CAREER: Vascular Gene Therapy: Characterization and Optimization

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

9985012 Chesler Gene therapy is an exciting new modality for treating and preventing vascular disease. Engineered gene therapy delivery techniques could make this technology more affordable and thus broadly accessible to the cardiovascular patient population. By applying quantitative engineering analyses to a living, biological system, the PI hopes to further our knowledge of human vascular transport mechanisms (aim 1), optimize adenoviral gene therapy methods (aim 2), and assess the efficacy of optimized gene therapy treatment strategies in human arteries and veins (aim 3). An ex vivo vascular culture system will be used to pursue each of these goals. Ex vivo arterial and venous organ culture is an ideal experimental paradigm for investigating vascular transport phenomena under rigorous environmental and mechanical control. Further, it allows living human tissue experimentation in a three-dimensional, near-physiological environment. The first educational goal of the proposed career plan is to teach engineering students the fundamentals in the PI's area of specialization: the thermofluid sciences (aim 1). The techniques of problem-based learning and interaction with local industry will be used to achieve this goal. The second aim is to strengthen teamwork and communication skills in both graduate and undergraduate engineers (aim 2). Specifically, students will be given design projects in classes and assigned to mixed-level and mixed-gender teams. They will be given instruction in technical communication and practice by giving presentations to their peers and a lay audience (local middle-school children). The third goal of the educational program is to addresses the problem of diversity in the engineering workforce (aim 3). University-level mentoring will be frequent and informal. Through outreach and mentoring at the university, high school and middle school levels, the PI hopes to increase the number of women in engineering and in the pipeline.