Former Memorial Blood Centers' Medical Director, Dr. Herbert Polesky, Dies at 78

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With sadness and gratitude, Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) recognizes the recent passing of Dr. Herbert F. Polesky, an international leader in transfusion medicine and MBC's medical director from 1964 through 1999.

"Dr. Polesky was the heart and soul of our organization for 35 years," said Dr. Elizabeth Perry, MBC's current Associate Medical Director and Director of Physician Services. "Under his leadership, MBC became known as a leader in transfusion medicine both nationally and internationally. And we continue to benefit from the many contributions he made to blood banking and healthcare in Minnesota. "

Over a long and distinguished medical career that spanned more than five decades, Dr. Polesky pioneered forensic identity testing via DNA and was a leading researcher and author on a wide-range of topics—from hemolytic disease in newborns, hepatitis, and HIV to blood banking standards and quality control—all to improve blood product safety.

Dr. Polesky's rich legacy lives on through his ground-breaking work that has contributed significantly to ensuring safety and standardization within the blood banking field and through the countless transfusion physicians, clinical laboratory scientists, and researchers he mentored during his tenure with MBC. Since his retirement in 1999, MBC also has annually presented The Herbert F. Polesky Award, recognizing an individual who has made a notable contribution to the blood banking field. Past recipients include Drs. John Crosson, Kathy Postiglione, Robert Bowman, S. Breanndan Moore, Jane Swanson, and Jeff McCullough.

Born in Los Angeles, California and a graduate of Stanford University, earning his M.D. in 1957, Dr. Polesky was a resident of Healdsburg, California for the past decade.  An avid world traveler, he died in Punta Arenas, Chile, on December 19, 2011, at the age of 78.  

About Memorial Blood Centers
Memorial Blood Centers has been saving lives for over 60 years as an independent nonprofit supplying life-saving blood to area hospitals and other partners throughout the United States. Operating 11 donor centers and conducting hundreds of blood drives each month, Memorial Blood Centers also provides comprehensive testing and expert technical services as a national leader in transfusion medicine. For more information, call 888-GIVE-BLD or visit MBC.org.

SOURCE Memorial Blood Centers