Associate Professor of Physical Therapy
Assistant Director of the Westover Honors Program
434.544.8782
blair.p@lynchburg.edu
Experience
- 2010 – Present, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Lynchburg
- Adjunct Faculty Member: Fisher College
- Post-Doctoral Research Fellow: Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
- Graduate Research Assistant: Boston University School of Medicine
Education
- PhD, Pharmacology – Boston University, 2008
- BA Chemistry, BA Classics – Washington & Lee University, 2002
Publications
- Liu J, Gao BB, Clermont AC, Blair P, Chilcote TJ, Sinha A, Flaumenhaft R, and Feener EP. 2011. Hyperglycemia-induced cerebral hematoma expansion is mediated by plasma kallikrein. Nature Medicine17(2):206-210.
- Dowal L, Sims DS, Dilks JR, Blair P, Beaudry S, Denker BM, Koukos G, Kuliopulos A, and Flaumrnhaft R. 2011. Identification of an antithrombotic allosteric modulator that acts through helix 8 of PAR1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 108(7):2951-2956.
- Woronowicz K, Dilks JR, Rosenvayn N, Dowal L, Blair PS, Peters CG, Woronowicz L, Flaumenhaft R. 2010. The platelet actin cytoskeleton associates with SNAREs and participates in alpha granule secretion. Biochemistry 49(21): 4533-42.
- Blair P, Flaumenhaft R. 2009. Platelet alpha-granules: basic biology and clinical correlates. Blood Reviews23(4):177-89.
- Graham GJ, Ren Q, Dilks JR, Blair P, Whiteheart SW, Flaumenhaft R. 2009. Endobrevin/VAMP-8-dependent dense granule release mediates thrombus formation in vivo. Blood 114(5): 1083-90.
- Blair P, Rex S, Vitseva O, Beaulieu L, Tanriverdi K, Chakrabarti S, Hayashi C, Genco CA, Iafrati M, Freedman JE. 2009. Stimulation of Toll-like receptor 2 in human platelets induces a thromboinflammatory response through activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Circulation Research 104(3):346-54.
- Blair P, Freedman JE. 2008. Aspirin resistance in atherosclerosis. Current Atherosclerosis Reports10(2):149-57.
- Vanichakarn P, Blair P, Wu C, Freedman JE, Chakrabarti S. 2008. Neutrophil CD40 enhances platelet-mediated inflammation. Thrombosis Research 122(3):346-58.
- Chakrabarti S, Blair P, Freedman JE. 2007. CD40-40L signaling in vascular inflammation. Journal of Biological Chemistry 282(25):18307-17.
Professional Memberships
- International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis
Teaching Areas
- Human Anatomy
- Human Physiology
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Molecular Cell Biology
Professional Interests
My research interests stem from my work as a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Jane Freedman (BUSM) and my work as a post-doctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Flaumenhaft (BIDMC/HMS). I am primarily interested in the role that platelets play in the processes of hemostasis, thrombosis, and inflammation. In particular, I am fascinated by:
- The differential functions of platelet dense granules and alpha granules in thrombus formation and inflammation, respectively;
- The molecular mechanisms regulating packaging and secretion of platelet granules;
- The transcriptional control of thrombopoeisis; and
- The molecular mechanisms regulating platelet-bacteria interactions.
Most recently, I have been investigating the potential role of an RNA-binding protein – hematopoietic zinc finger (HZF) – in the synthesis and/or packaging of platelet alpha-granule proteins. In mice, HZF deficiency results in decreased platelet alpha granules, as well as absence of select alpha granules substances (Kimura et al, J Exp Med, 2002). In humans, a rare but serious bleeding disorder known as Gray Platelet Syndrome is associated with reduced or absent platelet alpha granules. It is our hope that elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying platelet granule formation will us better understand the etiology of Gray Platelet Syndrome and potentially other bleeding disorders.