α-synuclein is a novel regulator of platelet function
Platelets are important cells that help stop bleeding. They work by gathering at the site of bleeding and producing substances that promote clotting (a process called secretion). Dr Aburima’s lab has previously shown that a molecule called alpha-synuclein is important for platelet secretion. This PhD studentship will focus on understanding more about alpha-synuclein’s role. The project will use mouse and human platelets that are deficient in alpha-synuclein to see how this affects the internal structure of platelets. They will also use powerful microscopes to look at platelets and find where alpha-synuclein is normally located in the cell. Next, they will conduct similar experiments with normal platelets and platelets without alpha-synuclein to compare how the cells group together (as they would do when clots form), secrete different substances and how this is affected by blood flow. The final part of the studentship will investigate how normal and abnormal blood clotting processes are affected in mice without alpha-synuclein. They will measure the number of platelets in the deficient mice and how well these platelets produce clot-promoting substances. The results will reveal the role of alpha-synuclein in clotting and could lead to new drugs to treat people at risk of abnormal clotting or bleeding.
Project details
| Grant amount | £117,061 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Fellowships |
| Application type | PhD Studentship |
| Start Date | 01 January 2020 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | FS/19/10/34128 |
| Status | In Progress |
