Reducing dangerous blood clots in chronic blood disorders through targeted therapies

Simón Méndez

Fundación para la Gestión de la Investigación en Salud de Sevilla, Spain

Myeloproliferative neoplasms are chronic blood disorders in which the body produces too many blood cells. They can cause serious complications, including blood clots, scarring of the bone marrow and progression to leukaemia. Predicting and preventing clotting risk remains a major clinical challenge. This project aims to understand how inflammatory blood cells contribute to clot formation and abnormal communication between blood cells and the cells lining blood vessels.

Preliminary findings suggest that some ageing inflammatory cells escape normal clearance and accumulate, increasing inflammation and clotting risk. Using human cell models and experimental disease models, the researchers will study blood-cell interactions to identify signals that block clearance and test whether they can be modified. The team combines expertise in blood cancers, inflammation, stem-cell models, vascular biology and advanced three-dimensional laboratory systems.

The project could identify a new therapeutic target to help predict clotting risk in people with myeloproliferative neoplasms and improve outcomes by supporting the development of treatments that reduce serious complications.

• James Chloé, Inserm Unité 1034, France

Targeting pathogenic cell interactions in the myeloproliferative neoplasms

€975,575.78