guest Lecturer for 1993, Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Society; The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Paul Harris Fellow, 1990; Honorary member of the Brazilian Society for Haemotherapy, since 1993; Honorary member of the Chilean Society for Haematology, since 1990; Honorary academic of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, since 1989. She has recently been invited to become a Visiting Professor at the University of the West of England.

She was born in Chile, speaks 5 languages, lives in London and is a mother of two children. She enjoys friendship, walking, horse riding, dancing, travelling, opera and reading.