Understanding How a Blood Clotting Factor Helps Form Clots

Coagulation Factor XII Recruitment and Activation During Thrombus Formation

NIH-funded research Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11123410

This research looks at how a specific blood clotting factor, Factor XII, helps form clots, hoping to find new ways to prevent dangerous clots without increasing bleeding risk.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11123410 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project explores how a specific blood clotting protein, Factor XII (FXII), gets activated on platelets to form blood clots. Researchers believe that blocking FXII could prevent dangerous clots like those causing heart attacks or strokes, without the side effect of increased bleeding often seen with current blood thinners. The team has found that FXII might connect with a specific receptor on platelets called integrin αIIbβ3. The goal is to precisely map out how FXII binds to this platelet receptor, which is a crucial step in understanding its activation. This detailed understanding could pave the way for developing safer and more effective antithrombotic medications.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients who experience blood clots or are at high risk for them, and who may be seeking safer alternatives to current blood-thinning medications, could potentially benefit from future therapies developed from this research.

Not a fit: Patients without blood clotting disorders or those not at risk for thrombosis would not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new medications that prevent blood clots without increasing the risk of bleeding, offering a safer treatment option for patients prone to clotting disorders.

How similar studies have performed: While the concept of targeting FXII for antithrombotic therapy is gaining traction, this specific investigation into the detailed mechanism of FXII-platelet interaction via integrin αIIbβ3 represents a novel and foundational approach.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.