Printer-friendly format

For 20 years, Memphis and the Mid-South Regional Blood Center have benefited from the dedication and leadership of Dr. Edward P. Scott.

Since his early years, Scott has been interested in studying hematology and found work within donor organizations closely aligned to his own interest.

Originally from Starkville, Miss., Scott was no stranger to university life.

"I was raised on campus because my father taught at Mississippi State," he said.

While he was always interested in science, Scott said the loss of his sister during his teenage years further influenced his decision to pursue a career in medicine. "My sister died of lymphoma," he explained. "While her death wasn't a direct link in my decision to specialize in hematology, it did influence me further."

Scott earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and then completed a hematology fellowship at the City of Hope National Medical Center in California.

He followed with fellowships in hematology/oncology at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, Calif., and a blood banking fellowship at the Puget Sound Blood Center in Seattle, Wash.

Finishing school in the late 1970s, Scott began practicing at a time when blood donor programs were just developing and he found himself at the forefront of a growing field. From 1983 to 1986, he worked as an assistant professor in the department of laboratory medicine and pathology at the University of Minnesota while also serving as the assistant medical director for the University of Minnesota Hospital's blood bank.

"It was one of the few bone marrow donor programs in the country and we helped create the program framework," explained Scott.

Scott moved to Memphis in 1986 and accepted the position as president, CEO and medical director of the Mid-South Regional Blood Center (Lifeblood™) and has remained in that role for the past two decades. He is also the clinical assistant professor for the department of medicine and pathology at the University of Tennessee.

When asked about mentors, Scott credits no particular individual for guiding him, but stated that he feels fortunate to have known many who have influenced his work.

"Hematology was always more interesting to me than anything else and I gravitated towards it," he said. "The reason I'm in blood banking is that I was interested in applied clinical research that still allowed me to use my hematology training."

Over the years, Scott has watched blood banking evolve and change. He was working in the San Francisco area during the mid-1980s when HIV became prevalent.

"It was interesting, but scary," he recalled. "The disease didn't have a name."

As a result of HIV, blood banking entered a new era of increased regulation.

In addition to the increased regulation, blood banks also began fighting an increasing negative image.

"We went from being seen as a community service organization to being the pariah. We still fight that image occasionally," said Scott.

Scott believes that advances made have been positive, but they have come at a cost. Additional areas of oversight and testing have been added through the years, driving up the cost of blood.

"A red blood cell (product) used to cost about $35," he pointed out. "Today, a red blood cell (product) costs about $225."

While Scott has found his work in Memphis rewarding, he expressed frustration over not being able to increase the number of donors. He noted, however, that with the increased regulation, the FDA has allowed fewer and fewer individuals to be donors, resulting in a smaller pool of eligible donors.

According to Scott, however, Memphis has never suffered from a lack of support. "We have received corporate and hospital funds to help us better study and understand donation," he said.

Scott is interested in better understanding why certain segments of the population, such as younger people and African Americans, are more challenging to penetrate and reach for donation.

Scott believes the desire to donate blood is sometimes tied to a personal relationship. He remembered the first time he donated blood.

"During medical school, I had a leukemia patient who needed blood," he recalled. "The first time I donated, it was with that person in mind. Without a face or tangible reason, it's hard for people to give."

Unlike the 1980s, when blood banks relied on commercial donors, those who give now do so for altruistic reasons, rather than for financial gain.

"We have eliminated the need for commercial donors and we had a role in that change," Scott pointed out.

Widely published and involved in professional associations and community organizations, Scott is now the chair for the Memphis BioWorks Development Council and president of the recently created LifeBlood Biological Services.

"I want to be involved in supporting the growth of biotech in our area," he said.

After two decades in Memphis, Scott is still motivated by the idea of making a difference.

"Medicine is a tremendous field and it has given me numerous opportunities," he said. "I want the two organizations that I lead to have a positive impact, not because of me, but in order to make a difference."

When not working, Scott enjoys photography, a hobby that has interested him since a young age. In particular, he likes to photograph plants and insects.

He admits to still possessing an undiminished desire to learn, both on a professional and personal level.

Scott has two children, a daughter who attends Clemson and a son who is a senior at Memphis University School. Scott laughed when asked if either is pursuing a career in medicine.

"She is studying elementary education, which seems to be a good fit," he said. "With my son, I'll have to wait and see."

When asked about his own motivation, he paused and then said, "Find the joy and it keeps on going."





January 2007

Tags:

None