The Translational Research Group is a world leader in the study of angiogenesis, a process by which the human body forms new blood vessels in response to blocked arteries. Increasing evidence suggests this process occurs in cardiovascular disease assisted by cells known as ‘endothelial progenitor cells’ which are thought to originate from the bone marrow. The Translational Research group aims to develop and apply therapeutic angiogenesis either through the facilitation of vessel growth or through the delivery of progenitor cells. These new methods hold tremendous potential as new treatments for cardiovascular disease.
The group is also working on developing new synthetic materials for effective treatment of cardiovascular disease since at present, there are few effective biomaterials available for clinical vascular applications. On average, 70% of vein grafts are occluded or critically stenosed 10 years after coronary bypass grafting. In order the meet this critical need for revolutionising current cardiovascular treatments, the Translational Research group seeks to engineer new synthetic bypass grafts that closely mimic the properties of human arteries.
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