Research and Laboratory
We are unique
Sanquin is a unique organization: we are the only one to provide the blood supply in the Netherlands, and we conduct diagnostics that are not performed in many other labs. It is not for nothing that we are the knowledge center for immunology and transfusion medicine. As a lab technician you have an incredibly important role with us: for example, in our National Screening Laboratory (NSS), where we test the blood of some 3,500 donors every day. Thanks to this screening, blood can be safely administered to patients. In our high-tech laboratories, we perform complex patient diagnostics, for example, for complicated blood transfusions or to determine the right drug regimen for someone. At Sanquin Diagnostics we also perform tests for our scientific colleagues at Sanquin Research. In addition, we do a lot of contract research into how drugs work, commissioned by pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
When the corona pandemic broke out, our labs made an important contribution in the fight against COVID-19: among other things, we performed tests to determine corona infections and structurally examined blood donations for the presence of antibodies, for better insight into the immune status of the Netherlands.
How we do it
Sanquin Diagnostics has a total of 15 different laboratories, all ISO15189-certified and working according to GxP. At some laboratories, most of the work is robotized and the focus is on High through-put analysis. At others, it is mostly about complex manual work for individual cases. We work with the latest equipment and a variety of techniques: from immunology-based assays such as ELISA and RIA to chemiluminescence and molecular tests, including PCR assays.
The profits we make do not go to shareholders, but are put into innovation. It also allows us to offer the complex (and expensive) diagnostics that commercial labs pass up. We consider this an important social service.
In order to continue to innovate and improve, we also seek cooperation. For example, together with the OLVG, we have set up the OLVG Sanquin Labcombinatie and we are investigating how we can further expand our services in the Greater Amsterdam region in a consortium of 4 lab centers (from the Amsterdam UMC, the OLVG, the GGD and Sanquin).
❤️ for society
Sanquin employees are socially involved people; we find it important that we contribute to a better society through our work. The atmosphere on the work floor is open and informal; everyone helps each other and we solve problems together. A bit of a 'family culture' with a business-like touch, is how it is sometimes described. Everyone is strongly focused on the content and well-being of the patient. After all, we all know how important our part in that is.
Growing and flourishing
You regularly attend training courses and workshops with your department. For example, we organize an English course on the shop floor for those who want to brush up on their language skills, or we ask a Sanquin scientist to give an interesting lecture for us. In addition, you will receive your own development budget which you can use for your personal growth. Sanquin is an organization that offers many opportunities for further growth; for example, you can go in the direction of quality control, choose the management side or develop more in a scientific direction if that is where your heart lies. Because of our collaboration with the OLVG, the GGD and the Amsterdam UMC, our field of activity is very broad. That gives you great opportunities to broaden your horizons even further. We encourage you to get the most out of it and to contribute daily with pleasure and commitment to the best possible diagnostics.
How do we process your data?
