Atherosclerosis Research
Since January, I’ve been working as an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Lessner over at the University of South Carolina, School of Medicine. For those who might not be so familiar, atherosclerosis is a disease where plaque builds up inside of one’s arteries that affects a great number of people. Dr. Lessner’s lab focuses on the vascular biology and biomechanics of this disease. The work I do in the lab is focused on the biomechanics portion, specifically on mechanical failure, which would be rupturing of the plaque.
The lab receives plaque samples from a collaborating hospital. Whenever participating surgeons have a carotid endarterectomy scheduled (a procedure where harmful plaque is removed from the carotid artery), I have the opportunity to go into the operating room, don scrubs and a flattering hairnet, watch the surgery and collect the sample. We then perform tensile tests and fracture tests on the plaque down in 300 Main. I take data from the experiments and analyze it—making stress/strain curves, calculating energy release rates, and measuring crack tip opening displacements—all to gauge the strength of the plaque. I have also had the opportunity to learn histology techniques, a bit about immunohistochemistry, and attend a confocal microscopy workshop.
I enjoy working with the group of graduate and undergraduate students in the lab and plan to continue on throughout the school year.