Platelet Society Summer Studentship 2026

This year, the Society awarded three summer studentships

Aya Hassan worked with Dr Nicola Dark and Paul Vulliamy at Queen Mary University of London. Her project explored how platelets respond to inflammatory signals released after tissue injury and how they influence blood vessel cells. The study showed that extracellular histones, a type of damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), strongly activate platelets and promote a procoagulant state, while interactions between histone-stimulated platelets and endothelial cells enhanced markers of vascular activation. These findings suggest that platelets play an important role in “sterile inflammation” following injury, because they activate vascular cells and recruitment of immune cells.  In cases of major trauma, platelet function can be the difference between life and death, highlighting the clinical impact of this research.  You can read about Aya’s project in her report available here.

Rithika Penugonda worked with Dr Paul Armstrong at Queen Mary University of London. Her summer studentship investigated how the body’s natural anti-clotting pathways regulate interactions between platelets and immune cells during immunothrombosis. The study found that nitric oxide and prostacyclin, as well as drugs that enhance their signalling, reduced platelet-monocyte interactions and tissue factor expression, key drivers of harmful clot formation. These findings highlight a potential therapeutic approach to limit unwanted thrombosis in inflammatory diseases such as sepsis. Rithika’s report on her project can be seen here.

Rebecca Sanderson worked with Dr Eamon Faulkner, Dr Sophie Leonard and Dr Simon Calaminus at University of Hull. This project investigated how oxygen levels influence interactions between platelets and the blood vessel lining. The study found that physiologically relevant oxygen concentrations altered both endothelial cell protein expression and platelet behaviour, increasing platelet adhesion while reducing platelet spreading compared with standard laboratory conditions. These findings highlight the importance of oxygen levels in modelling platelet function and may help improve laboratory studies of thrombosis and cardiovascular disease Further details on Rebeccas project can be seen here.

We thank all the supervisors for their time in applying for the studentships and providing this opportunity over the summer months. We hope the students enjoyed their experience and have taken their first steps on the platelet journey!