Department of Experimental Biomedicine – Chair I
The Chair of Experimental Biomedicine focuses on deciphering the function of platelets in normal hemostasis and thrombosis, as well as their interaction with cells of the immune system in different vascular diseases (“thrombo-inflammation”). Another research focus lies on the mechanisms regulating thrombopoiesis under healthy and diseased conditions. Our primary goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets for the prophylaxis and treatment of ischemic cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as inherited and acquired platelet disorders.
We are well integrated into the scientific activities of the Medical Faculty of the University and the University Hospital of Würzburg. We coordinated the Collaborative Research Center/Transregio TR 240 “Platelets – molecular, cellular and systemic functions in health and disease” funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG). We furthermore founded the translational network “Thrombo-Inflame” funded by European Regional Development Fund (EFRE Bayern) that offers a platform for the interaction between academic research institutions and local, small- and intermedium-sized enterprises. Finally, we are devoted to the education of mainly biomedical students, for whom we provide lectures, internships, and interactive seminars.
We are in part located in the modern research building of the Rudolf Virchow Center (RVZ) and have full access to the Center´s excellent infrastructure. This includes the BioImaging Center, core units for cell sorting, next generation sequencing, and mass spectrometry as well as structural biology facilities, and in-house mouse facilities for the generation and maintenance of transgenic mouse lines. Our laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for molecular biology, imaging techniques, next-generation sequencing, cell sorting, cell culture, protein biochemistry and a wide range of methods for the in vitro and in vivo study of platelets and immune cells. The intravital microscopy laboratory forms a core that enables real-time in vivo visualization of thrombus formation and (thrombo-)inflammatory processes in different branches of the vascular system in living animals. Moreover, our collaboration with the Childrens´ Hospital Würzburg enables us to study platelets from patients with hereditary or acquired platelet disorders.
