Research Faculty

Alan D. Michelson, MD

Department Division of Hematology/Oncology
Department of Medicine
Hospital Title Director, Center for Platelet Research Studies
Director, Thrombosis Program and Anticoagulation Service
Academic Title Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Phone 617-919-2116
Email Alan Michelson
Location 300 Longwood Avenue
Karp 08213
Boston MA 02115

Research Overview

Dr. Michelson's research group, the Center for Platelet Research Studies (CPRS), is an internationally recognized, multidisciplinary center for the study of platelets by state-of-the-art methods. The CPRS is an integrated research group that performs basic bench research, translational research, and clinical research on platelets and related aspects of hemostasis and thrombosis.

A particular focus of research in the CPRS is antiplatelet therapy, including characterization of:

  • Novel molecules and mechanisms for therapeutic platelet inhibition
  • The effects of antiplatelet agents on coagulation and inflammation
  • The relationship between the degree of inhibition of platelet function and clinical outcomes (thrombosis vs. hemorrhage)
  • The use of in vitro platelet function tests to guide antiplatelet therapy in order to obtain better clinical outcomes

About Alan D. Michelson

Dr. Michelson received his medical degree with honors from the University of Adelaide, Australia and was a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Michelson is the editor of the textbook "Platelets" (Elsevier/Academic Press). The first edition of "Platelets", published in 2002, was the winner of the Best Book in Medical Science Award from the Association of American Publishers; the 71-chapter, 1300-page second edition was published in 2007.

Key Publications

  • Monagle P, Chalmers E, Chan A, deVeber G, Kirkham F, Massicotte P, Michelson AD. Antithrombotic therapy in neonates and children: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (8th edition). Chest 2008;133:887-968. 
     
  • Frelinger AL, Li Y, Linden MD, Barnard MR, Fox ML, Christie DJ, Furman MI, Michelson AD. Association of cyclooxygenase-1-dependent and -independent platelet function assays with adverse clinical outcomes in aspirin-treated patients presenting for cardiac catheterization. Circulation 2009;120:2586-2596.
     
  • Michelson AD, Barnard MR, Hechtman HB, MacGregor H, Connolly RJ, Loscalzo J, Valeri CR. In vivo tracking of platelets: Circulating degranulated platelets rapidly lose surface P-selectin but continue to circulate and function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 1996;93:11877-11882.
     
  • Freedman JE, Loscalzo J, Benoit SE, Valeri CR, Barnard MR, Michelson AD. Decreased platelet inhibition by nitric oxide in two brothers with a history of arterial thrombosis. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1996;97:979-987.