Post-stroke Infection

Can circulating leukocyte microparticles be used as an early predictor of subclinical infection after acute ischemic stroke?

Background:

Infection occurs in the first week after stroke in up to 50% of all patients with increased mortality and reduced quality of life in survivors. Leukocyte microparticles are submicron membrane vesicles produced when white blood cells are activated.

Aims:

Novel flow cytometry based methods will be developed for leukocyte microparticles, based on current methods we have in our research group, and use these new methods to examine changes in leukocyte microparticles in patients who have had a stroke to see if they relate to later development of infection. We will then investigate whether these methods can be transferred into a novel biomedical device suitable for finger-prick blood samples. THis is a multi-disciplinary project drawing upon the expertise of established teams of researchers from the Faculties of Medicine and Physical Sciences and Engineering, as well as the NHS.

Methods to use:

Multicolour flow cytometry, cell culture, working with clinical samples, ELISAs, and biophotonics.

Team Members involved: