Bloody Minded
Bloody Minded is a haematology education podcast hosted by the Bloody Minded Crew, a group of fellows who explore blood-related topics while balancing their day jobs. Each episode breaks down a haematology subject at multiple levels so listeners can tailor their learning to their needs. The show is aimed at anyone baffled by blood, coagulation, or conditions such as TTP, including medical students and trainees. More information is available at bloodyminded.com.au.
Episodes
Episode 111 - Lysis in the Sky with Diamonds | Burkitt Lymphoma
This is getting out of hand, now there are two of them (Dr Nicks). Join the boys as they make a new friend and strongly consider upgrading the house Nicholas to this newer shiny model, and learn a bit about Burkitt Lymphoma along the way!TIMESTAMPS 0:57 - **** Is Dead 9:52 - The immune system as Starcraft units 11:53 - MYC - The Common Culprit 17:25 - Subtypes of Burkitts 19:23 - The Discovery of
Episode 110 - Size Matters | Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma
The Bloody Minded crew hit the road on a tour of Australia’s big things, and this week’s stop is the biggest of them all: the Big Cell. Joining us as tour guide (and DJ, with an all-Phil-Collins playlist) is Dr Jed Kitson, final-year haematology registrar, here to rescue us from a run of indolent lymphomas and talk about the most common aggressive lymphoma in Australia. From R-CHOP to Axi-cel, fro
BONUS - BloodyMinded @ Blood 2026
As Nick once again leaves Bashar and Cale unsupervised they attend Blood 2026 and speak with the finest Australian and New Zealand haematologists in Auckland. They cover a pot pourri of myeloma, iron replacement, HHT, CAR-T, Cheese and mostly lets be honest, garbage. Thanks to Dr Georgina Calov, Dr Lise Kempler, Dr Miles Ma, Dr Michel Lu, Dr Alison Chandler for putting up with us and we'll re
Episode 109 - Coat of Many Colours | Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Look! It’s a follicular lymphoma! No wait, it’s a DLBCL! No wait, it’s a CLL? Actually is it a leukaemia? Join Nick, Cale and Bashar as they wrestle with the morphological and prognostic chameleon that is Mantle Cell Lymphoma. With all the bad bits of an indolent lymphoma and all the bad bits of an aggressive one – as Michael Jackson would say, it's bad (really, really bad). Except when it is
Episode 108 - Single MALT | Marginal Zone Lymphoma
What do you call a small B-cell lymphoma that isn't CD5 positive, isn't CD10 positive and generally refuses to wear any of the usual hats? Probably marginal zone lymphoma. Possibly. Maybe.Join the Bloody Minded crew as we head to the edge of the follicle where the bloodstream's customs officers live, and look at what happens when they go rogue. Discover how to cure a cancer with a P
Episode 107 - Folliculi Follicula | Follicular Lymphoma
Join the boys as they frollickular through the molecular and macro-cular particulars of follicular lymphoma this week. While you're at it, please sign our petition to allow Bashar back into the aquarium and take a gander at Cale's tiny hands.Timestamps00:52 - Bashar is banned from the Aquarium a second time02:13 - Follicular Lymphoma Overview06:07 - Pathophysiology of FL09:50 - Follicula
Episode 106 - Seal Team L | Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)
Why do haematologists get excited over smudges on a film? What is the deal with that whole IGHV situation? Why is Bashar no longer welcome at the zoo? Join us as we find the answers to these common haematology questions and more in a foray into Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia!TIMESTAMPS0:55 - No animals were harmed in the making of this bit 4:13 - Epidemiology of CLL 5:56 - Pathophysiology of CLL 11
Episode 105 - Lymphoverview – An Overview of the Lymphoid Disorders
Welcome to the Land of the Lymphoid. Eighty-odd subtypes, one grid. Help us break our cellular pathways and journey further into our lymphoid season as we ask the only two questions that matter - B or T, fast or slow, forget the platypuses - and build the framework we'll be filling in for the rest of the series. Bring a hat, the savannah is hot. 0:52 - Lymphoid Planet2:50 - Leukaemia vs Lymph
Episode 104 - Immunology 102 | Lymphocyte Maturation & The Lymph Node
For the first time, Cale, Nick and Bashar have managed to maintain a contiguous thought across two different episodes and are returning to school - for the basics of immunology. But they’re not going back as teachers, no, the boys are going undercover as a naïve B-cell and following the journey to the lymph node. Will they be shunned to the uncool table like they were in high school? Can they avoi
Episode 103 - On The Wards: Breaking Bad . . . Cells | Tumour Lysis Syndrome
Have you been asked to review “TLS” bloods?? Are you concerned the nursing staff are pranking you with haematology bloods that don’t include a FBC or coags? Why could you possibly want to look at something that isn’t a cell count? What crazy person decided after hours bloods needed to be collected on ICE? And WHY ?!?! Join us for an On The Wards approach to dealing with those TDS TLS SOS calls.TIM
Episode 102 - Reign in Blood | Heavy Metals in Haematology
It’s the heaviest matter of haematology as we look at the role of heavy metals in our favourite metalloenzymes. What - you don’t have a favourite metalloenzyme? But nothing else matters?! Anyway, this is no esoteric surgical content, join us as Nick, Cale and Bashar get comfy with the weirder parts of the periodic table and how they apply to less common deficiencies or toxicities in haematology.
Episode 101 - Let’s get K-rakin | All about Vitamin K
Is it a giant Cthulu-esque sea monster? Is it an excellent Australian parody breakfast show? No - it’s everyone’s favourite (well everyone who counts) coagulation related Vitamin - Vitamin K! Where does it come from? Why is it so hard to find on the eMR when you want to prescribe it and what is it doing under phytomenadione? Can we test for it? After listening to Nick, Cale and Bashar wax lyrical
Episode 100 - 100 Not Out | A Bloody History of Haematology
Four humours in balance, the ancients decreed -so open a vein, let the bad blood be freed.From Galen to Harvey, from humours to genes, From black bile and phlegm to the things on our screens.From PML::RARA to blood counts okay Let’s celebrate our specialty - we’ve come a damn long wayJoin us as we travel from the first man to see a red cell, to the first to give people arsenic on purpose who was a
Episode 99 - It’s the B’s Knees | In The Lab : B12 and B9 (Folate) Testing
Two vitamins survived the great B-numbering cull to become the tests we order most and trust least. Meet the 80% of your B12 result your cells can't touch, and the antibody that sabotages the very test built to catch it. Join the Bloody Minded Crew as we come to the lab for a second time this season to learn how B12 and folate assays are performed. TIMESTAMPS0:55 - The boys check out a new la
Episode 98 - Liver Storage World | Approach to Hyperferritinaemia
‘This bad boy can fit so much iron in it’ he said slapping the roof of a badly photoshopped molecule of apoferritin superimposed on a car. Is too much ferritin bad for you? Of course it is - too much is precisely the quantity that is in excess. But most of the time hyperferritinaemia has nothing to do with iron overload. Strap in to your 1992 Honda Civic as the Bloody Minded Crew learn all about f
BONUS - BloodyMinded x THANZ go to ISTH2026
It's a BONUS episode today as the Bloody Minded Crew are delighted to partner with the Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand (THANZ). After (correctly) exiling Nick to another country after he suggested yet more coagulation themed episodes, he's returned like Gandalf stronger and more powerful than ever. We cornered THANZ members at the International Society for
Episode 97 - There's a Hole in My Bucket | Iron, B12 and Folate Deficiency in Clinic
Nick wanted to talk about buckets all episode. I’ve convinced him to at least let us get angry at iron polymaltose, hypophosphatemia and nangs all over again. You don’t think you need this episode but you’d be amazed how many consults come through to Haem thinking we’re the gatekeepers of iron in the building. Ironic, really.TIMESTAMPS0:56 - 1960s pop culture reference3:20 - Episode overview4:40 -
Episode 96 - On the Ning Nang Nongs | B12 and Folate Metabolism
On the Ning Nang Nongs where the youths smoke bongs and the marrow all screams HELP! Join the Bloody Minded crew as they go through the round window, follow B12 and folate around the body in a Nang induced haze, presumably just like the writers on Play School once were. Mandatory viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SUU1f3Mgpc&list=RD3SUU1f3Mgpc&start_radio=1TIMESTAMPS0:53 - A Bloody
Episode 95 - Feeling Rusty? | In The Lab: Iron Studies
Heal with steel? Absolutely not - There’s no alloys or for that matter surgeons allowed in the safe space of the laboratory. Join us on another wonderful lab adventure as Bashar, Cale and Nick head down to the biochemistry lab to work out exactly how our iron studies are performed in the lab before you throw the serum iron in the bin.TIMESTAMPS0:53 - An early etymological diversion2:53 - Serum iro
Episode 94 - It should be a Fe-lony | Interpeting Iron Studies
Taunted by transferrin? Befuddled by ferritin? Scratching your head at why we throw the serum iron results directly into the confidential waste bin, which is a more dignified burial than it deserves? Come along as the boys discuss the interpretation of iron studies in a definitely tight, definitely 20ish minute episode.Timestamps00:54 - Just Iron Studies with No Nonsense02:21 - Overview of Iron St
Episode 93 - The Silmaril-IRON | Iron Metabolism
One molecule to rule them all, one molecule to find them. One molecule to bring them all, and in the liver bind them. Hepcidin is the key to understanding iron metabolism and we examine how iron gets into, around and out of the body. We promise not to be too Celebrimbor-ing as you join Nick, Cale and Bashar for this discussion of the basic science of iron handling in preparation for our journey i
Episode 92 - On The Wards: A Practical Guide To Anticoagulants | Part 3 (Fancy Anticoagulants)
Has your ward team been hit with HITT? Is Jane the only Fonda you know? Is BAD an 80s hit and not a trio of anti-coagulation infusions (Bivalirudin, Argatroban and Danaparoid). Is Alison showing her age? Never fear; join Alison, Bashar, Nick and Cale as they aim to de-mystify less commonly used anticoagulation that may come up on the wards. TIMESTAMPS0:56 - It's Fancypants Wednesday!2:15 - Ep
Episode 91 - Have you tried turning it off and on again? | Allogeneic transplant in AML with Prof John Moore
Join us in our third straight week of incredibly nice and incredibly talented haematology gurus as Professor John Moore joins us as an expert guest to discuss stem cell transplant in the myeloid disease setting. TIMESTAMPS 1:00 – HYTTIOAOA 1:47 – Introducing Professor John Moore 8:06 – Advice to RMOs on the Allo Term 11:02 – The history of allogeneic transplantation 18:26 – Modern morbidity/mortal
Episode 90 - GENEsis | In the Lab: NGS in AML with Dr Michael Krigstein
This week we continue the pattern of guests who are really really ridiculously good at haematology and also really really ridiculously nice people as well. We are very excited to be joined by Dr Michael Krigstein who many of you would know as the a molecular haematology guru who has gotten countless patients through their diagnoses and countless haematology trainees through their exams.Timestamps:
Episode 89 - What is this, disease for ants? | MRD in AML with Dr Jad Othman
What happens when you take someone who is really really ridiculously good at haematology and also a really really ridiculously nice person as well? You get Dr Jad Othman, consultant Haematologist and Haematopathologist at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney who will be joining us today to discuss the use of measurable residual disease in acute myeloid leukaemia.Dr Othman is well suited to this to
Episode 88 - 1-2-3-4-5-6 | Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm
Here’s a question, what do CD123, CD4 and CD56 have in common? Other than pleasing The Count on Sesame Street. Sorry, another question perhaps - what happens if you cross a plasma cell and a dendritic cell? The answers to these questions can be found on a most enigmatic myeloid cell - the plasmacytoid dendritic cell. And what happens when these rare beasts become neoplastic - why BPDCN of course.
Episode 87 - Flitting About | In The Lab: FLT3 and NPM1
“It’s pronounced nuc-ul-ophosmin” “Nucleophosmin”. “Noo-clee-o-phosmin”. FLT3-ITD got you In The Dumps? Have a Total Knowledge Deficit about TKD mutations? Struggling with the A-B-Cs of NPM1 mutations? Want to know how a cat sarcoma is somehow related to AML? Join the Bloody Minded Crew as they flit about the laboratory looking at the structure of FLT3 and NPM1, what these proteins usually do and
Episode 86 - You Ugly | In The Lab: Bone Marrow Dysplasia
U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi, you dysplastic yeah yeah you dysplastic. Apologies to all the ring sideroblasts out there, but this week the Bloody Minded crew is doing a Mean Girls and judging cells by their morphology. For now we’re deciding to ignore those that would argue that it’s what’s on the inside that counts (i.e. judging by NGS… that’ll come later).TIMESTAMPS2:28 - For some reason
Episode 85 - Wake Me Up! | Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia (APML)
What do arsenic, acne tablets and Jodi Picoult have in common? Why, it must be a deep dive with Nick, Bashar and Cale on acute promyelocytic leukaemia. From buzzwords to brain bleeds, the sweetest of translocations to the cruellest of coagulopathies... The yield is almost as high as the survival rates.TIMESTAMPS00:57 - Bloody Minded Poetry Jam & Jodi Picoult06:25 - APML Starts Here08:02 - APML
Episode 84 - Chemotherapeutic Boogaloo | AML Part 2
After our initial intro to AML back in ep 79, we are back to dig deeper into AML this week, from pathophysiology through to treatment overview. The boys are joined by final year registrar Dr Georgina Calov who is here to cut through our nonsense and deliver some actual high yield content. And thank goodness for that, otherwise it'd be an hour of us making bad April Fool's day jokes.Times
Episode 83 - On The Wards: The NBM Transplant Patient
Cat got your tongue? Or in this case - mucositis? Does converting the acute allogeneic transplant patient who can no longer eat's medications to IV fill you with dread? In this practical for once episode join consultant haematologist Dr Alison Chandler as well as haematology pharmacists Andriana Colic & Ariana McCauley as they take us through the how to of this challenging, but very commo
Episode 82 - MDS 102 | Much More on Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Was episode 79 too light on MDS for you? “Amateurs” you said, adjusting your sellotaped glasses. If so, you’re in the right place today as we prepare to look at classification, risk stratification and treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome. You also should seek out psychiatric attention, or perhaps just go outside. But in the meantime, enjoy this episode where we’ll dig deeper into the nitty gritty
Episode 81 - In the Beginning... | Myeloid Precursor Conditions (CHIP, ICUS, CCUS)
What if the prequel had a prequel? Join Bashar, Nick and Cale as they attempt to unpack the newfangled world of clonal haematopoeisis. Find out how CHIPs can kill and no, it’s not due to eating too many of them too fast. Though that might do it too. We’ve had one spectrum, but what about a second. We need to go deeper. TIMESTAMPS0:56 - A classic chippy mixup 2:56 - Episode overview 3:54 - Where
Episode 80 - GATTTACA | In The Lab: Introduction to Molecular Haematology
If we’re going to truly understand myeloid disease, we must dispense with the ward and journey to the dystopian heart that beats at the centre of each dysplastic cell. Learn what is valid and in-valid as we swim across an ocean of concepts - past the basic principles of DNA and RNA, Polymerase Chain Reaction and its many many variants, Fragment Analysis and Next Generation Sequencing. Just save a
Episode 79 - Ghosts in the Machine | Basics of MDS & A Brief Look at AML
Happy marrows are all alike; every unhappy marrow is unhappy in its own way. When haematopoiesis behaves itself, it’s frankly quite boring. When it goes rogue, it can get very creative. Join Cale, Bash and Nick as they attempt to walk through how this process goes off the rails, how MDS and AML are best understood and how dysplasia, cytopenias, blasts and clones all fit together.TIMESTAMPS0:55 -
Episode 78 - All The Colours Of The Marrow | Overview of Myeloid Disorders
What’s a CHIP and why is it so delicious? Why do we still abbreviate myeodysplastic neoplasm to MDS? How did Bashar get his hands on the Necronomicon? These are questions that every budding haematologist asks themselves at some point and we will answer at least some of them here! Join us today for a birds-eye overview of the myeloid family of disorders before we dig into them more over the coming
Episode 77 - The Factory Must Grow | Myelopoiesis
Hi-ho, Hi-ho, it's off the myeloid factory we go. Grab your fastest belt, a spare inserter and all the iron plates you can get your hands on as the Bloody Minded Crew embark on their nerdiest references yet and learn all about the basic science behind myelopoiesis. You’d better hop on a train, because the only main bus here goes straight from the marrow out to the periphery carrying all sorts
Episode 76 - On the Wards: A Practical Guide to Anticoagulants | Part 2 (Oral Anticoagulants)
So you’ve been asked to start a DOAC? How is that different from a NOAC? Is there a difference? Which one should you start? Is warfarin a WOAC? How do I initiate these drugs? Why is the dose weird at the beginning? Do I need to check my dose is appropriate? If oral anticoagulation has you discombobulated you are in the right place!! In part II on the practical management of anticoagulation we are
Episode 75 - On the Wards: A Practical Guide to Anticoagulants | Part 1 (Basic Injectables)
Does my blood look fat in this?Does the idea of heparin being a fraction make you wish you listened harder in maths? What is unfractionated heparin? Why are haematologists so judgmental and prefer their anticoagulation low molecular weight? Why does haematology frown when you use the term “blood thinners” ?!?!If injectable or parenteral anticoagulation feels confusing you have come to the right pl
Episode 74 - Christmas Disease | A Bonus Beginners Bonanza on Haemophilia B
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, particularly not a missing coagulation factor. Welcome to a very special present all wrapped and delivered by Santa and his Christmas elves and stuffed in your podcast queue in time to drive off for the holidays. Join Cale, a very dusty Bashar, Nick and Santa as we learn a little bit about Christmas Disease. W
Episode 73 - What A Headache | CVST and Antithrombin Deficiency with Dr Caroline Dix
We’ve had one difficult coagulation topic yes, but what about second difficult coagulation topic? We are joined by the fantastic Dr Caroline Dix today to take us through not one but TWO challenging scenarios in thrombosis. First we’ll be revisiting Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis but this time with someone who knows what they are doing. After that we’ll cover anticoagulating people when some very
Episode 72 - How low can you go? | Thrombosis & Thrombocytopenia with Dr Sara Ng
Sometimes something comes along that puts a chill down the spine of every doctor. Any conversation that starts with "Oh hey do you remember that patient you saw...?". Mystery meat day in the cafeteria. Dealing with hospital executives. For these times in life you need a guide. Today we'll be covering one of those spine-chilling clinical scenarios with our very apt guide consultant h
Episode 71 - Clotting For Good | In The Lab: Thrombophilia Testing II
Come one come all to see the thinnest extended reference in the universe. Draped over not one but TWO episodes, the Bloody Minded Crew continue to make vaguely topical references to popular recent films. Look - we go outside and experience the full gamut of popular culture. Oh and we finish up our discussion of thrombophilia testing in the lab - looking this week at activated protein C resistance
Episode 70 - The Wizard of Clots | In the Lab: Thrombophilia Testing I
Lions and tigers and… thrombosis? Oh my! Join the Bloody Minded Crew on the yellow brick road to visit the emerald laboratory and see the wonderful wizard of clots - your friendly laboratory coagulation scientist! Put on your blood red ruby slippers and join us for this bumper lab episode as we learn about how exactly we test for Protein C, S and antithrombin deficiencies as well as lupus anticoag
Episode 69 - I Have No Brain And I Must Test | Thrombophilia Testing
“HATE. LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE COME TO HATE YOU SINCE I BEGAN AS A HAEM REG. IF THE WORD HATE WAS ENGRAVED ON EACH NANO-ANGSTROM OF THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF CONSULT NOTES I HAVE WRITTEN IT WOULD NOT EQUAL ONE BILLIONTH OF THE HATE I FEEL FOR YOU ORDERING THROMBOPHILIA TESTING INAPPROPRIATELY.” Woah - Let’s calm down, that's a bit much. Cale and Bashar are exposed to Nick’s inner
Episode 68 - The Gut Brain Axis | CVST, CRVO, Splanchnic Thrombosis and Other Rare Clots
We're nearly out of pipes to clean - Join us for the world's worst roadtrip we venture into the lesser known parts of human plumbing and tackle unusual site thromboembolism. From splanchnic clots, uterine and testicular thrombi it's clots as far as the eye can see (and those it can't like CRVO!)Timestamps:0:58 - ROADTRIP4:07 - CVST11:07 - CVST - Treatment15:36 - Lemierre's
Episode 67 - Skin Deep | Superficial Thrombophlebitis
It's said that beauty is skin deep but you know what else lurks just under your epithelium - CLOTS! Nick, Cale and Bashar head very slightly under our outer layer to the peripheral vasculature in this increasing tortured metaphor as we learn on our shortest episode to date about what to do when those not so deep vessels fill with thrombus. Timestamps2:12 - Where are superficial veins?5:23 - W
Episode 66 - In The Lab: D-Lightful | The D-Dimer
D-ismayed by D-readful D-ressing D-owns by your D-emonstrably D-eplorable registrar? . Join de Bloody Minded Crew for a Tour D-Force of D-Dimer D-rama as we D-issect and D-iscuss this most D-ifficult of D-iagnostic tests!Timestamps2:14 - What is a D-Dimer and where does it come from?6:57 - FXIII and D-Dimer7:49 - Fibrinolysis and other degradation products10:18 - D-Dimer Assays - LIA14:22 - D-Dime
Episode 65 - Take Your Breath Away | Pulmonary Embolism
“Give me a 2cc bolus of clot stat Emma. No wait - not there!” But it was too late, and Em-Bolused the 2cc of clot straight to the lungs”. Join the Bloody Minded Crew as they get to the heart… no get to the lungs of the topic of Pulmonary Embolism. VanQuish the V/Q and CriTically aPprAise the CTPA with these acronyms that are just as bad as a cardiology trial and half as useful. Sadly the Top Gun s
Episode 64 - Never Skip Leg Day | Lower and Upper Limb Venous Thromboembolism
Calves, thighs, arms and more, Clots can form inside them all!Join your hosts Cale, Bashar and Nick as they take a deep (hah) dive into the nitty-gritty things you should know about managing DVTs of the extremitiesTIMESTAMPS0:54 - Intro to Extremity Clots3:49 - Veins of the Lower Limb5:54 - History & Exam Lower Limb10:54 - Phlegmasias15:52 - Investigations21:27 - Below Knee DVTs26:41 - Proxima
Episode 63 - Virchow’s Revenge | Introduction to Venous Thromboembolism
Rudolf the red nosed physicianWrote a very cool triadAnd if you ever saw ityou would even say ‘Egad!’All of the other physiciansused to laugh and call him dumbThey never let poor Rudolf join in the MDT funThen one foggy clinic daya patient came to say “Rudolf with your triad so smartwon’t you describe to me the pathophysiology of clotting in a way that both makes sense and fits inside the metre of
Episode 62 - The Man in the High (Lymph Node) Castle | Castleman Disease
Philip K. Dick once wrote, “Perhaps if you know you are insane then you are not insane. Or you are becoming sane, finally. Waking up.” Waking up, that is, not to the alternative history universe where the Axis won WWII but rather, to a new bonus episode on Castleman disease! Join Cale, Bashar and Nick as we explore one of Haem’s most zebra diagnoses, and do whatever we can to put off Nick’s clot s
Episode 61 - On The Wards: BiTE Me and other T Cell Tasty Treats
Have you stumbled onto the haematology ward only to discover patients on bizarrely named BiTE & CART therapy? Why are we giving patients CARTs? Do they come with a horse? Why does everyone freak out when these patients are febrile? Why is everyone so hung up about handwriting? What are these weird drugs? It's OK – we are here once more to demystify the acronyms – and help you know what w
Episode 60 - Twenty Pages About Basophils | Approach to Basophilia
Bamboozled by basophils bountiful booty of granules? Let’s begin brilliantly with a basophil based bonanza. Buckets and buckets of brazenly basophil related bonus banter. You beauty! But, beware the bawdy, boisterous boys babbling brobdignagian-ly about BASOPHILS. It sounds better if you read it in Hugo Weaving’s voice and it’s the 5th of November I swear. TIMESTAMPS3:07 - What are basophils? 6:5
Episode 59 - A Bad (eosino-)Feeling | Approach to Eosinophilia
The mighty eosinophil had triumphed. The last parasitic worm lay vanquished beneath his granule-studded pseudopodia. For years, he’d battled helminthic scourge, a hero in mucus armor. But now, with no foes left to smite, he grew restless. He turned his sharp gaze to pollen, peanuts, and pet dander. "Troublemakers," he muttered, unsheathing his cytotoxic arsenal. With righteous zeal, he c
Episode 58 - Not even my final form | Approach to Monocytes
Put on your monocles and kimonos and hop on the monorail to our episode composed of monotonous monologues, monogamously dedicated to that most monolithic and sometimes monoclonal of mononucleated cells. We are monobviously talking about the monocyte. TIMESTAMPS0:57 - Mono-Cyte! 2:50 - What is a monocyte? 4:20 - Monocyte subclasses 6:00 - Role of monocytes 8:10 - Causes of Monocytopenia 9:43 -
Episode 57 - Running on Fumes | Approach to Pancytopenia
Behold the field in which I grow my cells and see that it is barren. It’s out of the frying pan and into the aplastic fire with not a cell in sight. Join Nick, Cale and Bashar without two neutrophils to rub together as we talk about an approach to that most concerning of FBC features - pancytopenia. TIMESTAMPS2:22 - Definition of pancytopenia 4:23 - Spurious pancytopenia 6:04 - Cutoffs (arbitrar
Episode 56 - Lymph and Let Die | Approach to Lymphocytosis
Once again the Bloody Minded Crew have ventured out of the lab to find and trap another haematology registrar from the wards and convince them to come back to the show and talk about cells. Join haematology registrar Dr Lise Kempler as she teaches the team about what to do when that lymphocyte number just creeps up and up and up. TIMESTAMPS2:34 - Aspiring to be a lymphocyte 5:44 - What are lympho
Episode 55 - Too much of a good thing | Approaching Neutrophilia
Whilst most of haematology is spent looking forlornly into the empty neutrophil cupboard like old Mother Hubbard post chemotherapy, the pendulum can also swing to the other extreme. Join us as we unpack the reactive and not-so-reactive causes of a neutrophilia so you don’t get too left-shifted on the wards.TIMESTAMPS2:18 - Apologies to the Welsh 3:07 - Cutoffs (arbitrary as usual) 4:46 - Left-sh
Episode 54 - You and What Army? | Approach to Neutropenia
A lone neutrophil stands alone against a horde of gram negative bacteria. He is the last of his kind, the single granulocyte rising from the ashes of a marrow once verdant with haematopoiesis, now overrun with blasts. As the endotoxin rushes towards him, he smiles, for on the horizon he can see the glimmer of tazocin rushing through the blood vessels like Gandalf leading the Rohirrim to Helm’s Dee
Episode 53 - PlateLOTS | Approaching Thrombocytosis
There’s a problem with billionaires at the moment. Every day, you make a hundred billion platelets. For some in our society, even that colossal quantity isn’t nearly enough. They strive ever onward for even more. Unfettered platelet production all the time forever - after all the number can only go up. But mo’ platelets leads to mo’ problems. Go on a journey with Bashar, Nick and Cale to learn how
Episode 52 - Scraping the barrel | Approach to thrombocytopenia
Are you a platelet that has been conjugated to an antibody? Sequestered in a spleen? Diluted out by too much saline? Had your precious gold stolen from you? Then you might be entitled to thrombensation! Listen to this episode to learn how we can help YOU approach thrombocytopenia.TIMESTAMPS 2:23 - Striking gold where you least expect it 4:40 - Definition of thrombocytopaenia 8:06 - What do platele
Episode 51 - Seeing Red | Approaching Erythrocytosis
Our half empty cup from last week has now runneth over! If having low red cells is a bad thing, then having an extremely high amount must be a good thing, right? WRONG! Join the Bloody Minded Crew as we explore what happens when we’re on the other side of that Goldilocks zone of red cells. Remember that episode of the Simpsons where they try and force a million germs through a tiny door? It’s lik
Episode 50 - Washed Out | Approach to Anaemia
All that blood study making you faint, fatigued and short of breath? Well, you might be anaemic but how can we tell why? Join us on our first expedition of this season of highs and lows as we take apart the full blood count one episode at a time. Let’s start with an approach to a cup half-empty of blood - anaemia! TIMESTAMPS2:10 - The Motto of Haematology 3:08 - Definitions - How low is low? 4:2
Episode 49 - In The Lab: Easy as 1-2-3 | Performing a FBC
Learning to count is hard. Learning to count cells is harder. Luckily we've got an expert with us today to show us the basics. Welcome back to a new batch of episodes where we unpack the highs and lows of haematology and teach you what to do with those pesky out of range blood counts. But to do that we need to know where the numbers come from. We don't know, so we asked Mitchell Rawlings
Episode 48 - On The Wards: HELP! I need somebody! | Consulting Haematology
Have you been asked to call for a Haematology consult and are now considering hiding in a toilet? Never fear! You can listen to this podcast from the hospital bathroom AND learn some fantastic tips and tricks to help us help you! Dr Alison Chandler is back in the studio and we're aiming for future consults with at least 50% less crying – and that’s not just for the Haem AT carrying the consul
Episode 47 - Blood Banking with the Best | An Interview with Dr Joe Chaffin, MD (aka BBGuy)
Bashar was tasked with finding an expert to talk to about blood banking. He decided to cold-email the best transfusion-educator in the world who is probably responsible for hundreds if not thousands of haematology trainees understanding blood banking. Turns out he's an absolutely lovely guy who decided to spend an hour of his Monday morning chatting to us about podcasting, education, IgA defi
Episode 46 - A PerPLEXing Journey | Introduction to Apheresis
Red cells. White cells. Platelets. Plasma. Proteins. By your powers combined I am Captain… Whole Blood? Wouldn’t it be so much easier if we could work with each of these blood components individually. After all, we have to get them in a bag to donate to people. Before we swear off transfusion for the time being, join the Bloody Minded Crew as we learn the get back to basics of the apheresis machin
Episode 45 - Much A-B-O about Nothing | Transfusing A-B-O Mismatched Transplants with Dr Eoghan Molloy
Join our visiting expert Dr Eoghan Molloy - Multitalented transfusion medicine specialist and consultant haematologist at Cork University Hospital to teach us how to cross the ABO Rubicon and provide transfusion support in ABO mismatched transplantation. Visit the lab and see what happens to the forward and reverse group when you're in the middle of changing groups. Brush up on your major, mi
Episode 44 - MAIPA Madness | FNAIT & Platelet Testing
FOUR Antibodies. THREE Animals. TWO Crying Haem Registrars. ONE TEST - The MAIPA. Actually maybe more than two crying haem registrars. How many antibodies are too many antibodies to have inside a lab test? One? That’s just a DAT. Two? A mere sandwich ELISA. But the Monoclonal Antibody Immobilisation of Platelet Antigens (MAIPA) - that’s not just three but FOUR separate antibodies in the same test.
Episode 43 - When your number’s not up | Platelet Refractoriness
Have you ever looked at your wallet after a big night out and seen that all your dollars have been conjugated to alloantibodies and phagocytosed by macrophages? Then you know what it’s like to transfuse a platelet refractory patient! Join us as we take a tour of platelet refractoriness and do our best to find some HLA-matched dollars for rent this week.Timestamps00:52 - Bashar lives near a nuclear
Episode 42 - In The Lab: Rare Groups, Subgroups, Elutes and Fruit Loops | Advanced Blood Banking
Has this season been too simple? Want to up the difficulty? First of all you have issues, but second of all, welcome! It’s time to talk about all the things we don’t tell people about in the wider hospital - rare blood groups, subgroups, laboratory tips, tricks and more on this bumper In The Lab episode. Timestamps:0:52 - How to get rich quick3:58 - Episode overview4:50 - The other blood groups9:0
Episode 41 - Transfusion for Two | HDFN and Anti-D
What’s scarier than picking blood for one patient? Picking blood for TWO patients where one of them is inside the other (or only very recently outside). Obstetrics isn’t immune to the acronym train so join Nick, Cale and Bashar as we talk about HDFN, RhD prophylaxis and that OMG sensation that comes when looking after some of our smallest patients. Timestamps:0:58 - Trust me this is worth it2:30 -
Episode 40 - On The Wards: The Antibodies of Wrath | IVIG and Rituximab Reactions
IVIG & Rituximab – both involve Antibodies – and both can lead to infusion reactions that you may be called to as a junior doctor. But where do these antibodies even come from? Why are we even giving these treatments? What are you meant to do when called to review the patient? Head back to the wards, get your cheese ready and welcome back consultant haematologist Dr Alison Chandler to the pod
Episode 39 - Tweaks and Tune-Ups | A Guide to Blood Product Modifications
Keen to augment your blood transfusion game but confused as to when, where and why? Join the Bloody Minded boffins as we cover all the major modifications to blood products you can order. More importantly, why you should and sometimes shouldn't bother ordering them. Have a sensible conversation with your blood bank after you listen to this episode.Timestamps:00:58 - How the blood bank actuall
Episode 38 - Infinity Products | Massive Transfusion Protocols
Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. All that blood doesn’t just arrive when you snap your fingers together. The REALITY is you need the TIME and SPACE to thaw that frozen plasma and the strength of MIND to keep all the components in the right ratios. Only the chosen few with the POWER of transfusion medicine and the SOUL of the laboratory can direct the most immense of transfusions - the
Episode 37 - In The Lab: Red Cell Matchmaking | Group and Hold, Antibody Screen, Crossmatch
It’s an early trip to the lab this season to explore exactly how we safely match the blood in the bank to the patient on the ward. Follow your trusty hand-labelled group-and-hold tube as we unpack what actually goes into blood grouping, antibody screening and the final hurdle, the crossmatch!Timestamps0:52 - Nick lives in squalor, surprising nobody2:56 - The Group4:22 - The Forward Group6:53 - The
Episode 36 - What’s in the bag, Somerset, what’s in the bag? | Blood Products
We’re back again to answer all of your questions- what’s exactly is a "unit" of blood and how do we go about giving it? What on earth is the difference between FFP and ELP and cryodepleted plasma? And what do each of them sound like, if you were to interpret them via a completely unnecessary collection of household objects? As always, we’ve got you covered.Timestamps:00:55 - Bashar'
Episode 35 - The Other Resus | Introduction to Blood Groups
We’ve been out of line with the rest of #FOAM #MedEd podcasts for the longest time. Forget that haematology stuff, it’s time to talk about RESUS. Break out your adrenaline, it’s time to crack some chests and… wait what? You meant Rhesus? With an H? Oh right… okay. Put down those trauma shears as the only thing we’ll be cracking open are the ISBT Red Cell Immunogenetics guidelines. Join the Bloody
Episode 34 - On the Wards: I would do anything for blood – but I won’t do that | Transfusion Reactions
Do you fear – The Power of Blood? Have you been warned – You can’t Hurry Blood? Today we tackle all the ways Blood (and love) can go wrong. . . and how to manage it on the wards.Too cryptic? Join Bloody Minded's own consultant haematologist Dr Alison Chandler and the rest of the Bloody Minded Crew as we cover the many and varied reactions patients can have when you try and fix that haemoglobi
