Dr. Krishnaswamy studies molecular mechanisms of blood coagulation, and his lab investigates how the proteins of blood coagulation interact with each other and membranes to yield a regulated clotting response to vascular injury or an unregulated response in thrombotic or bleeding disease.

A regulated blood coagulation response to vascular injury is essential for life. Excessive bleeding is associated with a range of genetic or acquired conditions that impair the clotting response. Thrombotic diseases result from exuberant or dysregulated clotting. Together, diseases associated with excessive clotting or bleeding represent one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the developed world.

Dr. Krishnaswamy's research focuses on understanding the proteolytic activation steps in coagulation that are catalyzed by membrane complexes assembled from the reversible binding of a serine protease to a protein cofactor on a membrane surface. A combination of biophysical, mutagenesis, and functional studies are used by the lab team to relate these binding steps to large increases in the function of the serine protease towards its biological substrate, and to understand how cofactors and membranes function in greatly enhancing the catalytic power of the enzyme complex.

His lab also studies how the biological substrate is recognized by the enzyme complex and the mechanisms by which substrate cleavage imparts biological activity in the product.

Dr. Krishnaswamy and his team also use X-ray crystallography, small angle X-ray scattering, single molecule reconstruction using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy and hydrogen-deuterium exchange to provide structural insights into how the interactions between the components relate to function. His goal is to use mechanistic insights resulting from this work to reveal novel strategies to modulate the coagulation reactions for treatment of disease.

BS, Syracuse University (Biology), 1979

PhD, Syracuse University (Biochemistry), 1984

Fellowship, University of Vermont (Biochemistry), 1987

Investigator

Professor of Pediatrics

Kenneth Brinkhous Young Investigator Prize in Thrombosis, American Heart Association, 1989

ATVB Special Recognition Award in Thrombosis, American Heart Association, 2013

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Faculty Mentor Award, 2014

Sol Sherry Distinguished Lecture in Thrombosis, American Heart Association, 2014

Multidisciplinary investigation of thrombosis and hemostasis (Cornerstone blog, December 21, 2018)

Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society Paper of the Month

ISTH Congress to be held in Philadelphia in 2021

CHOP Thrombosis Expert’s Work to Be Honored (Cornerstone blog, June 3, 2015)