Our Vision
Connecting our communities to provide hope for healing.
Our Mission
We lead the fields of transfusion and transplantation medicine by advancing science and technology. We provide hope for the future by teaching the medical leaders of tomorrow. We enhance lives by connecting donors to patients every day.
A Brief History
Stanford Blood Center was created within the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine in 1978. The Blood Center was created to meet the increasingly large and complex transfusion needs of Stanford Health Care and Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and to perform research and teaching.
As an academic blood center, we were able to match the resources of a world-class university with the operational demands of a rapidly growing, innovative health care system. Our labs led the field in research and testing services, and our leadership were responsible for initiating many of the procedures and safeguards of the blood supply that are considered industry standards today. As transplantation medicine began to evolve, our HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) Lab pioneered numerous transplant monitoring and compatibility methods, and promoted cutting-edge technologies that have made precision heath care and advanced data gathering possible.
From the beginning, we have been out front on industry challenges by being ready with testing well in advance of a public health concern. Our mindset has always been one of prevention, preparedness and safety of the blood supply. As the needs of the transplant and transfusion industries have grown increasingly complex, and as our hospital partners have increased in scale and numbers, we have expanded to meet demand, while maintaining our dedication to the well-being of the community and patients we serve.
Where We Are Today
We remain an independent community blood center and leader in the fields of transfusion and transplantation medicine. In October 2015, we formed a collaborative alliance with Stanford Health Care (SHC), which has further expanded our impact on clinical care.
Today, SBC continues to build on a legacy of innovation that has helped shape transfusion and transplantation medicine for decades. We serve the Bay Area through four blood donation centers, with a fifth location scheduled to open in January 2027, along with more than 500 community blood drives each year. Supported by a robust and dedicated donor community, SBC welcomes over 70,000 donors per year.
Our work extends well beyond blood collection. Through SBC Labs, we provide routine, complex, and customized testing services that support transfusion and transplantation medicine, research, and therapeutics. Our laboratory services include infectious disease and immunohematology testing, histocompatibility and immunogenetics testing for bone marrow and solid organ transplantation, and specialized flow cytometry services.
Through SBC Biologics, we provide customized blood products and services for research and clinical applications. Offerings include red blood cells, platelets, plasma, whole blood, leukocytes, and specialized products such as research-use-only, GMP, and mobilized leukopaks. These capabilities help support scientific discovery, clinical trials, and the development of future therapies.
SBC also continues to advance blood safety, emergency preparedness, and patient care through initiatives such as pathogen reduction technology for platelets, participation in the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps, and expanding donor eligibility through implementation of the FDA’s Individual Donor Assessment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, SBC was among the first blood centers in the nation to establish a convalescent plasma program and later became the first blood center in California and only the second in the nation authorized by the FDA under a Biologics License Application to manufacture and distribute high-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma.
Together, our donor centers, mobile blood drives, laboratories, biologics programs, and dedicated community of donors and staff allow SBC to meet the needs of patients today while helping advance the medicine of tomorrow.
Milestones
Stanford Blood Center’s history is marked by decades of innovation, scientific advancement and a commitment to improving patient care. From pioneering developments in blood safety and transfusion medicine to expanding our role in transplantation, research and specialized testing, each milestone has helped shape who we are today. Explore the timeline below to learn more about the people, programs and breakthroughs that have defined SBC’s evolution.
Culture and Impact
We are proud to have a dedicated team of talented individuals who are excited to come to work every day and help others. Our team members truly make an impact both locally and globally through the work they do at SBC.