Thanks to everyone who made Vancouver #Nanomedicine Day 2020 a success! Check out how many attended & read about the NMIN HQP (in the pic below) who tied for best poster: https://t.co/y8aFvHjgHr
Blood clots are involved in many health issues like #strokes or #heartattacks.
We chatted with lead authors Dr. Christian Kastrup and PhD candidate Amy Wong Strilchuk about their recent study, and how their findings might help dissolve clots safely.
https://t.co/lSI29wPEVt
1/7
@ScienceVancity Thanks @ScienceVancity ! With the proof-of-concept carried out, I am looking to create platelets with different therapeutically-relevant functions, and currently those with improved clotting ability. Designing platelets to treat other diseases isn't far off the table though!
(1/5) Interested to learn about creating designer platelets?
Essentially we find:
1. Platelets can be directly engineered to potentially produce different proteins
2. By engineering platelets, platelet transfusions can be made more effective
#CBR_NBS2020#CBR_TwitterShowcase
@CBR_UBC Thank you @CBR_UBC ! Currently I am not aware of any that are widely used as this time, and certainly none that are made directly from a pool of donor platelets that are also potentially transfusable.
@scicommleanna Thank you Leanna! Certainly, what I mean by payload is in general any macromolecule such as siRNA, mRNA, proteins, and peptides (which all can be packaged into lipid nanoparticles or liposomes and potentially delivered to platelets).
@theclotthickens Thanks Kellie! Rather than releasing the nanoparticles, the platelets instead might release the delivered cargo (e.g.: mRNA, protein) in microparticles upon activation. We haven't yet explored how different agonists might affect the cargo release but definitely plan to do so!
(5/5) By developing this further, platelets can be engineered with new and modified functions (e.g.: better clotting or even treating cancer) that currently transfused platelets do not possess for more effective platelet products and transfusions i.e.: designer platelets!
(4/5) As an example and proof-of-concept, platelets (outlined in red) were treated with lipid nanoparticles and made to produce a protein that emits green light (left image), compared to platelets that were untreated (right image).
T-2 days until our Norman Bethune Symposium!
Watch out for our Twitter Research Showcase, launching tomorrow. Participants will share their research in 4 - 6 #scicomm tweets, on topics like gene therapy, "designer platelets", & more.
#CBR_ResearchShowcase#CBR_NBS2020