Inaugural lecture Dr. Judith Cosemans

“Platelets in motion”

In my inaugural lecture, I will show that platelets are more than just simple “band-aids” that stop bleeding. Evolved to protect mammals from blood loss when injured (hemostasis), platelets play a crucial role in the delicate balance between bleeding, thrombosis, and inflammation.

In our aging society, this advantage turns against us: overly active platelets increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, while treatment for these conditions increases the risk of bleeding. We still do not fully understand why this balance can vary from person to person, and gender differences in this regard have long been overlooked because the male body was considered the norm in research.

Using innovative methods that mimic flowing blood and vessel wall interactions, my team combines fundamental and clinical research. In this way, we aim to provide new insights into how platelets work, contribute to improved diagnostics and treatment of hemostatic imbalance and inflammation, and use platelets as early indicators of disease.

Click here for the live stream.