Amrita Sarkar, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology)
Staff Scientist, Division of Hematology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Department: Pediatrics
Contact information
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
3615 Civic Center Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Suite 312B
Philadelphia, PA 19107
3615 Civic Center Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Suite 312B
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Lab: 2515901971
Publications
Education:
B.Sc (Physiology)
University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2008.
M.Sc (Human Physiology and Pharmacology)
University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2010.
Ph.D (Physiology and Pharmacology)
Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2014.
Permanent linkB.Sc (Physiology)
University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2008.
M.Sc (Human Physiology and Pharmacology)
University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2010.
Ph.D (Physiology and Pharmacology)
Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India, 2014.
Description of Research Expertise
Dr. Sarkar’s research focuses on immune-mediated thrombotic disorders, particularly Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS), Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP), and Adenivirus-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (AITT). She integrates in vivo and in vitro models to study Thrombo-inflammation and develop novel, non-anticoagulant therapies.She has established a range of animal models—spanning thrombosis, sepsis, arthritis, and diabetes—and investigates key drivers of disease such as complement activation, NET formation, and PF4:β2GPI complex-mediated thrombosis. In parallel, she utilizes human and rodent primary cell systems and microfluidic assays to in vitro thrombosis model using patient-derived plasma or plasma derived IgGs.
Her current work is centered on dissecting the role of PF4:NET:β2GPI interactions in APS and TTP, with a further focus on their unexplored connection to complement activation. She also applies nanotechnology and antibody engineering to explore targeted therapeutic strategies.
Through this integrated approach, Dr. Sarkar aims to define the molecular links between thrombosis, immunity, and inflammation to advance precision therapies for autoimmune thrombotic diseases.
Selected Publications
Mazharian A, Bertin O, Sarkar A, Augros J, Bornert A, Loubière C, Jönsson F, Warwicker J, Abbott WM, Dushek O, Vayne C, Rauova L, Fütterer K, Rollin J, Poncz M, Senis YA.: G6b-B antibody-based cis-acting platelet receptor inhibitors (CAPRIs) as a new family of anti-thrombotic therapeutics. bioRxiv 14(1): doi: 10.1101/2024.05.10.593500, May 2024.Ngo AT, Skidmore A, Oberg J, Yarovoi I, Sarkar A, Levine N, Bochenek V, Zhao G, Rauova L, Kowalska MA, Eckart K, Mangalmurti NS, Rux A, Cines DB, Poncz M, Gollomp K.: Platelet factor 4 limits neutrophil extracellular trap- and cell-free DNA-induced thrombogenicity and endothelial injury. JCI Insight 8(7): e171054, Nov 2023.
Sarkar A, Khandelwal S, Koma GT, Kim H, Gruel Y, Rollin J, Passam F, Wool GD, Arepally GM, Cines DB, Rauova L, Poncz M.: Treatment of thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in HIT in mice using deglycosylated KKO: a novel therapeutic? Blood Adv 7(6): 4112-4123, Aug 2023.
Ngo ATP, Sarkar A, Yarovoi I, Levine ND, Bochenek V, Zhao G, Rauova L, Kowalska MA, Eckart K, Mangalmurti NS, Rux A, Cines DB, Poncz M, Gollomp K.: Neutrophil extracellular trap stabilization by platelet factor 4 reduces thrombogenicity and endothelial cell injury. bioRxiv 1(9): doi: 10.1101/2023.01.09.522931, Jan 2023.
Apostolidis SA, Sarkar A, Giannini HM, Goel RR, Mathew D, Suzuki A, Baxter AE, Greenplate AR, Alanio C, Abdel-Hakeem M, Oldridge DA, Giles JR, Wu JE, Chen Z, Huang YJ, Belman J, Pattekar A, Manne S, Kuthuru O, Dougherty J, Weiderhold B, Weisman AR, Ittner CAG, Gouma S, Dunbar D, Frank I, Huang AC, Vella LA; UPenn COVID Processing Unit; Reilly JP, Hensley SE, Rauova L, Zhao L, Meyer NJ, Poncz M, Abrams CS, Wherry EJ.: Signaling Through FcγRIIA and the C5a-C5aR Pathway Mediate Platelet Hyperactivation in COVID-19. Front Immunol 13(1): 834988, Mar 2022.
Khandelwal S, Barnes A, Rauova L, Sarkar A, Rux AH, Yarovoi SV, Zaitsev SS, Lambris JD, Myoung SS, Johnson A, Lee GM, Duarte M, Poncz M, Arepally GM, Cines DB.: Complement mediates binding and procoagulant effects of ultralarge HIT immune complexes. Blood 138(4): 2106-2116, Nov 2021.
Apostolidis SA, Sarkar A, Giannini HM, Goel RR, Mathew D, Suzuki A, Baxter AE, Greenplate AR, Alanio C, Abdel-Hakeem M, Oldridge DA, Giles J, Wu JE, Chen Z, Huang YJ, Pattekar A, Manne S, Kuthuru O, Dougherty J, Weiderhold B, Weisman AR, Ittner CAG, Gouma S, Dunbar D, Frank I, Huang AC, Vella LA; UPenn COVID Processing Unit; Reilly JP, Hensley SE, Rauova L, Zhao L, Meyer NJ, Poncz M, Abrams CS, Wherry EJ.: Signaling through FcγRIIA and the C5a-C5aR pathway mediates platelet hyperactivation in COVID-19. bioRxiv 5(1): doi: 10.1101/2021.05.01.442279, May 2021.
Cines DB, Zaitsev S, Rauova L, Rux AH, Stepanova V, Krishnaswamy S, Sarkar A, Kowalska MA, Zhao G, Mast AE, Blumberg LJ, McCrae KR, Poncz M, Hubbard JJ, Pyzik M, Blumberg RS.: FcRn augments induction of tissue factor activity by IgG-containing immune complexes. Blood 135(1): 2085-2093, Jun 2020.
Johnston I, Sarkar A, Hayes V, Koma GT, Arepally GM, Chen J, Chung DW, López JA, Cines DB, Rauova L, Poncz M.: Recognition of PF4-VWF complexes by heparin-induced thrombocytopenia antibodies contributes to thrombus propagation. Blood 135(6): 1270-1280, Apr 2020.
Gollomp K, Sarkar A, Harikumar S, Seeholzer SH, Arepally GM, Hudock K, Rauova L, Kowalska MA, Poncz M.: Fc-modified HIT-like monoclonal antibody as a novel treatment for sepsis. Blood 135(3): 743-754, Mar 2020.