PATHOLOGY

Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Magazine

Dr. Kizhakkedathu Named New Canada Research Chair

— Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu, PhD
Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medicine
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar
Associate Member, Department of Chemistry

With support from the CRC program your work will have significant impact, especially in the fields of immunomodulation materials and immunotherapy. Where are you heading in with your research and what do you hope to have achieved by the end of your Canada Excellence Research Chair tenure?

Inflammatory diseases and immune mediated diseases affect 1 in 3 Canadians and cost the Canadian economy >$100 billion each year. Cardiovascular diseases (ischemic heart disease and stroke) are the single most common cause of death in developed countries, and thrombosis is the underlying cause of life-threatening diseases such as stroke, heart disease and venous thromboembolism, affects ~30% of Canadians. Immunothrombosis associated disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is the root cause of increased mortality, organ failure in Sepsis and in many viral infections. Sepsis accounts for nearly 5.3 million deaths/year worldwide. DIC is a major risk factor for increased mortality in severe COVID-19 cases. Immunological rejection of organs/tissues/cells is another major challenge originated via immune or inflammatory mechanisms. Many Canadians are currently waiting for organ transplants. Microvascular impairment and immune-mediated reactions are the common pathogenic factors in all of these inflammatory and immune-diseases mentioned leading to organ injury. Current treatments for these diseases are sub-optimal, emphasizing the need for improved prevention and treatment methods.

The research focus of the Kizhakkedathu’s translational program is to develop novel therapeutics and approaches to treat and prevent immunothrombosis, immunological rejection of organs and cells, and protection of blood vessels of organs in inflammatory conditions by bringing new directions and innovation to immunomodulation materials and immunotherapy. Building on their recent discoveries the Kizhakkedathu laboratory will utilize unique biologically active polymers, bioengineering & novel chemistry approaches, and animal models for this purpose. This will realize more available transplantable organs with increased survival rates of transplant recipients, development of new therapeutics with novel mechanisms of action for the treatment of thrombosis, and generate new therapeutic options for many clinical disorders where microvascular damage occurs in inflammation.

Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Immunomodulation Materials and Immunotherapy Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine