Tessa J. Barrett, PhD

Our laboratory investigates how platelets regulate vascular injury, inflammation, and thrombosis, with the goal of defining pathways that can be leveraged for precision cardiovascular medicine.

We focus on three major areas:

Platelet–immune cell interactions in vascular disease, including mechanisms by which platelet activation reprograms leukocytes and amplifies inflammatory signaling.

Novel platelet regulators of activation and signaling, identified through genetic models, transcriptomics, and proteomics.

Thromboinflammation across disease contexts, from atherosclerosis and ischemia to stroke and cancer, where platelets serve as central mediators linking clotting to immune dysregulation.

Using a combination of in vivo models, single-cell and multi-omics platforms, and patient-based studies, we aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive platelet hyperreactivity and to identify biomarkers and targets that inform individualized risk prediction and therapeutic strategies.