Molecular imaging of thrombosis, inflammation and vulnerable plaques and anti-thrombotic therapy without bleeding via targeting of activated platelets with recombinant antibodies

Professor Karlheinz Peter works as interventional cardiologist at the Alfred Hospital and as basic scientist at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. He holds an ARC Future fellowship and an Honorary NHMRC fellowship. He is Professor of Medicine and Immunology at Monash University. Karlheinz worked for many years as interventional cardiologist, including as the head of the cardiac catheter laboratory at the University of Freiburg, Germany. He did his post doc at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore and at Scripps Research Foundation, La Jolla, USA. Most of his clinical training was at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. His research is focused on the cellular mechanisms of coronary artery disease and its consequence, myocardial infarction, encompassing the role of platelets, coagulation and inflammation in atherosclerosis, as well as the mechanisms leading to the rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. He has developed novel biomarker (proteomic and microRNA) approaches and molecular imaging strategies towards the localisation of vulnerable, rupture-prone plaques and the identification of patients at risk of myocardial infarction. One of his primary research interests is the development of new “intelligent” drugs for patients with myocardial infarction. He has developed human single-chain antibody drugs that demonstrate highly promising properties with high anti-platelet and anticoagulant efficacy but reduced side effects, particularly bleeding complications.