Scientists discover new blood group system, crack decades-old mystery
Scientists from the UK and Israel have finally cracked a decades-old mystery by discovering a new blood group system called MAL.
This breakthrough explains why a tiny number of people lack the AnWj antigen—a rare difference first spotted in a 1972 blood sample.
What is the MAL blood group?
Most people have the Mal protein on their red blood cells, but those who are AnWj-negative have inherited changes in their MAL gene that remove this protein entirely.
Researchers confirmed this using genetic sequencing, and even managed to restore the missing antigen by adding back a healthy MAL gene.
Safer blood transfusions
Knowing about the MAL system helps doctors spot who's truly AnWj-negative versus those whose antigens are missing due to illness.
This means safer blood transfusions for rare patients and better screening worldwide—making things just a bit safer for everyone needing a transfusion.