Decoding the endothelial adhesome - a sticky business

Angiogenesis is the process by which new blood vessels form from pre-existing ones. It occurs during embryonic development and is essential for maintaining healthy physiological processes such as wound healing and the restructuring of the uterine wall during the menstrual cycle. This process works less effectively as we age and mis-regulation of angiogenesis contributes to a multitude of malignant, inflammatory, ischaemic, infectious and immune disorder. Thus increasing understanding of angiogenesis regulation and allowing manipulation of it to maintain health and repair disease throughout life.

The lab is interested in the role endothelial B3-integrin plays in the angiogenic process; endothelial cells are the key cellular mediators of angiogenesis. Using quantitative mass spectrometry the initial stages of this project will extend the laboratory's current analysis of the endothelial adhesome by examining changes that occur within this complex molecular network when B3-integrin expression is depleted. We will then focus on B3-integrin-dependent molecular pathways to determine their functional role in mediating endothelial migration in response to angiogenic stimuli.

During this project, the student will develop expertise in a wide range of cross-disciplinary techniques, including working with knockout mice, endothelial cell isolation, cell imaging, tissue culture, immunohistochemistry, and biochemical assays including mass spectrometry and Western blot analyses whilst keeping abreast of rapidly changing literature so that findings from other studies and our own lab can be communicated effectively and in a timely manner.