Regulating thrombus formation by modulating the dynamics of platelet response.

Platelets are small anucleate cells that become activated during the haemostatic response to blood vessel damage. The activation of platelets is highly regulated, insufficient activation results in excess bleeding whilst inappropriate or over-activation can lead to thrombosis causing heart attacks and stoke. Understanding the signalling events that control platelet activation is vitally important for the development of new anti-thrombotic therapies. This project will examine the relationship between the dynamics of platelet activation and thrombus formation, identify the key proteins involved in regulating the rate of platelet response, and investigate the effect that modulating these proteins has on thrombus architecture.