Grant: CIHR-ICRH Travel Awards - General pool

Platelets are tiny cells in the blood that normally circulate as (“unactivated”) discs in the bloodstream. After an injury such as a cut, platelets quickly become “activated,” change shape and stick together, forming platelet plugs that keep us from bleeding to death. A critical event during platelet activation is the generation of a chemical called “thromboxane A2,” which helps to keep platelets in their active state – thus ensuring that clots form properly. However, we do not completely understand how thromboxane A2 is formed in platelets. The purpose of this research is to study a specific protein called filamin A, and determine exactly how this protein controls the generation of thromboxane A2 at the molecular level. This information will give us a better idea of how to develop better treatments for platelet-related diseases, including bleeding disorders.