Vall d'Hebron Talks by VHIR 'Targeting Immunothrombosis to Restore Brain Flow and Function'

Speaker: Dr. María Ángeles Moro. Leader of the Neurovascular Pathophysiology Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC). She is also Coordinator of the CNIC “Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Brain Health” programme, co-leads the Neurovascular Research Unit (UCM) and participates in the Neurovascular Diseases Group of the i+12 Health Research Institute (Health Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre). 

Summary: Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. Despite major advances in reperfusion therapies, clinical outcome is still highly variable, and many patients experience incomplete tissue reperfusion and poor recovery. Understanding the biological mechanisms that regulate microvascular flow and tissue injury after stroke is therefore essential for improving patient outcomes. In recent years, immunothrombosis has emerged as a key contributor to cerebrovascular injury. Neutrophils, through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), can promote microvascular obstruction, amplify inflammation, and impair tissue perfusion. While NETs have been implicated in stroke severity and resistance to reperfusion, the factors that govern when and how these processes are activated remain largely unknown. In this seminar, I will present evidence that circadian rhythms critically shape neutrophil function and NET formation after ischemic stroke, thereby influencing collateral circulation, microvascular perfusion, and infarct size. Using complementary experimental models and clinical data from stroke patients, we identify time-of-day–dependent neutrophil states that determine the extent of immunothrombosis and tissue injury. Finally, we will discuss the translational implications of these findings, and future avenues to improve therapy and outcomes in cerebrovascular disease.

Host: Dr. Anna Rosell. Head of group Neurovascular Diseases. Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) 

Online: https://gencat.zoom.us/j/84956123045