Mission

Bioactive food components and modulation of atherosclerosis and angiogenesis. The Vascular Biology Laboratory investigates the role of dietary components, in particular, antioxidants, lipids, phytonutrients and oxidative stress as well as other factors regarding age-associated changes in vascular function.

Lab Objectives

1. Identify bioactive food components and food patterns that inhibit atherosclerosis and angiogenesis using cell culture, animal models and human subjects under the following sub-objectives:

a. Determine bioavailability of avenanthramides from oats and characterize their potency and molecular mechanism of inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation using cell culture systems and the femoral artery injury mouse model.

b. Elucidate the molecular mechanism of catechins and curcumin and other dietary bioactive compounds on the inhibition of angiogenesis associated with adipose tissue growth and obesity.

c. Determine the comparative bioavailability and biopotency of tocopherols versus tocopheryl phosphate on the inhibition of femoral artery injury model of vascular atherosclerosis and restenosis.

2. Determine the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of avenanthramides of oats and derivatives on several colonic cancer cells lines and mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer.

Staff

Mohsen Meydani, D.V.M., Ph.D., Laboratory Director
Senior Scientist and Professor, Nutrition
Research focus: antioxidants and lipids in endothelial/immune cell interactions in atherogenesis and angiogenesis

Dayong Wu, M.D., Ph.D.
Scientist I and Associate Professor, Nutrition
Research focus: vitamin E and eicosanoid metabolism; expression of cell adhesion molecules and chemokines

Angelo Azzi, M.D., Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research focus: the molecular function of tocopherols and carotenoids

Jean-Marc Zingg, Ph.D.
Scientist II
Research focus: regulatory role of vitamin E analogues and derivatives on signal transduction and gene expression in monocytes/macrophages, mast cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells and their impact on atherosclerosis and inflammation.

Michelle Eastwood, B.S., Research Technician

Tahira Hasan, M.S., Visiting Graduate Research Assistant

Stephanie Marco, M.A., N.H. Cert., Administrative Coordinator

For contact information, please click on the scientist's webpage or visit the Tufts University online directory athttp://whitepages.tufts.edu/.