University Hospital, Würzburg

 

Location and group name

 

The Würzburg Platelet Group

Institute of Experimental Biomedicine I

University Hospital and Rudolf Virchow Center Würzburg

Principal investigators

 

Prof Dr Bernhard Nieswandt

Dr David Stegner

Prof Dr Harald Schulze

Dr Marcus Bender

Associated TAPAS ESRs

 

Helena Brown

Stefano Navarro

Eva Soriano Jerez

Raluca Alexandra Neagoe

Zahra Maqsood

Key research expertise

 

The Würzburg Platelet Group is dedicated to basic, translational and clinical research in the field of platelet and megakaryocyte biology in health and disease using a combination of mouse genetics, disease models, advanced imaging techniques, systems biology, and clinical research expertise. The group focuses on deciphering the function of platelets in normal hemostasis and thrombosis, as well as their interaction with cells of the immune system in different vascular diseases (“thrombo-inflammation”). Another research focus lies on the mechanisms regulating thrombopoiesis under healthy and diseased conditions. The primary goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets for the prophylaxis and treatment of ischemic cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as inherited and acquired platelet disorders.
Key research facilities

 

The group is in part located in the modern research building of the Rudolf Virchow Center (RVZ) and have full access to the Center´s excellent infrastructure. This includes the BioImaging Center, core units for cell sorting, next generation sequencing, and mass spectrometry as well as structural biology facilities, and in-house mouse facilities for the generation and maintenance of transgenic mouse lines. Our laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for molecular biology, imaging techniques, next-generation sequencing, cell sorting, cell culture, protein biochemistry and a wide range of methods for the in vitro and in vivo study of platelets and immune cells. The intravital microscopy laboratory forms a core that enables real-time in vivo visualization of thrombus formation and (thrombo-)inflammatory processes in different branches of the vascular system in living animals. Moreover, collaboration with the Childrens´ Hospital Würzburg enables the study of platelets from patients with hereditary or acquired platelet disorders.
Contact details

 

www.platelets.eu

bernhard.nieswandt@virchow.uni-wuerzburg.de

stegner@virchow.uni-wuerzburg.de