Output details
12 - Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering
University College London
A model of localised Rac1 activation in endothelial cells due to fluid flow.
This documents a new research area for Chemical Engineering in collaboration with biochemists to clarify the causes of atherosclerosis. The approach is interdiscplinary linking the forces caused by blood flow over the cells, mechanical deformation of the cellular structure, and consequent polymerisation affecting the chemical pathways in the cell. The contribution shows how process systems engineering approaches help clarify complex biological problems. It has also led to work of others experimentally exploring the main biological hypothesis underlying the model of the response of Rac1 to shear stress. A full understanding will lead to better treatments for atherosclerosis
