How platelets release and take in materials to control clots and fight infections
Official title: Platelet Exocytosis and Endocytosis in Thrombosis and Immunity
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11309170 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at how platelets release and absorb materials to help control blood clots and immune responses for people with clotting or immune-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2020 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $884,606 |
| NIH project number | 5R35HL150818-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309170 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recurrent blood clots, abnormal clotting or bleeding conditions, or immune-related disorders (including those with advanced HIV) might be candidates to contribute samples or join related clinical efforts in the future.
✕Less likely to help
People without clotting or immune issues or anyone seeking immediate treatment for an acute clot or bleeding event are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic-lab research now.
What this research studies
You will hear about lab work that looks at two platelet behaviors: how they release stored substances (exocytosis) that drive clot growth, and how they take up material (endocytosis) including pathogens. Researchers use genetically altered models and detailed cell and molecular experiments to trace how platelets secrete factors and traffic endocytosed cargo through endo-lysosomal pathways. The team links these two lines of work to understand platelet roles in forming clots and in innate immune reactions, sometimes using animal models and laboratory samples that may include human-derived material. The findings are aimed at revealing mechanisms that could guide therapies to limit harmful clots without causing bleeding and to clarify how platelets respond to infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent dangerous clots while preserving normal bleeding control and improve understanding of platelet roles in fighting infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory studies have shown that changing platelet secretion can control thrombus growth without increasing bleeding, but moving these findings into patient treatments is still at an early stage.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whiteheart, Sidney Waldo — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Whiteheart, Sidney Waldo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Role of blood flow mechanics and transfusion in sepsis-related tiny-cl vessel clots
A patient-focused look at how red blood cell flow and transfusions might influence tiny blood vessel clots and organ problems in sepsis.
-
Understanding how DVT forms and heals to prevent vein scarring
This NIH grant supports a physician-scientist to study why deep vein clots form and how vein walls get scarred, with the goal of improving long-term outcomes for patients who develop DVT.
-
Piezo1’s role in blood clotting across vessels
Researchers are exploring how a tiny sensor in blood vessels called Piezo1 influences clot formation, with the aim of reducing clotting risks without causing dangerous bleeding.
-
Oscillatory blood flow and vein valve health to prevent clots
Aimed at understanding how the natural rhythmic blood flow in leg veins protects against clots and whether restoring that flow can prevent dangerous vein clots in hospitalized patients.
-
Local anti-inflammatory therapy to help dissolve clots and prevent vein damage in DVT
Aims to test a local anti-inflammatory treatment to help resolve deep vein clots and reduce long-term vein problems in people with DVT.
-
Precision risk tools for blood clots and bleeding in critically ill children
A pediatric-focused project will use existing data from many hospitals to build and test a risk model that helps doctors decide which very sick kids might benefit from clot-prevention therapies.
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.