Sarah Vossoughi, MD

Dr. Sarah Vossoughi is Vice Chair and Chief of Clinical Pathology at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in addition to the Director of Clinical Laboratories. She is dual board-certified in Clinical Pathology and Transfusion Medicine and previously held leadership roles at New York Blood Center Enterprises, including Senior Vice President of Laboratories, Vice President of Medical Affairs, and Enterprise Medical Director. In these roles, she oversaw laboratory and blood center operations spanning 17 states and 5 Health and Human Services (HHS) regions, providing coverage across the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic. Earlier in her career, she served as Director of Apheresis and Cellular Collections at Columbia University Medical Center and Director of Clinical Pathology at New York Presbyterian-Westchester. A decorated military veteran, Dr. Vossoughi served 10 years as an officer and aeromedical evacuation nurse in the United States Air Force, earning seven medals over three deployments while leading trauma teams, commanding combat medical evacuations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and directing disaster preparedness training for tens of thousands of service members spanning three continents. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters and is nationally recognized for her expertise in transfusion safety, blood, biologics, and cellular therapies.

Post Graduate Education & Training

• 2011-2015; MD, University of Vermont
• 2015-2018; Clinical Pathology Residency, New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia University Medical Center
• 2018-2019; Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine Fellowship – New York Blood Center/Columbia University Medical Center

Research Summary

My research focuses on transfusion medicine, with contributions spanning hemovigilance, blood utilization, patient safety, clinical apheresis, and cellular therapies.

I enjoy working closely with my clinical colleagues across specialties to develop practical, real-world evidence-based solutions that can be implemented at the bedside to improve patient care.

Peer Reviewed Journals

• Villa CH, Biondich P, Draper NL, Dores GM, Storch E, Chada K, Wong HL, Whitaker B, Obidi J, Vossoughi S, Soares A, Schilling LM, Natarajan K, Goodman M, Purkayastha S, Zucker R, Falconer T, Williams N, Reich C, Anderson S, Shoaibi A. Patterns of platelet use evaluated in EHR networks of the Biologics Effectiveness and Safety Initiative, 2012–2018. Transfusion. 2025; 65: 267–276. DOI:10.1111/trf.18114
• Gammon R, Rosenbaum L, Cooke R, Friedman M, Rockwood L, Nichols T, Vossoughi S. Maintaining adequate donations and a sustainable blood supply-lessons learned. Transfusion. 2021: 61:294-302: DOI:10.1111/trf.16145
• Vossoughi S, Schwartz J. Non-evidence-based platelet transfusions for protocol eligibility. Cytotherapy. 2020; 22(7): 343: DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2020.04.094
• Vossoughi S, Winters JL, Burgstaler EA, Schwartz J. The ABCs of disaster management: Managing apheresis operations during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Journal of Clinical Apheresis. 2020; 35(4):243-245: DOI:10.1002/jca.21803
• Vossoughi S, Fischkoff K, DeSimone RA, Schwartz J. Blood stewardship: Conservation and supply of blood components during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Transfusion. 2020; 60:2156-2159: DOI:10.1111/trf.15995
• Vossoughi S, Romoff D, Schwartz J. Prospective platelet auditing: resident compliance and the cost of training. Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy. 2020; 3:e87: DOI: 10.1002/acg2.87
• Vossoughi S, Spitalnik SL. Conquering erythroblastosis fetalis: 50 years of RhIG. Transfusion. 2019; 59(7): 2195-2196: DOI:10.1111/trf.15307
• Vossoughi S, Schwartz J, Stotler B. Management of immunotherapy products in the blood bank. Transfusion. 2019; 59(12): 3800-3801: DOI:10.1111/trf.15524
• Vossoughi S, Perez G, Whitaker BI, Fung MK, Rajbhandary S, Crews N, Stotler B. Safety incident reports associated with blood transfusions. Transfusion. 2019; 59(9): 2827-2832: DOI:10.1111/trf.15429
• Vossoughi S, Gorlin J, Kessler D, Hillyer C, Van Buren N, Jimenez A, Shaz B. Ten years of TRALI mitigation: measuring our progress. Transfusion. 2019; 59(8): 2567-2574: DOI:10.1111/trf.15387
• Vossoughi S, Parker-Jones S, Schwartz J, Stotler B. Provider trends in paediatric and adult transfusion reaction reporting. Vox Sanguinis. 2019; 114(3): 232-236: DOI:10.1111/vox.12758
• Vossoughi S, Perez G, Whitaker BI, Fung MK, Stotler B. Analysis of pediatric adverse reactions to transfusions. Transfusion. 2018; 58(1): 60-69: DOI:10.1111/trf.14359
• Forest SK, Vossoughi SR, Connelly C, Stotler BA. Automated laboratories: when technology needs a human touch. The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine. 2018; 2(6): 977-979: DOI:10.1373/jalm.2017.025155
• Blackburn CW, Vossoughi SR, Ojo B, Gorroochurn P, Marboe CC, Akelina Y, Strauch RJ. A comparison of the Minimal-Touch Technique and the Eversion Technique for microvascular anastomosis in a rat model. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery. 2017; 33(2): 97-102: DOI:10.1055/s-0036-1593746
• Ganapathi M, Thomsen M, Vossoughi S, Vundavalli M, Bhagat G, Mansukhani M, Aggarwal VS. A rare case of Diamond Blackfan anemia: identifying the causative mutation using NGS. CAP Today. 2016; 30(7):52.
• Tran MH, Vossoughi S, Harm S, Dunbar N, Fung M. Massive transfusion protocol: communication ordering practice survey (MTP COPS). American Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2016; 146 (3):319-323: DOI:10.1093/ajcp/aqw123
• Vossoughi SR, Macauley R, Sazama K, Fung, MK. Attitudes, practices, and training on informed consent for transfusions and procedures: a survey of medical students and physicians. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2015; 144(2):315-321: DOI 10.1309/ajcpp85exsgzoryz

Reviews

• Slomovich S, Bell J, Clerkin K, Habal MV, Griffin JM, Raikhelkar JK, Fried JA, Vossoughi SR, Finnigan K, Latif F, Farr MA, Sayer GT, Uriel N. Extracorporeal photopheresis and its role in heart transplant rejection: prophylaxis and treatment. Clinical Transplantation. 2021; 35(7):e14333: DOI: 10.1111/ctr.14333

Textbooks & Book Chapters

• Vossoughi S, Paroder M. Administration of Blood Components and Biotherapies. In: Cohn C, ed. AABB Technical Manual. 22nd ed. AABB; Bethesda, MD: [In Press 2026]
• Jacobs JW, Vossoughi S. Introduction to Therapeutic Apheresis. In: Schwartz J, Pham HP, eds. Therapeutic Apheresis: A Handbook. 7th ed. AABB; Bethesda, MD:2024; 1-54: ISBN 978-1-56395-494-8
• Stotler BA, Vossoughi S. Transfusion of Patients Undergoing Solid Organ Transplantation. In: Shaz B, ed. Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis: Clinical and Laboratory Aspects. 4th ed. Elsevier; Atlanta, GA: 2024; 287-289: ISBN: 978-0-323-96014-4
• Vossoughi S, Stotler BA. Allergic Transfusion Reactions. In: Shaz B, ed. Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis: Clinical and Laboratory Aspects. 4th ed. Elsevier; Atlanta, Ga: 2024; 335-337: ISBN: 978-0-323-96014-4
• Vossoughi S, Paroder M. Administration of Blood Components and Biotherapies. In: Cohn C, ed. AABB Technical Manual. 21st ed. AABB; Bethesda, MD: 2023; 567-588: ISBN: 978-1-56395-464-1
• Vossoughi S, Stotler B, eds. Topics in pediatric transfusion medicine. Clinics in Laboratory Medicine. 2021; 41(1): ISBN: 978-0-323-76314-1
• Sesok-Pizzini DA, Vossoughi S. Complications of Neonatal Transfusion. In: Kopko PM, ed. Transfusion Reactions. 5th ed. AABB; Bethesda, MD: 2021; 463-502: ISBN: 978-1-56395-413-9
• Vossoughi S, Schwartz J. Basic Principles of Therapeutic Apheresis. In: Dunbar N, ed. Apheresis: Principles and Practice. Vol 1. AABB; Bethesda, MD: 2020; 59-74: ISBN: 978-1-56395-408-5
• Stotler BA, Vossoughi SR. Transfusion Practice in Solid Organ Transplantation. In: Marques MB, Schwartz J, Wu YY, eds. Transfusion Therapy: Clinical Principles and Practice. 4th ed. AABB; Bethesda, MD: 2019; 359-374: ISBN: 978-1-56395-996-7
• Weisberg SP, Vossoughi S. Transfusion Risk Management in Children and Neonates. In: Barbeau J, ed. Risk Management in Transfusion Medicine. 1st ed. Elsevier; Atlanta, GA: 2019; 83-98: ISBN: 978-0-323-54837-3