Research summary
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a network that surrounds the cells in the heart and aorta. But the mechanism of ECM remodelling is different in heart disease than it is in aortic aneurysm. Dr. Zamaneh Kassiri, Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Extracellular Matrix, is trying to understand the role that the ECM plays in both of these conditions.
Kassiri and her research team are using animal models of human cardiovascular diseases—such as heart attack, hypertension and aortic aneurysm—to identify novel molecular and cellular events that influence the structural integrity of the ECM in the heart and aorta. Ultimately, they aim to develop new technologies and drugs that will preserve the integrity of the ECM and prevent heart disease and aortic aneurysm.