Platelet Proteomics Group at the Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS) - Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain)

Platelet proteomics research to study platelet signalling and cardiovascular disease

Platelets are small anucleate cells that circulate in the blood playing a central role in haemostasis, helping to heal any vascular damage by forming a vascular plug. Pathologically, platelet activation underlies thrombotic and heart disease, now recognised as the biggest killer of mankind in the western world.

The Platelet Proteomics group, led by Prof. Ángel García, belongs to the Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, and the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS) [Santiago Health Research Institute]. In our group, we are currently using a combination of Proteomics technology and classical biochemistry to unravel the signal transduction events following the activation of the most relevant platelet receptors. We are focusing our studies on healthy and diseased platelets in order to identify novel biomarkers and drug targets that may help to treat / diagnose those diseases where unwanted platelet activation plays a role, such as acute coronary syndromes. In addition, we are currently searching for small molecule inhibitors of some of the most interesting targets identified by proteomics. The latter is being done through the Innopharma early drug discovery project. We are also studying plasma microvesicles as a source of biomarkers in myocardial infarction. Microvesicles come predominantly from activated platelets and their number is increased in several pathologies, such as acute myocardial infarction.

This research is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia), and the Spanish Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis (SETH), and is in collaboration with the Cardiology Department at the Santiago de Compostela University Hospital, and the BioFarma group of the Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela.

In the picture: Ángel García and some members of his team.