On the 2nd of April 2024, Naga Jyothirmai, the Head of the Department of Biochemistry, organized a field visit for the students of the Biochemistry stream to the Blood Bank of the Indian Red Cross. Accompanied by K Vanaja madam, we arrived at the Blood Bank around 11:30 am and were warmly welcomed by Manoj, who is currently interning at IRC. This visit proved to be a highly enlightening experience in our academic journey this year.

The IRC Blood Bank boasts several essential facilities, including a laboratory for compatibility testing and cross-matching, freezers dedicated to plasma storage, and another freezer for preserving packed cells. Technician Narasimha Murthy provided us with invaluable insights during our visit. He elucidated on topics such as the Bombay blood group, the composition of CPDA (Citric acid, Phosphate, Dextrose, and Adenine), and SAGM (Saline, Adenine, Glucose, and Mannitol).

Furthermore, Narasimha Murthy shed light on the significance of plasma and its increasing demand from pharmaceutical companies. He emphasized its crucial role in burn treatments and disclosed that plasma can be stored and preserved for up to five years at temperatures as low as -80 degrees Celsius.

As a memorable conclusion to our visit, we captured a group photo alongside the dedicated staff members of IRC. Participating in this program was truly a blessing, offering us invaluable knowledge and a deeper understanding of the vital work carried out at the Blood Bank of the Indian Red Cross.