On March 1, 2020, Robert Lee, PhD was promoted to Research Assistant Professor.
Dr. Lee joined the lab of Dr. Wolfgang Bergmeier as a postdoc at the beginning of 2015. He received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Toledo, where his dissertation work focused on macrophage signaling and apoptosis in atherosclerotic plaque progression.
As part of the Bergmeier research group, Robert Lee’s research interests are centered around platelet signaling and function. More specifically, he is focused on two main areas of platelet research: 1) the utility of platelet transfusion in various bleeding disorders, and 2) mechanisms regulating platelet lifespan in blood and platelet clearance in organs such as spleen and liver.
The Bergmeier lab utilizes mouse models of platelet dysfunction, and established state-of-the-art imaging techniques to allow the visualization of platelet adhesion and aggregation at sites of vascular injury in vivo, as well as real-time clearance of platelets in various organs. Dr. Lee is also a member of the newly established UNC Blood Research Center (BRC).