PLATELETS: Platelet diagnostics

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 00.0519

Key words (English)

Platelets thrombocytes allo-antigen diagnostic;
Biotechnology; Environmental Protection; Innovation; Technology Transfer; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Waste Management

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK3-CT-2001-01169

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.3 The 'cell factory'

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Etabl. français du sang Rhône-Alpes site de Lyon (F)

Abstract (English)

Individuals with low platelet counts have an increased risk of bleeding, which, when it occurs in the brain, can cause disability or death. The risk of such bleeding is reduced by platelet transfusion. In Europe, 1.4 million platelet concentrates are transfused each year.
A low platelet count can result from failure to produce platelets, as occurs in cancer patients, or from their destruction by antibodies, which occurs in 1 in 1000 newborns because of a difference in platelet type between mother and baby, and can result in brain damage with an incidence of up to 1 in 5,000 births and a life health care cost of 570,000 euro per child. Certain platelet antibodies can also reduce the chance of a successful kidney transplant.
Screening of pregnant women for prevention of Rhesus babies, the red cell equivalent of the platelet destruction in babies, is of ten mandatory, but the complexity of platelet tests means that antenatal screening is currently unaffordable. We propose to develop simple, affordable platelet diagnostics with the aims of reducing the incidence of cerebral bleeds, and improving kidney transplants by improved matching between donor and patient.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 00.0519