Embracing complexity in transfusion research

Complexity science investigates how complex systems behave and how we interact with them. Its implementation in clinical transfusion research is limited, even though human cells, organ systems, bodies, hospitals and blood supply systems are all examples of complex systems. Complexity science can help us to better understand the systems we study using novel and existing research methods. It also highlights that there is always unpredictability in complex systems, challenging us to both accept and cope with this uncertainty. This review provides a brief introduction of complex systems, explores why many transfusion-related research questions should be viewed through the lens of complexity and discusses how we can apply this perspective to transfusion research.