Paresh Kulkarni

Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, India

Dr. Paresh Kulkarni has been pursuing research in platelet biology for 12 years with a focus on various aspects of platelet metabolism and signaling networks. He completed his MD at Banaras Hindu University in India, where he studied platelet responses under energy stress and discovered that energy deprivation by inhibition of glycolysis can be a sound antiplatelet strategy. His studies also focused on the regulation and role of protein degradation machineries - proteasome and autophagy in platelet survival. At the University of Iowa, Dr. Kulkarni established that platelet toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mediates prothrombotic effects of cellular fibronectin. He also conceived and initiated work on targeting glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) in platelets as an antithrombotic strategy. During his PhD, he established aerobic glycolysis and the consequent flux through pentose phosphate pathway as the metabolic signature of stimulated platelets, which is in turn indispensable for thrombosis and hemostasis. He found mitochondrial ATP generation to be redundant for platelet aggregation and procoagulant activity, but critical for granule secretion and thrombus formation. He also uncovered the essential role of beta oxidation of fatty acids in platelet function and thrombosis. He is currently investigating the role of platelets in the pathogenesis of thrombosis associated with antiphospholipid antibodies in patients of antiphospholipid syndrome and unique mouse models.