Prof. Alevriadou receives NIH R21 award to investigate bioengineering aspects of mitochondrial structure and function in vascular cells
Dr. B. Rita Alevriadou, an Associate Professor of BME and Internal Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine), recently received a research grant award from the National Institutes of Health. The $423K project for the next 2 years aims to better understand the role of mitochondrial fragmentation (fission) and its repercussions on postischemic endothelial cell survival. Although early coronary reperfusion following acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) is the primary clinical intervention for improving patient outcome, reperfusion itself, primarily via generation of free radicals, is known to cause further tissue damage. The endothelium in coronary arteries is an early critical target of ischemia/reperfusion injury. This project will investigate the regulation of mitochondrial morphology by changes in the mechanochemical environment of cells. Findings from this project may shed light on the molecular pathways that regulate mitochondrial structure/function and lead to new therapeutic strategies for protection of the postischemic endothelium.