JCSMR PhD student Simone Brysland’s research featured on prestigious journal covers
This year has been a remarkable one for John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) PhD student Simone Brysland, whose groundbreaking research in platelet function has earned her widespread recognition.
Two of Simone’s research images have been featured as cover images in prominent publications, underscoring the impact of her work in advancing our understanding of blood disorders in lymphoma patients.
Simone is a member of the Gardiner Group at JCSMR, which focuses on exploring the mechanisms of thrombosis and cancer. Her research specifically examines platelet dysfunction in Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia (WM) and other lymphomas, conditions that often cause severe bleeding and bruising in patients.
Earlier this year, Simone and her former lab partner, Dr James Hearn, won the Platelets journal’s cover image competition with a stunning visual that highlights how platelet function changes in hyperviscous blood—a condition commonly observed in WM patients.
“People living with Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia, as well as other types of lymphomas and leukaemias, are known to bleed and bruise easily,” Simone explained. “My PhD project aims to understand why this is. By identifying patients at higher or lower risk of bleeding, we can modify and monitor their treatments to reduce complications and improve their quality of life.”
Understanding platelet dysfunction in WM
Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia patients often develop hyperviscosity, where excessive amounts of the immunoglobulin protein IgM thicken the blood, impairing normal circulation and platelet function. Simone’s research has shown that elevated IgM levels interfere with platelets’ ability to adhere and spread on collagen, a key process in blood clot formation.
For her winning image, Simone isolated IgM from the plasma of a patient with WM and mixed it with platelets from a healthy donor. Using a platelet activity test, she measured how well the treated platelets adhered to collagen. The image, captured through confocal microscopy, vividly depicts IgM (blue) binding to platelet surfaces, alongside actin (red) and α-tubulin (green), which represent key internal platelet proteins. The findings help explain why WM patients with high IgM levels are more prone to bleeding, while those with controlled IgM levels experience fewer complications.
Another achievement in Blood Advances
Simone’s research reached another milestone last month when one of her images was featured on the cover of Blood Advances. This image showcased healthy human collagen-adherent platelets, with red and green fluorescence highlighting their structural proteins, actin and α-tubulin.
The accompanying study delves deeper into hemostatic dysfunction in WM patients. Key findings include:
- Reduced platelet reticulation and slower thrombin generation in WM plasma.
- Increased levels of thrombopoietin (TPO), a hormone that regulates platelet production.
- Evidence that WM IgM significantly impairs platelet aggregation, spreading, and clot formation in vitro.
These discoveries are critical for understanding how WM and its treatments, such as Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis), impact bleeding risks. They pave the way for more personalised approaches to treatment, aiming to reduce complications and enhance patients’ quality of life.
A year of recognition
Simone’s achievements on the covers of Platelets and Blood Advances highlight the critical role of visual storytelling in communicating complex scientific concepts. Her dedication to understanding the mechanisms behind platelet dysfunction not only furthers scientific knowledge but also has the potential to improve clinical outcomes for patients with WM and other blood cancers.
Simone’s work exemplifies the innovative research conducted at JCSMR, one of Australia’s leading medical research institutes, and underscores the importance of connecting fundamental discoveries with real-world impact.