Challenges
The Blood Cell Research Group studies mechanisms regulating inflammation and coagulation. The research aims to disclose the roles of human monocytes, monocyte-derived microparticles in the coagulation initiation and for cytokines in inflammation using purified human monocytes and whole blood models. The research group also has projects to validate differential leukocyte counts and identification and characterization of hemoglobin variants and their influence on erythrocyte variables. The group is engaged in collaboration projects determining possible association between genetic variation in “vulnerable genes” and different clinical end points. The Blood Cell Research Group is the coordinating group in the Regional Research Network on Extracellular Vesicles (RRNEV).

The Flow Cytometry Core Facility and the Microarray Core Facility are also a part of the group.

• Pro- and anti-inflammatory response in human meningococcal disease
• On the procoagulant properties  of human monocytes and monocyte-derived microparticles
• Monocytes and microparticles in experimental and clinical settings of meningococcal disease – with special focus on tissue factor
• Genetic changes in sepsis; Studies of gene expression in human monocytes induced by systemic meningococcal disease
• Identification and characterization of hemoglobinopathies in Norway
• Association studies of DNA and RNA variation in health and disease
• Endocytosis of extracellular vesicles (EV)
• Implementation and validation of methods for isolation of EV from plasma
• Functional microparticle (MP)-associated tissue factor (TF) as a potential biomarker of thrombosis in cancer

Contact information
Group leader Reidun Øvstebø PhD Department of Medical Biochemistry Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål Tel: +47 22119491 Fax: +47 22118189 reidun.ovstebo@ous-hf.no