Wrinkled Topography in Arteries and Vascular Grafts - Establishing a Role in Anti-thrombosis

Presenter: Derek Afflu, MD (advisor: Edith Tzeng, MD)

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a growing problem in the aging population of the US and worldwide. Advanced PAD is treated with surgical bypass using autologous vein or synthetic vascular grafts. Due to poor long-term patency rates of current synthetic grafts, there is a need for novel synthetic grafts with improved patency rates. Nature has several examples of actuating self-cleaning surfaces that prevent fouling. Dr. Afflu's group has shown that surface topography that oscillates between wrinkled and smooth configurations resists surface adhesion of platelets.

This presentation will be a progress report on their work in the vascular laboratory as well as Dr. Afflu's medical student education interests. Dr. Afflu will present their attempt to characterize the endoluminal surface topography of arteries, which they aim to mimic in their silicone vascular grafts using advanced microscopy techniques. He will also present a prospective education study looking at the effects of pre-defined and quantified learning objects on the education of medical students in a General Surgery clerkship rotation.