New Research Training Group RTG 3190

Success for the Würzburg Platelet Group and a boost for Early-Career Researchers

Platelets and Inflammation in Focus 

The new Research Training Group RTG 3190 – Thrombo-Inflame: Dissecting and Modulating Megakaryocyte/Platelet-Driven Thrombo-Inflammation addresses a central disease mechanism: thrombo-inflammation, the intricate interplay between platelets, the coagulation system and the body’s inflammatory processes. While thrombosis and inflammation were long considered separate, experimental and clinical evidence now shows that they are closely intertwined in conditions such as stroke, infections, autoimmune diseases and severe injuries. Despite its clinical importance, this interplay remains insufficiently understood. 

This is precisely where the new RTG comes in. Across interdisciplinary projects, researchers investigate how platelets interact with immune cells and vascular wall cells, and which molecular signalling pathways drive these processes. The projects span the entire translational spectrum – from molecular mechanisms in mouse models to clinical studies in humans. The aim is to uncover key regulatory mechanisms of thrombo-inflammatory responses and identify new therapeutic targets. 

State-of-the-art methodologies form the backbone of the RTG: single-cell analyses, advanced bio-imaging, and intravital microscopy, all of which allow unprecedented insight into platelet behaviour under pathological conditions. 

Doctoral researchers (how to apply) benefit from intensive collaboration between diverse fields – platelet and megakaryocyte biology, immunology, vascular biology, bio-imaging, and experimental and clinical medicine. Strong international networks and partnerships with industry provide an ideal environment for shaping this emerging field and developing strategies that may ultimately lead to improved therapies. 

The speaker of RTG 3190 is Professor Bernhard Nieswandt, Chair of Experimental Biomedicine I at the University Hospital Würzburg (UKW) and research group leader at the Rudolf Virchow Center (RVZ). The RTG receives €5.477 million in funding over five years.