Understanding Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Official title: The Immunobiology of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Funded at Versiti Blood Health, INC. · NIH-11158650 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to better understand and diagnose a serious blood condition called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, which can occur after receiving heparin medication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Versiti Blood Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $711,500 |
| NIH project number | 5P01HL167668-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158650 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who have received heparin and are suspected of having heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, or those who have previously been diagnosed with HIT, would be ideal candidates for future related clinical efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not been exposed to heparin or do not have symptoms related to heparin-induced thrombocytopenia would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious immune reaction where antibodies mistakenly attack platelets, leading to low platelet counts and dangerous blood clots. Current diagnostic tests for HIT are often complex and can lead to misdiagnosis, causing either delayed treatment for actual HIT or unnecessary treatment for those who don't have it. Our team is working to uncover the exact differences between antibodies that cause HIT and those that don't, which is key to developing better tests. We have made progress by creating specific antibodies from HIT patients, which will help us learn more about how the condition develops. This work will help us create a faster and more accurate way to identify HIT.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a faster and more accurate diagnostic test for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, preventing both dangerous delays in treatment and unnecessary exposure to strong medications.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds upon a recent breakthrough in cloning specific antibodies from HIT patients, which is a novel approach to understanding the condition.
Where this research is happening
-
Versiti Blood Health, INC.
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wen, Renren — Versiti Blood Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Wen, Renren
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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New ideas to understand, diagnose, and treat heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
A Mayo Clinic led study will look at the different kinds of HIT antibodies to improve diagnosis and treatment for people with HIT.
-
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Immunobiology of vaccine-related clotting after adenovirus vaccines
This research asks how antibodies linked to a rare vaccine-related clotting condition (VITT) interact with specific blood proteins to cause clots after certain COVID-19 vaccines.
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Understanding and diagnosing Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT)
A project to understand the immune factors behind HIT and develop faster, more accurate tests to help people who need heparin therapy.
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Fetal and neonatal platelet allergy: understanding why some babies bleed
A study to understand why maternal antibodies cause serious bleeding in babies with FNAIT, using an animal model and human-relevant clues to improve future care for affected families.
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Molecular mechanisms behind immune-related low platelets and clots in transfusion medicine
This grant supports a team of researchers to understand how immune factors cause low platelets and abnormal clots, with a focus on transfusion medicine and pediatric to adult patients.
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.