In
200 Hawkins DriveIowa City, IA 52242United States
Blood Donor Center Hours of Operations
Monday through Friday: Variable hours between 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
C250 General Hospital (GH)
Level 2, Elevator B
Clinic
1-319-356-2058
[emailprotected]
About the DeGowin Blood Center
The DeGowin Blood Center is a hospital-based blood center that collects blood for University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital patients.
The UI DeGowin Blood Center provides service in four major areas:
Donor Collections
The Donor Center at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and mobile blood drives are operated to collect whole blood, apheresis platelets, plasma and red cells.
Therapeutic Apheresis
A full range of therapeutic procedures is offered, including plasma and red cell exchange, photopheresis, stem cell collection, cellular depletion, and therapeutic phlebotomy. The blood center physicians provide consultative services to clinicians.
Tissue and Cellular Therapies
Bone marrow, stem cells and mononuclear cells are processed for cellular therapies in this facility, both for patients at UI Hospitals & Clinics and patients worldwide as a member of the National Marrow Donor Program. Tissue and Cellular Therapies also stores and distributes human tissues implanted at UI Hospitals & Clinics.
Transfusion Service
The blood bank processes donated blood products into products that are acceptable for transfusion. They also perform compatibility testing, antibody identification, transfusion reaction evaluations, and provide specialized blood components for transfusion. The blood center physicians provide consultative services to clinicians.
Following medical school graduation in 1928 from the University of Michigan, DeGowin's meteoric rise in American medicine was the consequence of his pioneering work in the banking, storage and transportation of blood.
In 1938, a group of investigators under his leadership established the blood transfusion service at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Their blood bank was the first established west of the Mississippi River. Under his direction a series of studies proved conclusively the beneficial role of glucose in extending the useful life span of blood and the safety of blood stored in the cold for prolonged periods. Anticipating needs that were soon to be acute in the armed forces, DeGowin's group demonstrated in the autumn of 1940 the viability of several dozen samples of blood after airplane voyages half way across the continent in ice-packed containers. His contributions to blood transfusion and banking culminated in his service for five years as Secretary on the Subcommittee of Blood of the National Research Council.
In addition to his pioneering work in the expanding field of blood transfusion, he was a tireless student and scholar of internal medicine. He was among the first physicians to use sulfonamides and penicillin at the UI Hospitals & Clinics and was instrumental in designing the hospital's charting system. From his many years as a teacher, he compiled a medical student's pocket companion for guidance on the ward and in the clinic. HisBedside Diagnostic Examinationwas used frequently by American medical students and their European counterparts.
Elmer DeGowin served two terms as Iowa's leader for the American College of Physicians from 1965-71 and in 1974 was designated a Master of that organization.
His contributions to American medicine survive in the competence of his students, the relevance of his writings, the accomplishments of his son Richard DeGowin, MD, and the excellence of the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. CarverCollege of Medicine. In recognition of his efforts, the Elmer L. DeGowin Memorial Blood Center was dedicated in December of 1981.
Support Us
The UI DeGowin Blood Center relies on a wide variety of businesses, churches, schools, community groups and members of the University community to host blood drives. If you have a group that is interested in hosting a blood drive, please contact our Blood Drive Coordinator,1-319-356-8327.
Refreshment Area Host
Community volunteers serve refreshments to donors after they've donated at area blood drives. As a refreshment host, volunteers help donors feel comfortable and appreciated as they rest the required post donation time. In addition, hosts educate donors about automated donations and help restock refreshments.
Telerecruitment Volunteer
Telerecruitment Volunteers come to the Donor Center to call donors, reminding them that it is time to schedule another donation.
All volunteers at UI Hospitals & Clinics must attend volunteer training throughVolunteer Services.
DeGowin Blood Center Faculty and Staff Directory
Medical Director, Blood Bank and Donor Collections
C. Michael Knudson MD, PhD
Clinical Professor
Medical Director, Tissue and Cellular Therapies and Patient Services
Annette J. Schlueter MD, PhD
Clinical Professor
Faculty
John L. Blau MD
Clinical Associate Professor
Meredith Parsons MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Staff Directory
Beth Alden MT (ASCP)
Medical Laboratory Science Supervisor
Contact
Phone: 1-319-384-5291
Email:[emailprotected]
Natalie Chambers MT (ASCP), MBA
Laboratory Manager
Contact
Phone: 1-319-353-7603
Email:[emailprotected]
Laura Collins RN, BSN, HP (ASCP)
Nurse Manager
Contact
Phone:1-319-356-1837
Email:[emailprotected]
Kerry DuBay MBA
Donor Center Supervisor
Contact
Phone: 1-319-356-0389
Email:[emailprotected]
Stacey Figgins RN, BSN, MBA
Assistant Nurse Manager
Contact
Phone:1-319-356-3186
Email:[emailprotected]
Farah El-Zein MT (ASCP) SBB
Medical Laboratory Scientist Supervisor
Contact
Phone: 1-319-384-6653
Email:[emailprotected]
Mandy McClenahan MA
Blood Drive & Recruitment Specialist
Contact
Phone:1-319-356-8327
Email:[emailprotected]
Laura Nicks MT (ASCP)
Medical Laboratory Science Supervisor
Contact
Phone:1-319-384-5289
Email:[emailprotected]
Michelle Smith
Administrative Services Specialist
Contact
Phone:1-319-356-7401
Email:[emailprotected]