Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
Dr. Battinelli joined the Hematology Division in 2008 after completing her fellowship at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Her research focuses on the role of the platelet in the process of angiogenesis. It is estimated that more than 500 million people worldwide could benefit from treatments that regulate angiogenesis. Platelets contain many pro- and anti-angiogenic factors; however, their role in angiogenesis is not well characterized. Recently, Dr. Battinelli and her colleagues have shown that platelets store these pro- and anti-angiogenic regulatory proteins in separate distinct alpha granules that are differentially released. These observations have broad implications for platelet biology, suggesting an important role for platelets beyond their well-recognized contribution to hemostasis. Dr. Battinelli is interested in defining how platelets acquire, store, transport, and deliver these angiogenic regulatory proteins and how anti-angiogenic therapies influence this process.