Novel therapeutic development for early-stage abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a critical cardiovascular disease with a mortality rate over 80% when ruptured. With limited treatment options, especially for early-stage aneurysms, this project proposes the use of a novel therapeutic to limit growth and effectively treat early-stage AAA. The overall objective is to develop and evaluate the efficacy of stem cell delivery within optimally formulated elastin-collagen composite scaffolds to limit wall dilatation and restoring elastin-producing smooth muscle cells to the abdominal aorta. Through collaborative efforts combining the complementary sets of expertise and skills of participating institutions, this interdisciplinary initiative not only aims to enhance treatment efficacy but also lays the groundwork for synergistic collaborations applying engineering principles to biomedical problems, ultimately benefiting both institutions involved and broader biomedical research.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kristina Rinker

Student:

Partner:

Stanford University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Calgary

Program: