Events

Bioengineering PDRA Seminar by Pamela Swiatlowska

Date: Tuesday 14 November 2023 12:00 - 12:30

Location: SEMS Seminar Room & MS Team

Talk Title: Mechano-epigenetic regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype in atherosclerosis

Pamela Swiatlowska's project is about Arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) that play a central role in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis, where they undergo phenotypic switching, from a contractile(healthy) to a synthetic state(disease). This process is known to be regulated by several factors, including mechanical forces. Here I aimed to investigate the role of hemodynamic pressure, stretch and matrix stiffness on vSMC phenotype. Hypertensive pressure results in smaller cell area, change in cell shape and high number of podosome-forming SMC (hallmarks of atherosclerosis) on 1kPa. I’ve observed 2 different podosome-forming pathways. Moreover, hypertensive pressure induced Ca2+ influx, potentially through Piezo1 channels. Channel stimulation further resulted in lower cell motility, higher proliferation and a decrease in histone 3 lysine 9 trimethylation.

Keywords: mechanobiology, heart disease, atherosclerosis, cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, bioengineering, bioprinting

This seminar will be chaired by Pamela Swiatlowska.