Project background
Thrombotic complications are the leading cause of mortality and account for one in four deaths worldwide. Existing antithrombotic drugs such as aspirin and clopidogrel are less effective, with less than 15% of diabetic patients taking these medicines avoiding a fatal thrombotic event. Despite intense investigation over the past decades, the discovery of novel cardiovascular drugs has remained disappointingly low, mainly due to high bleeding risk. Therefore, there is a huge burden for novel and safe antithrombotic treatment, for which understanding the molecular differences between thrombosis and hemostasis is essential.
Recently, there is growing interest in developing natural supplements for cardiovascular-protective therapies, driven by their favourable safety profiles and clinical evidence in mitigating chemotherapy-induced cardiovascular complications. In particular, electrophilic small molecules found in healthy diets and herbs, which are historically safe and possess long-lasting effects due to their electrophilic nature - making them valuable for both therapy and mechanistic studies.