How COVID-19 causes blood clots and tiny microclots
Official title: Mechanisms of Thrombosis in SARS CoV-2 Infection
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11258033 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at why people with COVID-19 develop blood clots and tiny microclots that may lead to lasting tissue damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $460,734 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL172844-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258033 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would include people with recent COVID-19 infection, hospitalized patients with clotting signs, and people experiencing long COVID symptoms who can provide blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of COVID-19 or whose health issues are unrelated to clotting are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers will collect blood and other samples from people during acute COVID-19 illness and from people with lingering (long COVID) symptoms, and they will study those samples in the laboratory alongside cell and animal models. From early work they identified two ways clots may form: blood vessel cells release von Willebrand Factor (VWF) that traps a protective protein called protein S, and high levels of lipids and an inhibitor called PAI-1 block the clot-dissolving protein tPA. The team will measure these proteins, image microclots, and test how changing these pathways affects clot formation and breakdown. Their goal is to learn whether these combined problems create stable microclots that could explain localized tissue damage and persistent symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments to prevent or dissolve microclots and lower the risk of long-term complications after COVID-19.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown COVID-19 raises clotting risk and that thrombotic events matter for outcomes, but the specific VWF–protein S interaction and the dyslipidemia/PAI-1 effect on tPA are relatively new mechanisms being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wood, Jeremy P — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Wood, Jeremy P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding blood clotting issues in COVID-19 patients
This study is looking at how COVID-19 can cause tiny blood clots that might harm your body, and it's for people who have had COVID-19 to help find ways to prevent these issues.
-
How COVID-19 infection and genes may influence memory and dementia risk
This study looks at how getting COVID-19 and a person’s genes together affect the chance of developing memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
-
Alzheimer’s-related dementia after COVID-19: how SARS-CoV-2 affects the brain and potential drug repurposing
This research looks at how COVID-19 may contribute to dementia by studying brain inflammation, blood vessel injury, and virus-host interactions, with the goal of finding existing drugs that could help.
-
IL-22’s role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and tissue protection
A short study to understand how the cytokine IL-22 might help protect tissues during and after COVID-19 infection, especially in people with complications related to acute graft-versus-host disease.
-
Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and its effects on placenta and child development
This grant studies how COVID-19 infection during pregnancy might change the placenta and influence a child’s brain development, especially in kids who may be at higher genetic risk for ADHD/ASD.
-
How COVID-19 and genetics influence memory and dementia risk in older adults
This project studies how getting COVID-19 interacts with people’s genetic makeup to affect the likelihood of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults from diverse backgrounds.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.