Haemostasis

Our response to injury relies on a delicate balance between procoagulant and anticoagulant factors in blood plasma that allows localised clotting at the site of injury, whilst retaining normal blood fluidity in the circulation. 

If this balance is disturbed through either inherited or acquired influences it can lead to excessive blood loss or increased clotting. Inherited influences include coagulation factor VIII deficiency associated with Haemophilia A and Antithrombin deficiency associated with thrombophilia. Coagulation imbalance can also result from acquired auto-immune antibodies to coagulation factors or in the progression of cardiovascular disease/atheroma triggering clotting events associated with myocardial infarction or stroke.

The Haemostasis Section focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of blood coagulation disorders. We work on issues around:

Bleeding disorders and procoagulant therapeutics: 

• Haemophilia A and Factor VIII
• Factor VIII immunogenicity
• Haemophilia B and Factor IX
• von Willebrand disease and von Willebrand Factor
• Factors VII and VIIa
• Factors XI and XII
• Factor XIII and Fibrinogen
• Thrombin

Thrombotic Disorders and related therapeutics:

• Plasma coagulation inhibitors
• Antithrombotic drugs – Heparin and Low Molecular Weight Heparin
• Thrombogenic contaminants in therapeutics e.g. immunoglobulins

Fibrinolysis and thrombolytic drugs:

• Streptokinase and biosimilars
• Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and fibrinolysis
• Tools for reproducible data analysis
• Bacterial virulence factors and haemostasis

Our role is to support the accurate diagnosis of coagulation disorders and the safety, quality and efficacy of therapeutics. We do this through:

• developing over 40 primary World Health Organisation (WHO) International Standards for measuring blood coagulation factors, inhibitors and therapeutics
• carrying out Independent Batch Release of plasma-derived therapeutics as the UK’s designated National Control Laboratory
• research and development activities on test methods and the mechanism of action of new and existing therapeutics (see relevant sections above)
• contributing to global policy through membership of international committees, scientific societies and developing guidelines and monographs

Coagulation factors and inhibitors	Haemophilia A	Fibrinolysis
Bleeding disorders	Standards	Product control testing