In this project, we study how the interaction of platelets modulates the function of different immune cells and determines the outcome of inflammation. Approximately one trillion platelets circulate in the blood of a healthy adult, a quantity that outnumbers by tenfold all other leukocytes in the vasculature. These small non-nucleated cells circulate through the vascular system reaching all organs in the body. Despite being well-known for their roles in coagulation and homeostasis, the contribution of platelets to host defense and the development of autoinflammatory diseases is not fully known. Our group aims to decipher platelets' contributions to host resistance to bacterial and virus infection and sterile inflammation.
European Research Council