Mechanobiological adaptation in the vessel: finding the ideal vascular graft

The aim of the PhD project is to improve aneurysm diagnosis and treatment. Currently, the diagnosis of rupture risk is based on geometry, i.e. aneurysm diameter and growth rate. However, the geometry method is not reliable as a high number of false positives and false negatives are observed. Microstructure-based criteria can be a good alternative since earlier studies showed structural differences between healthy and aneurysmatic tissue. In order to study this, a large clinical study is currently ongoing in which the mechanical and microstructural properties of aneurysmatic tissue are characterized to formulate a new diagnostic criterion. Next to diagnosis, the project focuses on aneurysm treatment. Nowadays, aortic aneurysms are replaced by a prosthetic graft through open surgical repair, which is an invasive technique associated with high mortality rates. In an animal study, we will explore biodegradable macroporous meshes and microporous scaffolds as promising alternatives for aneurysm treatment. The mechanobiological adaptation of the vessel will be investigated through mechanical, microstructural and gene expression analysis. In addition, we are developing a bioreactor set-up in which the effects of altered mechanical conditions can be studied in a controlled way. The mechanism behind aneurysm formation, and in specific the role of mechanical stimuli, is not fully understood. By using a bioreactor, we aim to quantitatively asses the the vessel response - in terms of mechanical properties, microstructural appearance and gene expression - to different mechanical conditions.