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2 years 9 monthsVascular and lymphatic mechanics relating to mechanically-mediated soft tissue growth and remodeling
Within the past few decades, much research has been dedicated to understanding the role of mechanics in disease development, and many important discoveries have been made that suggest disease pathology may in many cases be mechanically-mediated. This knowledge offers a novel perspective in the search for a solution to disease burden in underdeveloped nations, including HIV-induced CVD and lymphedema associated with lymphatic filariasis. This dissertation aims to utilize modeling approaches to quantify the role of mechanics in the development of these conditions with the ultimate goal of supporting long-term efforts at identifying therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of these and other diseases. The central hypothesis of this dissertation is that mathematical modeling and experimental quantification of the mechanical environment of arterial and lymphatic vasculature can identify potential parameters driving disease development in understudied populations.