Student research project
Supervisor(s): Associate Professor Xiaowei Wang and Professor Karlheinz Peter
This project is focused on the development of novel targeted drugs that are directed against activated platelets.
Project summary
Research in the Molecular Imaging and Theranostics lab focuses on translational research that aims to connect the findings from basic science to practical applications that can improve human health in clinical settings. Targeted drug delivery involves delivering medication specifically to blood clots and effectively dissolving it without causing excessive bleeding.
When a blood clot forms suddenly, it can block blood vessels, leading to serious health problems like heart attack and stroke. This is a significant cause of death and disability worldwide. It's crucial to quickly and effectively remove or dissolve the clot to reduce damage and aid recovery. Fibrinolysis is a method of dissolving clots that is often used to treat heart attacks when other procedures are not readily available. For acute ischaemic strokes, fibrinolysis is currently the only treatment option, but it must be administered within a short timeframe. However, the currently approved clot-dissolving medications have significant drawbacks, mainly the risk of bleeding due to the high concentration required. As a result, these medications are limited in their use, leaving many patients without proper treatment.
Our project focuses on developing a new type of clot-dissolving medication that targets explicitly activated platelets. When a clot forms, platelets become activated and stick together to form it. Our targeted drug will locate these activated platelets and accumulate at the clot site, where it will work to break down the clot, thereby allowing us to use potent medications more efficiently and safely for clot removal. Overall, the targeted drug allows us to lower the required drug concentration, which reduces the risk of bleeding associated with current clot-dissolving medications.
Significance: The significance of this project is that it aims to develop and test a new clot-dissolving medication that overcomes the limitations of current treatments, which carry a risk of bleeding complications. If successful, this medication could break the dangerous connection between strong clot-dissolving properties and the risk of bleeding, potentially offering a safer and more effective treatment option.
Related methods, skills or technologies
This project is suitable for a Masters, Honours or PhD student and will involve the application of advanced ultrasound imaging, cell biology, flowcytometry, microscopy, statistics, bio-technology and molecular-biology including PCR and recombinant antibody design, production, and purification.
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