Directory of Experts
Details for Dr Steve White
| Personal details | |
| Name | Dr Steve White |
| Job title | Research Fellow |
| Department | Bristol Medical School (THS) University of Bristol |
| Contact details | This expert can be contacted via the University of Bristol Public Relations
Office. To help us deal with your request, please mention the Directory of Experts when contacting the Public Relations Office. work+44 (0)117 331 8092 email: public-relations@bristol.ac.uk |
| Qualifications | D.Phil.(Oxon.), B.Sc.(Warw.) |
| Professional details | |
| Keywords | endothelial erosion cardiovascular disease Heart attack vascular cells atherosclerosis Gene thransfer Functional Genomics endothelial response to shear stress |
| Areas of expertise | When a blockage builds up in an artery (atherosclerosis) the blood moves faster through the restricted portion of the artery. The increase in blood flow can trigger changes in the behaviour of endothelial cells, which line the inner surface of blood vessels. This causes them to produce proteins that can digest the vessel wall, in a response designed to allow the vessel to grow outwards to allow more blood through the blocked area. A third of heart attacks are caused by a patch of endothelial cells falling off, my research studies the remodelling response of endothelial cells to determine if this may reduce adhesion, potentially sparking a heart attack. My research also harnesses the great potential of in vitro and in vivo gene transfer in functional genomics to progress our understanding of the mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis and progress towards therapeutic intervention. |