Effect of Red Blood Cell Dynamics on Endothelial Cell Behaviour in Angiogenesis

血管生成是从现有血管生成血管。在人的一生中，血管生成的发生是为了确保体内组织有足够的氧气和营养物质通过血管输送。血管生成在组织发育、伤口愈合和某些疾病（如某些形式的癌症）中起重要作用。内皮细胞形成血管的内表面，并且血管生成由内皮细胞的行为和迁移决定。因此，了解内皮细胞对其环境的反应是至关重要的。已知内皮细胞受某些化学和机械信号的影响。例如，血管中血液的流速影响内皮细胞迁移和参与血管生成的趋势。然而，作为血液主要成分的红细胞与内皮细胞的相互作用的作用仍然未知。在本项目中，将开发数学和计算模型来模拟流动的红细胞与内皮细胞之间的相互作用。第一步是在红细胞存在下开发基于试剂的血管生成模型。然后将开发具有分辨的红细胞和内皮细胞的血管生成的计算模型。这两个模型将允许调查红细胞动力学对健康和疾病中内皮细胞行为的影响，该项目可能会提高我们对健康和疾病中血管生成的理解，可能会导致某些涉及血管生成的疾病（包括癌症）的新治疗方法。该项目还可能带来更好的诊断，例如，确定特定患者目前是否正在经历某种形式的血管生成，这可能表明存在疾病。项目风险通过共同工作了十年的监督团队（Krueger博士和Bernabeu教授）的联合技能和经验来减轻。

Angiogenesis is the generation of blood vessels from existing ones. Throughout a person's life, angiogenesis occurs to ensure tissues in the body have a sufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients transported through blood vessels. Angiogenesis plays an important role in tissue development, wound healing and some diseases, such as certain forms of cancer. Endothelial cells form the inner surface of blood vessels, and angiogenesis is determined by the behaviour and migration of endothelial cells. Thus, it is essential to understand the response of endothelial cells to their environment. It is known that endothelial cells are influenced by certain chemical and mechanical signals. For example, the flow rate of blood in a vessel affects the tendency of endothelial cells to migrate and participate in angiogenesis. However, the role of red blood cells, a major component of blood, interacting with the endothelial cells remains unknown.In this project, mathematical and computational models will be developed to simulate the interaction between the flowing red blood cells and the endothelial cells. The first step is the development of an agent-based model of angiogenesis in the presence of red blood cells. A computational model of angiogenesis with resolved red blood cells and endothelial cells will then be developed. Both models will allow the investigation of the effect of red blood cell dynamics on the behaviour of endothelial cells in health and disease.This project might improve our understanding of angiogenesis in health and disease, potentially leading to new therapeutic approaches in certain diseases that involve angiogenesis, including cancer. The project might also lead to better diagnostics, for example, to determine if a given patient is currently undergoing some form of angiogenesis that might be indicative of disease. The project risks are mitigated by the joint skills and experience of the supervisory team (Dr Krueger and Prof Bernabeu) who have worked together for a decade.