New ways to reduce blood clots

^{Figure: The structure of a clot showing fibrin (red) and procoagulant platelets (blue)}

Clotting is an essential process to prevent blood loss after injury. In disease like heart attacks and stroke blood clots form unnecessarily within blood vessels and prevent normal blood flow to tissues leading to morbidity and mortality. Current treatment is ineffective in preventing formation of these aberrant blood clots or promoting their breakdown. Our research is uncovering new treatment targets which will prevent deleterious blood clot formation and promote their clearance from the body.

Funded by the British Heart Foundation and Friends of Anchor

Project team:

Dr Nicola J Mutch (Research scientist, University of Aberdeen)

Prof. Henry Watson (Consultant Haematologist, NHS Grampian)