As a graduate student studying molecular cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic/Case Western Reserve University, John Hwa, MD, Ph.D., professor of medicine (cardiovascular medicine), found himself in an environment where many labs were studying platelets, but chose instead to study adrenergic receptors that regulate blood pressure. At the time, the significance of these small blood cells was poorly understood and seemed limited. "Platelets were thought to be important cells involved in blood clotting, but not much else," says Hwa. He never thought, he says, that he would become as passionate about platelet research as he is today.

Now, the number of studies on platelets has been exploding over the past decade as researchers realize that platelets are involved in the regulation of many processes in the body. A physician-scientist, Hwa hopes to develop a bridge between the rapidly evolving science of platelets and clinical practice. He and his team encapsulated the work produced over the years in a review article in Nature Cardiovascular Research on March 3. Much has been learned. "The list of processes that platelets are known to be involved in is growing as a result of emerging studies and technologies," Hwa says.