Identification of mechanosensitive pathways for cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Blockage of arteries due to gradual development of atherosclerotic plaques can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Although a number of risk factors have been identified that increase the risk of atherosclerosis development, recent years have seen an explosion of interest in the role of haemodynamic (or mechanical) factors as instigators of vascular pathology. The reason for this is because atherosclerosis develops in specific regions of the arteries that are exposed to non-uniform and “disturbed” blood flow patterns. Endothelial cells that line blood vessels are equipped with the exquisite ability to sense and respond to blood flow and initiate pathways that are termed vascular mechanotransduction. Our group has pioneered the study of vascular mechanotransduction and its role in cardiovascular disease and uses a multi-disciplinary approach to study this.

The focus of the proposed studentship is to identify mechanosensitive pathways that are responsible for development of atherosclerosis. The project involves a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches in a highly collaborative and multi-disciplinary environment.