Shaun R. Coughlin

Shaun R. Coughlin, MD, PhD, serves as Professor of Medicine and Professor of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco, where he also directs the Cardiovascular Research Institute. Having joined the UCSF faculty in 1986 after completing cardiology and postdoctoral training at the institution, he maintains active research and leadership roles in cardiovascular science.

Dr. Coughlin earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from MIT and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, followed by internal medicine training at Massachusetts General Hospital. His foundational work bridges molecular pharmacology and clinical cardiology through receptor-focused investigations.

His research centers on protease-activated receptors (PARs), with the 1991 discovery of PAR1 representing a paradigm shift in understanding how thrombin regulates platelet function and cellular responses to injury. This work has expanded to characterize the entire PAR family, revealing mechanisms underlying thrombosis, vascular development, and inflammation that directly inform therapeutic strategies for heart attack and stroke prevention.

Key recognition includes:

• Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award (2006) for transformative contributions to signal transduction research

As Director of UCSF's Cardiovascular Research Institute, Dr. Coughlin oversees a major hub for vascular biology investigations, fostering collaborations that translate receptor-level discoveries into clinical applications for thrombotic disorders.