David Farrell

My laboratory has shown that an alternatively-spliced fibrinogen isoform, γ' fibrinogen (GPF), produces blood clots that are highly resistant to breakdown by fibrinolytic enzymes and mechanically stiffer. In collaboration with the Stockholm Coronary Artery Risk Factor study and the Framingham Heart Study, my laboratory has shown that γ' fibrinogen shows a strong and significant association with cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and coronary artery disease. γ' fibrinogen is dramatically increased by inflammation. This raises the exciting possibility that γ' fibrinogen is a previously unrecognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Our latest research shows that COVID-19 patients have extreme levels of γ' fibrinogen, suggesting that γ' fibrinogen may contribute to the blood clotting symptoms of COVID-19. Specialties: Biomedical research.