Faculty profile

Ted Warkentin

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Professor EmeritusPathology & Molecular MedicineMcMaster University

Research

Dr. Theodore (Ted) E. Warkentin, MD, BSc(Med), FRCP(C), FACP, is a clinical and laboratory hematologist and transfusion medicine director at Hamilton General Hospital, and is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, and the Department of Medicine, at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. His clinical work and related research focuses on acquired thrombocytopenias and coagulopathies—most notably the topics of “heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)” and "ischemic limb gangrene with pulses" (symmetrical peripheral gangrene/purpura fulminans associated with critical illness). Dr. Warkentin devised the “4Ts”, a widely-used scoring system for evaluating clinical probability of HIT. He is a co-winner (with Prof. John Kelton) of the 2015 Prix Galien Canada Prize, the highest award for Canadian scientists who have made significant advances in pharmaceutical research. He also identified “spontaneous HIT syndrome” (a rare HIT-mimicking disorder that occurs despite absence of preceding heparin exposure), and other examples of “autoimmune HIT”—a group of unusual clotting disorders that provides insight into “vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT),” a novel prothrombotic anti-PF4 platelet-activating disorder that rarely is caused by adenoviral vector vaccines. He has co-edited (with Prof. Greinacher) 5 editions of a book, Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia, has authored 107 book chapters and 400 peer-reviewed articles, and has given over 890 lectures to national and international audiences.

Research areas, by share of publications

Research areas are derived from OpenAlex topics of their publications.

From the 150 most recent of 611 publications.

01

Adenoviral Core Protein VII-Driven Cross-Reactivity of Anti-PF4 Antibodies as a Trigger for VITT Pathogenesis

Wang JJ, Schönborn L, Warkentin TE, Müller L, Thiele T, Ulm L, Völker U, Ameling S, Franzenburg S, Kaderali L

Hamostaseologie2026
02

Prolonged Heparin Re‐Exposure in a Patient With Previous Heparin‐Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT)

Pleyer C, Ney G, Nghiem K, Kalsi S, Bolan C, Calvo KR, de Melo MKS, Stewart DR, Maiarana J, Kanuri A

International Journal of Laboratory Hematology2025
03

In Reply.

Michalowsky B

Deutsches Ärzteblatt international2025
04

Antibody Fingerprints Linking Adenoviral Anti-PF4 Disorders

Wang JJ, Schönborn L, Warkentin TE, Chataway T, Grosse L, Simioni P, Moll S, Greinacher A, Gordon TP

New England Journal of Medicine202435 citations
05

Rescue Therapy in Chronic Prothrombotic Autoimmune Anti-PF4 Disorder

Lindhoff-Last E, Schönborn L, Zaninetti C, Warkentin TE, Greinacher A

New England Journal of Medicine202326 citations
06

An evaluation of the clinical impacts of 7‐day platelets

Ning S, Gabarin N, Li N, Liu Y, Lucier K, Barty R, Acker J, Webert KE, Warkentin TE, Arnold DM

Transfusion20237 citations
07

Vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT): Update on diagnosis and management considering different resources

Greinacher A, Langer F, Makris M, Pai M, Pavord S, Tran H, Warkentin TE

Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis2022153 citationsSenior author
08

Platelet-activating anti-PF4 disorders: An overview

Warkentin TE

Seminars in Hematology202270 citationsFirst author
09

Platelet-activating anti-PF4 antibodies mimicking VITT antibodies in an unvaccinated patient with monoclonal gammopathy

Greinacher A, Langer F, Schonborn L, Thiele T, Haddad M, Renne T, Rollin J, Gruel Y, Warkentin TE

Haematologica202259 citationsSenior authorOpen Access
10

Treatment of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT)

Gabarin N, Arnold DM, Nazy I, Warkentin TE

Seminars in Hematology202247 citationsSenior author
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Subject: Prospective PhD student: Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis Dear Professor Warkentin, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Adenoviral Core Protein VII-Driven Cross-Reactivity of Anti-PF4 Antibodies as a Trigger for VITT Pathogenesis" (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]
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