Meet the Researcher: Perspectives from a trainee of Dr. Nicolas Pineault

A new “Meet the Researcher” video showcasing the expertise of Canadian Blood Services’ research network is now available on blood.ca! The video features Dr. Nicolas Pineault, a Canadian Blood Services senior scientist and adjunct professor in the department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Pineault’s laboratory is located at the Canadian Blood Services head office in Ottawa, where he works on the development of cryopreservation strategies to protect cells from cryoinjuries.

As a complement to the video and to highlight the “behind-the-scenes" view on the research activities that Dr. Pineault and his team undertake, we invited Krishna Patel to share her perspectives as a trainee pursuing graduate studies with Dr. Pineault’s mentorship.

Finding my footing: Perspectives as a trainee of Dr. Nicolas Pineault 

A little under a year ago, I joined the laboratory of Dr. Pineault at Canadian Blood Services as part of my master’s program at the University of Ottawa. What initially felt like a major step into graduate research quickly became an engaging and rewarding experience, shaped by the collaborative and supportive environment within both the lab and the broader research community at Canadian Blood Services.

My research focuses on improving the cryopreservation of umbilical cord blood–derived cells, both stem and immune cell types. Cryopreservation plays an essential role in the long-term storage and clinical use of many cell-based therapies, but the freeze–thaw process can place significant stress on cells and affect both their viability and function.

One of the biggest challenges is controlling how ice forms and changes during freezing and warming. Building on previous work in the field, including contributions from past members of the Pineault lab, my project explores the use of special compounds that help control how ice forms and grows during freezing and thawing.

More specifically, I’m investigating how controlling the temperature range of ice formation may help reduce cellular damage during cryopreservation. By combining these approaches, the goal is to improve the recovery of cell function after thawing, while also reducing reliance on conventional cryoprotectants such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

What has stood out most to me during my time at Canadian Blood Services is seeing how closely research is connected to real-world healthcare applications. Working alongside teams involved in manufacturing, translational science, and clinical implementation has broadened the way I think about both the field and my own future career path.

After graduation, I hope to work in clinical trials or regulatory sciences, helping bridge the gap between promising discoveries and therapies that can meaningfully reach patients. Somewhere between writing protocols, analyzing data, and trying not to upset the flow cytometer, I realized I genuinely enjoy translating science into something practical and impactful… even if that means lots of paperwork!

Expanding the impact: Improving access to cell therapies through cryopreservation

Improving cryopreservation is about more than refining laboratory techniques. It is a key part of making cell-based therapies more scalable, reliable, and accessible. By improving post-thaw viability and functional recovery, optimized preservation strategies can help ensure that cellular therapies maintain their therapeutic potential from manufacturing through to clinical use.

Cryopreservation is also central to modern biomanufacturing. It allows cell products to be produced in batches, stored long-term, and distributed when needed rather than requiring immediate use. This flexibility can reduce logistical challenges, improve efficiency across the production pipeline, and potentially lower the overall cost of cell-based therapies. These advances are especially important for sensitive primary cells, such as hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and more recently immune cell types, where even small reductions in quality can influence clinical outcomes.

At Canadian Blood Services, the translational impact of this work is already visible through ongoing efforts in blood component manufacturing and advanced cellular therapies. This includes frozen plasma and red cell products, as well as infrastructure that supports the cryopreservation and supply chain needs of emerging therapies such as CAR-T treatments. Seeing how cryopreservation supports both research and large-scale clinical manufacturing has reinforced for me how important this field will become as cell therapies continue to evolve.

Ultimately, these advances could have important implications for healthcare accessibility across Canada. By improving reliability and helping lower costs, I hope that I can contribute to the optimization of cryopreservation strategies that may expand access to advanced therapies beyond major urban centers. Improving cryopreservation is not only about advancing the science—it is also about helping make life-saving therapies more accessible to Canadians.

• Watch the full Meet the Researcher video introducing Canadian Blood Services senior scientist Dr. Nicolas Pineault

To continue learning about research and education activities undertaken at Canadian Blood Services, including our competitive funding programs, products and services for researchers, and research team, visit our research webpages on blood.ca.

Canadian Blood Services – Driving world-class innovation 

Through discovery, development and applied research, Canadian Blood Services drives world-class innovation in blood transfusion, cellular therapy and transplantation—bringing clarity and insight to an increasingly complex healthcare future. Our dedicated research team and extended network of partners engage in exploratory and applied research to create new knowledge, inform and enhance best practices, contribute to the development of new services and technologies, and build capacity through training and collaboration. Find out more about our research impact.  

The opinions reflected in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Canadian Blood Services nor do they reflect the views of Health Canada or any other funding agency.