Larson, Mark

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK 

• Ph.D., Pharmacology, University of North Carolina 

• B.A., Biology/Chemistry, Concordia College, Moorehead, Minn.

Platelet reactivity to vascular damage is one of the key cellular components in arterial diseases. Interestingly, there is substantial variation in platelet responsiveness across human populations. This variation often takes the form of abnormally elevated agonistic responses in specific groups, and subsequently impacts the usefulness of certain medications. As such, evaluating the breadth of platelet variation is critical to understanding disease progression and managing treatments for conditions where platelet hyperreactivity is detrimental. For all the importance of platelet reactivity, Native American platelet function has been almost completely uncharacterized. This is critical deficiency, as Native Americans exhibit higher rates of disease burden, particularly with regard to arterial disease. Consequently, we are significantly impaired in our efforts to provide adequate and appropriate treatment for Native Americans in the face of other substantial health care disparities. My lab's first-of-their-kind pilot studies suggest Native American platelet responses are significantly elevated when compared to non-Native Americans, as measured in conditions analogous to the blood's chemical environment following vascular damage. In the upcoming summer, we aim to expand on this preliminary work with more subjects to verify the significance of these elevated responses, particularly when compared to non-Native Americans. As such, we aim to create the first extensive mapping of Native American platelet reactivity, correlate their elevated platelet responses to lifestyle/living conditions and genetic factors known to influence platelet function, and in later summers, make the first attempt to lower elevated platelet responses that we believe are enriched in Native American platelets. We hypothesize that Native Americans are substantially more likely to have hyperreactive platelets, that these hyperreactive platelets are correlated to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are more likely to affect Native Americans, and (as a later part of the project) that we will be able to significantly ameliorate this hyperreactivity by using safe and cost-effective dietary supplements.