#Bloodtransfusion

In a remarkable scientific breakthrough, researchers from the UK and Israel have finally unveiled a new blood group system after decades of investigation. This discovery, sparked by a puzzling case from 1972, has revealed the existence of the MAL blood group, potentially transforming how certain rare patients are treated — an achievement characterized by National Health Service hematologist Louise Tilley as “a huge achievement, and the culmination of a long team effort.”

A landmark international study has identified a new blood group system, unveiled after more than five decades of investigation. Researchers from the United Kingdom and Israel describe the MAL blood group, a finding sparked by a puzzling case from 1972. National Health Service hematologist Louise Tilley calls the discovery “a huge achievement,” marking the culmination of years of teamwork.

In 1972, a pregnant patient’s blood sample lacked a surface molecule once thought universal on red blood cells. It took over 50 years to recognize this anomaly as a distinct blood group system. The 2024 study decoded the genetic basis of this type, AnWj-negative, identifying mutations in the MAL genes. This work deepens our understanding of human blood diversity and could influence how some patients receive transfusions.