Phillip J. DeChristopher, MD, PhD Professor Department of Pathology Director of Blood Bank / Transfusion Medicine Associate Director of Clinical Histocompatibility Laboratory (888) LUHS-888

• College:
  Chemistry
  University of Illinois at Chicago
  Chicago, Illinois
  1967
• Graduate School:
  Chemistry
  University of Illinois at Chicago
  Chicago, Illinois
  1969
• Doctorate:
  Physical Organic Chemistry
  University of Illinois at Chicago
  Chicago, Illinois
  1971
• Medical School:
  Physical Organic Chemistry
  Loyola University Chicago
  Stritch School of Medicine
  Maywood, Illinois
  1982
• Residency:
  Anatomic & Clinical Pathology
  Michael Reese Hospital & Medical Center
  Chicago, Illionois
  1982-1986

Professional Certifications & Licensure

• National Board of Medical Examiners, 1983
• American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, 1986
• American Board of Pathology, Special Qualification in Blood Banking / Transfusion Medicine, 1989
• Licensed Physician and Surgeon, State of Illinois

Clinical Focus

• Blood Banking & Transfusion Medicine
• Therapeutic hemapheresis
• Adverse effects of blood transfusion
• Allo- and auto-immunization to RBC and other blood group antigens

Research / Investigative Focus

• Practice parameters & evidence-based medicine
• Therapeutic hemapheresis, novel applications
• Stem cell harvesting and transplantation

Biography

Dr. DeChristopher is Professor of Pathology and medical director of the Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine service in the Department of Pathology at Loyola University Medical Center. He obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He was graduated from Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine. He is board certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners, a licensed physician in Illinois and board certified by the American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology; American Board of Pathology, Special Qualification in Blood Banking / Transfusion Medicine. Dr. DeChristopher has served as chair of the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s (ASCP) Council on Transfusion Medicine, as president of the Illinois Association of Blood Banks, the president of the Chicagoland Blood Bank Society. Over the last 16 years, he has also served on the medical advisory committees and assorted educational task forces of several regional blood centers and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Heartland Blood Centers in Aurora. For 9 years, he was also a member of the College of American Pathologists’ Transfusion Medicine Resource Committee, which is responsible for developing proficiency testing surveys, CAP inspection checklists and promulgating practice parameters. His investigative endeavors have included studies on applications of therapeutic hemapheresis in stem cell harvesting and other applications; clinical studies on pathogen inactivated blood components; adverse effects of blood transfusion, emphasizing humoral immune effects; clinical trials on laboratory instrumentation; solid organ transplantation immunology; and the development and implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines for transfusion. Dr. DeChristopher is co-author of Case Studies in Transfusion Medicine published by ASCP Press and of over 70 other articles, book chapters, abstracts and oral presentations. Dr. DeChristopher has served as a manuscript reviewer for Laboratory Medicine, Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the American Association of Blood Banks’ Technical Manual. He is a popular invited speaker and has presented numerous workshops, seminars, and teleconferences and grand rounds for physicians and medical technologists, regionally and nationally, including serving as faculty over the past 15 years in the annual ASCP Educational Course entitled “Review of Current Topics in Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine” as well as directing a recurring ASCP Workshop, entitled “Updates in Clinical Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine, at annual national meetings.

Publications

View a partial list of Dr. DeChristopher's publications through the National Library of Medicine's PubMed online database.