Research profile

The main goal of this research group is to identify and uncover important molecular mechanisms of coagulation proteins contributing to or preventing disease. 

Anomalies in the blood coagulation system can cause pathological bleeding or thrombosis but also participate in the manifestation of numerous other diseases such as infarctions in the heart or brain, sepsis (a systemic inflammatory reaction), and cancer. For instance, arterial thrombosis is in many cases the direct cause of cardiovascular disease-related deaths, which is the primary cause of death globally, and thrombotic complications are the secondary cause of death among cancer patients. Thus, regulation of the coagulation system is important not only in preventing clinical events related to hemostatic disorders, but also in preventing the morbidity and mortality of other common diseases. We conduct basic research with a translational potential focusing on several aspects of blood coagulation related to thrombosis, inflammation and cancer. The coagulation inhibitor tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is of special interest as it has been implicated in the development of several non-hemostatic diseases in addition to being the primary inhibitor of coagulation initiation.