MCTR was officially established as a Centre at McMaster University in July 2015 and is built on the foundation of an internationally-acclaimed research program formerly known as the McMaster Transfusion Research Program (MTRP), which was formed in 2001 as a joint collaboration between Canadian Blood Services (CBS) and McMaster University. Over the past 16 years, the program has produced research outputs with local, national, and international impact.

MCTR now supports seven core faculty and eight associate faculty investigators, employs 11 staff including research coordinators, research assistants and biostatisticians, and occupies renovated space at McMaster University. Leveraging infrastructure support from CBS, the Centre has been successful at obtaining peer-reviewed grants, Ministry of Health funding, and industry grants to conduct a broad range of research projects in Transfusion Sciences. The Director, Dr. Donald M. Arnold, is a mid-career investigator who is recognized internationally as a leader in hemostasis and Transfusion Sciences. Prof. Nancy Heddle is the Research Director for the Centre. The strengths of MCTR are its highly skilled faculty and staff with complementary expertise and its unique translational approach to patient-focused research.