Dr. Kahr is Associate Professor of Paediatrics and Biochemistry at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist in the Cell Biology Program at the Research Institute of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), where he is also a staff physician in the Division of Haematology/Oncology managing patients with bleeding/clotting problems. He received his MD and PhD from the University of Toronto and did post-doctoral research in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton. Beginning with the discovery that patients with Québec platelet disorder have abnormal expression of urokinase in their platelets, Dr. Kahr’s research has focused on studies of inherited platelet defects and the development of platelet alpha-granules. His group played a key role in the discoveries that VPS33B, its binding partner VPS16B, and NBEAL2 are required for alpha-granule formation by investigating patients with mutations causative for ARC syndrome (VPS33B and VPS16B) and gray platelet syndrome (NBEAL2). He is currently investigating the roles of these and other proteins in platelet development and function.

Stephanie Smith

Dr Smith is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Illinois. Her work focuses on the roles of polyphosphate in hemostasis, thrombosis, and inflammation.