Cancer and cardiovascular disease are currently the two most common causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite recent advances in treatment, the incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease still accounts for nearly two of every three deaths in western countries, and this figure is expected to increase along life expectancy in the next generation. This threatening news highlights the urgent need for novel and efficient treatments in these areas.
One of the research lines in the laboratory of Prof Angel Armesilla at the Research Institute in Healthcare Science of the University of Wolverhampton, investigates the molecular mechanisms that control blood vessel formation. The formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones (called angiogenesis) is a tightly regulated process essential for tissue and organ development. De-regulation of this process results in excessive or insufficient formation of blood vessels leading to severe human pathologies. For example, solid tumors promote the formation of new blood vessels that perfuse the tumor and deliver oxygen and nutrients so the tumoral cells can grow. If we could stop the formation of these new blood vessels, we could kill the tumor by “starvation”. In other cases, blockage of blood vessels restricts oxygen delivery to an organ, for example the obstruction of a coronary artery during a heart attack. In this case, the formation of new blood vessels would allow to bypass the blocked area and to supply oxygen to the ischaemic heart.
We are characterizing the molecular mechanisms that control the formation of new blood vessels in healthy and pathological situations. We will use this information to design novel therapeutic interventions that stop (in cancer) or promote (after myocardial infarction) the formation of blood vessels.
Our projects combine cell and molecular studies using healthy or diseased human cells, and involve qPCR, advanced cellular imaging, transcriptomics, proteomics, and preclinical models.
There is a distinctive emphasis in our group to ensure that the findings of our research are quickly and effectively translated into clinical practice. We ensure this by close collaboration with local NHS Trusts including the New Cross Hospital-Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
Enquiries email name and address:
For more information about this project please contact Prof Angel Armesilla at [Email Address Removed]
For more information about our laboratory please visit our webpage at https://www.armesillalab.com/
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