Look Who it Was Random video

Producing red blood cells in the lab for routine blood transfusions | Jasmin Agarwal | TEDxStuttgart

3,546 views · Published 6 November 2018 · 15:23 · Indexed 12 October 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2018 · Nonprofits & Activism

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I started to hang out in scientific labs when I was 17 years old being still a high school kid. I was fascinated. By chance I got in touch with leukemia cells. Leukemia is blood cancer. And blood research became the one thing that followed me throughout my life. I know how to turn stem cells into blood cells and how to turn blood cells into stem cells.

Ironically, this only made sense 17 years later after I had finally decided to leave science forever to go back to clinics just to be a doctor. Turning down all my dreams that had not worked out in the lab.

But changing my perspective made me realize how valuable donor blood is in the hospital, the severe consequences of non-matching blood groups and the scare of transferred infections. That activated my scientific brain and my big vision was born. There need to be a way to make blood in the lab. Universal blood.

Today I dare to go the first steps on this way. I am curious where it will lead me. And I am convinced that together we will find a way to Give Blood to People. Clean, safe and in unlimited amounts. I started to hang out in scientific labs when I was 17 years old being still a high school kid. I was fascinated. By chance I got in touch with leukemia cells. Leukemia is blood cancer. And blood research became the one thing that followed me throughout my life. I know how to turn stem cells into blood cells and how to turn blood cells into stem cells.

Ironically, this only made sense 17 years later after I had finally decided to leave science forever to go back to clinics just to be a doctor. Turning down all my dreams that had not worked out in the lab.

But changing my perspective made me realize how valuable donor blood is in the hospital, the severe consequences of non-matching blood groups and the scare of transferred infections. That activated my scientific brain and my big vision was born. There need to be a way to make blood in the lab. Universal blood.

I am convinced that together we will find a way to Give Blood to People. Clean, safe and in unlimited amounts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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