Associate Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Associate Chief of Hematology Division Research
Clinical Director MGB Integrated Special Coagulation Laboratory Service
Director of the Basic and Translational Research Program for Disorders of Platelets and Coagulation
Director of the Platelet Disorder Clinic
ELISABETH M. BATTINELLI, MD, PHD
Since joining the Division of Hematology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, I have focused on both research and clinical care with an expertise in platelet disorders. My clinical responsibilities are centered in Hemostasis and Thrombosis Clinic, which enables me to care for patients with clotting disorders and platelet abnormalities. My research focuses on how platelets differentially release angiogenesis regulatory proteins in the setting of malignancy. This work has immense implications for cancer as platelets play a central role in tumor growth and development of metastasis. By understanding the interaction of platelets and tumor cells, we can ultimately target the secretory mechanisms of the platelet to develop targeted cancer therapy. In addition, we aim to understand how anti-platelet agents can disrupt the interaction of tumor cells and platelets ultimately for therapeutic benefit. Recently, I also expanded this research to investigate how factors released from platelets not only influence tumor growth but also “fuel the fire” by driving platelet production and regulate platelet protein content. This work demonstrates that in inflammatory states such as malignancy, factors released from platelets directly increase the production of platelets thereby amplifying their response within the tumor milieu.
HARVEY ROWETH, PHD
Instructor
Harvey received his BS degree in Biomedicine at the University of Reading, UK, and his PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK, where his thesis focused on the inhibitory effects of anti-depressants on platelet function. After completing his post-doctoral training in the Battinelli lab, Harvey was promoted to a faculty position within Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, where he leads several research projects on platelets and tumor cell metastasis. His work is predominantly funded by a K99/R00 awarded by the National Cancer Institute to explore how platelets support the earliest stages of tumor cell metastasis, including the generation of the pre-metastatic niche.
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Harvard Catalyst Profile
DEEPA GAUTAM, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow
Deepa completed her masters’ and PhD in Biochemistry at Banaras Hindu University, India, under the guidance of Dr. Dash, where she focused her research on how neuromodulatory molecules affect platelet signaling. Following her PhD, she joined Dr. Naik’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, USA, where her work revolved around understanding the role of alpha-IIb-subunit and its interaction with calcium- and integrin-binding protein 1 (CIB1) in activating integrin alpha-IIb beta-3. Currently, she is engaged in postdoctoral research in the Battinelli lab, delving into the functions of reticulated platelets and their significance in cancer metastasis.
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EMILY CLARKE
Research Technician
Emily earned her BA degree with honors in Molecular Biology at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. For her senior thesis, Emily investigated the role of KLF4 in cell cycle regulation alongside Dr. Engda Hagos. In the Battinelli lab, Emily performs in vivo and in vitro studies focusing on the role of platelets in metastasis.
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PRIYA KUMAR
MD Candidate at Harvard Medical School
Priya received a BAS in Biomedical Engineering, with a concentration in Medical Devices, from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2022. Priya is now a second year medical student at Harvard Medical School. Priya’s work primarily involves tissue imaging and tumor burden quantification.
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Kathryn Hall, PhD
Becky Zon, MD
Sophie Munn – Summer Intern (2023)
Chinua Achebe – Summer Student (2023)
Michael Malloy – Technician (2018-2022)
Qiuchen Guo, PhD – Research Fellow (2020-2022)
Hailey Yetman – Technician (2020-2022)
Andrea Mines – Undergraduate Student (2020-2021)
Julia Ceglowski – Technician (2016-2018)
Kelly Johnson, PhD – Research Fellow (2014-2017)