Ultrasound Imaging System (FUJIFILM VisualSonics Vevo F2)

我们正在寻找资金购买一个高频和分辨率超声成像系统。确保这样一个系统的资金将有利于萨里大学的几个研究领域。它将使我们能够全面了解心血管系统，因为我们目前的设备只能研究非常小的血管和大血管，而没有功能和血流信息。它将允许我们使用与人类相同的技术，从而将发现直接翻译给患者。在此建议下，我们专注于两个心血管疾病的研究项目。超声波成像系统将使我们能够可视化心脏和血管的功能。在正常情况下，人类心脏大约每秒收缩一次，为身体提供所需的氧气和营养。心脏需要能够对环境变化做出快速反应，但也需要对增加的需求和/或疾病状况做出快速反应。这些压力变化影响细胞内称为线粒体的隔室的功能，线粒体负责几个关键的细胞过程，包括能量调节，钙和生死决定。由于这些原因，线粒体依赖于保护机制来克服这些压力，这涉及各种关键蛋白质和细胞过程的协调作用。此前，Ioannis Smyrnias博士（IS）确定了细胞中的关键参与者（即ATF 5蛋白），这些参与者在一个称为线粒体未折叠蛋白反应（UPRmt）的过程中调节蛋白质网络，该过程在不利条件下保护衰竭的心脏。IS将使用超声成像系统和一种新型的基因改变小鼠模型，该模型删除了ATF 5蛋白的表达，以揭示有利于心力衰竭保护过程的新机制，并揭示开发心血管疾病新疗法所需的分子靶点。此外，Christian Heiss教授将使用F2成像平台研究心脏，主动脉，使用超声在个体动物中无创地测量颈动脉和腿动脉。这一点很重要，因为衰老是一个高度可变的过程，在所有动物和人类之间都是不同的。为了在动物和人类之间进行比较，重要的是使用相同的方法，超声是医院中用于人类的标准技术。他还将测试饮食对心血管衰老的影响，这与西方国家的人类饮食相似，导致糖尿病的发展，并测试水果，蔬菜，茶和红酒中的多酚物质（表儿茶素）如何影响心血管衰老。值得注意的是，表儿茶素已经被证明可以预防心脏病等心血管事件，但没有人知道如何预防。利用平行研究结束时收集的组织样本，他将把心血管衰老的发展与心血管衰老的分子机制联系起来。最终，我们在UoS的工作成果将促进我们对细胞生物学新的和基本的方面的理解，重要的是，将其与病理条件联系起来。因此，这项工作将有助于健康长寿。

We are looking for funding to purchase an ultrahigh frequency and resolution ultrasound imaging system. Securing the funds for such a system will benefit several research areas at the University of Surrey. It will allow us to get a complete picture of the cardiovascular system as our current equipment can only study very small blood vessels and large blood vessels without information on function and blood flow. Of not it will allow us to use the same techniques used in humans and thereby allow direct translation of findings to patients. With this proposal, we focus on two research projects on cardiovascular diseases. The ultrasound imaging system will allow us to visualise the function of the heart and blood vessels. Under normal conditions, the human heart contracts approximately once every second to provide the body with the required amounts of oxygen and nutrients. The heart needs to be able to respond rapidly to environmental changes, but also to increased demand and/or disease conditions. These stressful changes affect the functions of compartments within cells, called mitochondria, that are responsible for several key cellular processes, including energy regulation, calcium, and life-and-death decisions. For these reasons, mitochondria rely on protective mechanisms to overcome these stresses, which involve the coordinated action of various key proteins and cellular processes. Previously, Dr Ioannis Smyrnias (IS) identified key players in cells (i.e. the ATF5 protein) that regulate a network of proteins in a process called the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) that protects the failing heart during adverse conditions. IS will use the ultrasound imaging system with a novel, genetically altered mouse model that deletes expression of the ATF5 protein to unravel new mechanisms that benefit these protective processes in heart failure and reveal molecular targets required for the development of novel therapeutics against cardiovascular diseases.Moreover, Prof Christian Heiss will use the F2 imaging platform to study each step of the ageing process on the heart, aorta, neck arteries and leg arteries non-invasively in individual animals using ultrasound. This is important as ageing is a highly variable process that is different between each all animal and humans. To allow comparisons between animals and humans it is important to use the same methods and ultrasound is a standard technique used on humans in hospitals. He will also test the impact of a diet, that is similar to what humans eat in western countries and leads to diabetes development, on cardiovascular ageing and test how a polyphenol substance in fruits, vegetable, tea and red wine (epicatechin) affects cardiovascular ageing. Of note epicatechin was already shown in humans to prevent cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, but nobody knows how. Using tissue samples collected at the end of parallel studies, he will link the development of cardiovascular ageing with molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular ageing.Ultimately, the outcomes of our work at UoS will advance our understanding of novel and fundamental aspects of cell biology and, importantly, relate this to pathological conditions. Therefore, this work will contribute to long and healthy living.