Mechanisms and functional consequences of platelet-macrophage cross-talk

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Whilst platelets are well known for their role in blood clotting, more recentstudies have revealed they are bona fide immune cells capable ofmodulating inflammation and immune cell function. As such,inflammation-induced changes in platelet biology can in turn lead tofurther downstream changes in innate and adaptive immune cells.Macrophages represent a key "professional" immune cell that interactswith platelets. Platelets and monocytes/macrophages develop alongsideeach other in the bone marrow, circulate together and bind each other inthe blood, and macrophages can phagocytose platelets under normalphysiological conditions and in inflammation.In this project, the student will investigate the biological mechanisms bywhich platelets regulate macrophage development and function. This willutilise in vivo models with well-characterised alterations in plateletnumbers and will assess inflammatory systems that induce alterations inplatelet biology. This project will provide training in cellular and molecularbiology, immune cell function, in vivo experimentation and imaging, andproteomics.The project will be suitable for a graduate in Biomedical Sciences,Biochemistry, Biology or related subjects with a strong interest in andbackground knowledge of haematology and/or immunology.