[Events] MSSI Research Forum 2010

[Emily.Barrett]

Materials  &  Surface  Science  Institute

Research  Forum  2010

 

 


PRESENTATION  BY


Dr. Guy Steffens

RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

 

TITLE  OF  PRESENTATION

 

(Re)Vascularization in Tissue Substitutes and Tissue Repair

 


ABSTRACT


Vascularization plays a pivotal role in survival of tissues. Injuries
often lead to the cut off of the oxygen and nutrient supply. These
injuries include acute and chronic skin wounds, as well as burn wounds
and the myocardial infarction. Revascularization will then be required.
In the case of large area third degree burn wounds both the epidermis
and the dermis have been destroyed. In order to regain normal functional
skin, (re)vascularization is required. The standard practice in the
treatment of large area burn wounds is covering these wounds with
collagen matrices, such as Integra(r). At the moment vascularisation in
these matrices is relatively slow. For this reason many researchers have
tried to enhance the angiogenesis by applying angiogenic growth factors
such as FGF-2 and VEGF. We also tried to enhance angiogenesis by
physically immobilizing VEGF via covalent incorporation of heparin.
During the latter we observed an additional cross-linking of the
collagen fibres, which to our surprise had a rather big impact on the
rate of vascularisation in the collagen matrices. In the last decade an
important role has been attributed to the endothelial progenitor cells
(EPCs), which are claimed to be involved in the (re)vascularisation
process by promoting both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. We then got
involved in studying the role of CXCR4 and its ligands CXCL12 and MIF
(macrophage migration inhibiting factor) in the recruitment of EPCs to
hypoxic and injured tissues. We recently observed that MIF might play an
hitherto unrecognized role in revascularization and wound healing.

 


ABOUT THE  PRESENTER


Guy Steffens received his M.Sc. in 1971 and his Ph.D. in 1975 from RWTH
Aachen University. In 1979 and 1980 he was a research associate at the
Institute of Molecular Biology of the University of Oregon, Eugene, USA.
Initially he worked on structure function relationships in hemoglobin.
Later on he switched to the proteinchemical and functional
characterization of mitochondrial and bacterial cytochrome oxidases.
Momentarily his research area concentrates on the (re)vascularisation of
tissue substitutes and in tissue repair, angiogenesis in collagen
matrices, effects of hypoxia on expression and secretion of
chemoattractants and their effects on chemotaxis of cells relevant in
wound healing.

 

 

DATE:            Thursday, 13 May 2010

TIME:            12h00

VENUE:         MSB-012 MSSI Building

 

 


REFRESHMENTS  WILL  BE  PROVIDED  AT  11h45


For further information, please contact:

Dr Teresa Curtin, Tel. No:  (061) 202981 or Email:  teresa.curtin at ul.ie 

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