Achievement

IGERT trainee Colin Eichinger is investigating how transient platelet-agonist interactions affect downstream platelet adhesion and activation on various biomaterial surfaces. Platelets exposed to agonists can become primed and are thus more likely to adhere and become activated by a downstream biomaterial than in the absence of such agonists. Colin is investigating how far these effects persist downstream and how various biomaterial surfaces affect this response. Colin’s research involves the development of a flow cell system capable of presenting a region of platelet-priming proteins and measuring the resulting downstream platelet activation in the presence of various anti-platelet agents. Currently he has manufactured and tested a flow cell device, and is working to validate its use as an anti-platelet drug screening device.