The goal of this proposal is to improve the understanding of the growth and resorption of blood vessels in response to stresses and strains in the vessel wall. The work includes a) experimental and theoretical work to relate structural and mechanical parameters of the wall to stresses and strains, b) determination of factors that determine growth and resorption, and c) determination of the relationship between stress and growth. The work will provide new fundamental knowledge about the way tissues respond to mechanical intervention. The research strongly depends on advanced engineering techniques to describe tissue characteristics, and should contribute to the developing field of "tissue engineering".
