Studying the role of PINK1 in platelets and blood clotting

Role of the mitochondrial kinase PINK1 in platelet procoagulant function and thrombosis (Miss Kirsty Lewis)

Supervised by Professor Alastair Poole, a PhD student is studying what keeps platelets - small blood cells that stick together and form clots when you are injured – working normally. Understanding how platelets work will mean that we can find newer and safer ways to prevent unwanted clotting, which can block blood vessels supplying the heart or brain, increasing the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. Professor Poole’s team has discovered that mouse and human platelets contain a molecule called PINK1, and they believe it is important for platelets to work. It has been shown to promote blood clotting by affecting the energy ‘hub’ of the cell, the mitochondria. They have discovered that mice without PINK1 have prolonged bleeding and that their blood cannot clot properly. In this project the PhD student will examine how PINK1 controls platelet activation and promotes clotting, how the mitochondria is involved, and how PINK1 itself is controlled. This study will reveal how PINK1 affects platelet function and blood clotting, and may determine if PINK1 could be targeted to develop new anti-clotting treatments for heart disease.