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Dr Kar Lai Pang
The project, known as ARTIST (Arteriogenesis in Translation), was one of only three selected through the Leducq Foundation's International Networks of Excellence programme, which supports ground-breaking cardiovascular and neurovascular research worldwide.
PAD occurs when arteries that supply blood to the limbs become narrowed or blocked, reducing circulation. In many patients, the body's natural ability to grow alternative pathways for blood flow fails, leading to painful and sometimes life-threatening complications.
This grant will allow us to connect cutting-edge molecular insights with clinical challenges in Peripheral Artery Disease. By understanding how blood vessels fail to respond properly to changes in blood flow, we hope to open new doors for effective therapies. - Professor Ellie Tzima
Professor Tzima, who leads the Mechanobiology and Tissue Engineering sub-theme of the British Heart Foundation Oxford Centre of Research Excellence, is a leading expert in vascular mechanotransduction - how blood vessels sense and respond to the physical forces of flowing blood. Her pioneering research has revealed how endothelial cells, which line blood vessels, can sense and decode blood flow patterns, and has identified key mechanisms driving vascular disease, including atherosclerosis.
As part of the ARTIST network, Professor Tzima will bring her expertise to uncover why the flow-sensing machinery of blood vessels malfunctions in PAD. Her team will combine molecular engineering approaches to map how endothelial proteins act as 'force sensors', how they transmit these signals inside the cell, and how these pathways might be targeted to restore healthy vessel growth.
The five-year award, beginning on 1 January 2026, will unite laboratories across Europe and North America, and highlights Oxford's leadership in cardiovascular science and its commitment to translating fundamental discoveries into therapies that improve patients' lives.