Projects

This project aims to study the effect of the stiffening of ageing arteries on endothelial cells. It explores the changes that occur in endothelial cells using a unique microfluidic technology with tuneable wall stiffness to mimic the biophysical and biochemical properties of ageing arteries.

The expected outcome is the identification of the cellular mechanisms that control endothelial responses to arterial stiffening. This should provide the fundamental knowledge required to assist in the development of new therapies to tackle age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia.

This project aims to determine the effect of blood flow on immune cells and platelets. It utilises microfluidic technologies to model the physical stresses that blood cells are subjected to in the bloodstream.

The project leads to a better understanding of the role of mechanosensitive ion channels and the establishment of new technologies to explore the effect of blood flow on thrombosis and inflammation. This should benefit the identification of novel therapeutic targets to modify the immune function in diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, infection, asthma, and stroke.

This project aims to establish modular and reconfigurable microfluidic platforms capable of exerting simultaneous cyclic stretch and shear stress on endothelial cells in a highly controlled and automated manner.

These technologies are essential for developing organ-on-chip microfluidic platforms for studying cardiovascular diseases.