Sepsis is a life-threatening condition in which a dysregulated immune response can lead to organ failure. One frequent and particularly dangerous complication is sepsis-induced coagulopathy. In this condition, the coagulation system becomes imbalanced, and small blood clots can form. As a result, blood flow to vital organs may be further impaired. The mechanisms underlying this coagulation disorder are still incompletely understood.

In this project, the scientists investigate the role of microRNA-125a, a small regulatory RNA molecule that can control inflammatory processes across different cell types. They aim to determine how microRNA-125a influences a cross-cell-type network linking immune cells, endothelial cells and blood coagulation. To this end, they combine cell culture models, blood material from patients with sepsis and modern molecular analyses. The goal is to uncover new mechanisms of sepsis-induced coagulopathy and to identify starting points for future targeted therapies.