August 20th Withers, however, said that the enzymes his team discovered could eventually be used in the clinic. It would be possible to alter blood on a bag-by-bag basis, he said.

"You could see this being put into the bag at the time of collection, just sitting there doing its job," Withers said during the press conference. The next step, though, will be investigating the enzymes for safety — a project Withers and his colleagues have already begun in collaboration with hematologists and Canadian Blood Services, the nonprofit that manages Canada's supply of donor blood.