Research focus: From the moment the heart starts beating, endothelial cells that line blood vessels are subjected to haemodynamic (or mechanical) forces due to blood flow. Mechanical forces are crucial not only for normal development of the embryonic heart and vascular system, but also play an important role in maintaining homeostasis on the adult organism. Mechanical forces, however, can also be instigators of vascular pathologies, such as atherosclerosis.
Our research focuses on the role of mechanotransduction in regulating cardiovascular function in health and disease. We use a multi-disciplinary approach that includes expertise in bioengineering, molecular and cell biology and physiology to understand mechanisms of mechanotransduction. The aim is not only to understand at a fundamental level how cells sense mechanical force and transduce it into biochemical signalling, but also to identify the molecular mechanisms by which mechanical forces regulate cardiac and vessel function. This should facilitate development of therapeutics that ultimately promote beneficial signalling or disrupt pathological responses.
We have recently identified a pathway by which endothelial cells sense and respond to blood flow (Collins et al, Nature Comms 2014; Liu et al, J. Cell Biol, 2013) that is required for vascular remodelling and proper cardiac function (McCormick et al, JAHA 2015). We plan to extend these studies to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches.