Biography
Amandeep is an Honours student working with the Atherosclerosis and Vascular Remodelling Group at HRI. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney and have always been driven by curiosity and a love for learning. With a family history of cardiovascular disease, she is especially passionate about understanding heart health and exploring ways to prevent disease. Outside the lab, she enjoys staying active through exercise and unwinding with a good book.
Project description
Amandeep's project involves investigating targets for cell-based therapies that reduce inflammation within atherosclerotic plaques. Plaque rupture, one of the main causes of heart attacks and strokes is driven by inflammation, yet no existing treatments are designed to target this process directly. Although there has been considerable success in the development of cardiovascular medications, all current treatments act by targeting cells found throughout the body, not just within the plaque. This increases the risk of off-target side effects that can make it difficult for patients to adhere to lifesaving medications. Drugs which only target diseased cells cannot be developed without a thorough understanding of how these cells arise and what role they play in worsening human disease.
Using advanced lineage tracing, mass-spectroscopy and animal models that mimic human disease, the goal is to identify and track the key cellular and molecular pathways that govern intra-plaque inflammation. These processes may then be used as novel targets for future cell-based therapies that aid in the treatment of atherosclerosis without compromising patient safety or quality of life.