New technique could make blood types more compatible

If you ever need a blood transfusion, you’ll be dependent on the kindness of strangers. Blood cannot be manufactured, it must be donated – and not all donations are made equal. People with type O blood are in high demand, as their blood can be transfused into any patient. But anyone with type A or B blood, for example, can only receive blood donated by people with the same blood type. Countries including the UK and US are reporting blood shortages, so it’s worth watching a new technique published in Nature Microbiology, that researchers used to transform blood into the universal O-type with the help of gut bacteria, and with more success than previous efforts. It’s not job done, but it’s a step forward.