How blood vessel stiffness regulates their growth and maintenance

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This project aims to reveal an unidentified molecular mechanism of how endothelial cells in the walls of blood vessels detect stiffness of the surrounding environment in order to regulate blood vessel growth and maintenance. The results are expected to advance the emerging field of mechanobiology by combining cutting-edge cell biology and microscopy techniques carried out in novel 3D cell culture and unique quail models. The benefits of these outcomes include generation of knowledge on the impact of tissue stiffness on the signalling mechanisms that drive formation and maintenance of blood vessels. In the long term, this fundamental understanding could give rise to major developments in emerging industries such as organ bioengineering.