The University of Liege (ULg, partner 6), in collaboration with Imperial College London cover clinical, experimental and computational aspects of the FAD project. Dept. of Cardio-Vascular surgery has developed extensive surgical experience with more than 2000 AAA surgeries. For 20 years, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Connective Tissues Biology (LCTB) and the Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, biochemical research and clinical studies have been performed to investigate the pathogenesis and functional imaging of AAA. The Dept. of medical imaging of the ULg and St Joseph Hospitals have been involved in magnetic resonance cardiovascular imaging research over the past decade, with emphasis on functional evaluation of plaques. The Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London has been actively engaged in biomedical flow and tissue mechanics research for over 9 years. The major strength is the development of a novel computational modelling tool for studying the blood flow patterns and homodynamic forces in large arteries under physiologically realistic conditions. The computer model combines anatomical images acquired in vivo with computational fluid and structural mechanics. The Pathology Laboratory has gained over the past years substantial expertise in the basic knowledge of cardiovascular pathology.
Facilities: Cardiovascular surgery at the ULg hospital admits about 200 AAA patients each year among which 55 to 60% undergo open repair or EVAR procedures. The LCTB is a fully equipped laboratory for cell and molecular biology & member of the biomedical genoproteomics cluster (GIGA-R). Since 2004 Dept. of Nuclear medicine operates a state-of-the-art PET/CT system (Philips GEMINI). The department of medical imaging at ULg owns 3 state-of-the-art MR units, including both 1.5 and 3.0T systems. Imperial College London has well-equipped teaching and research laboratories which are backed by comprehensive technical services. The Pathology Department has developed: quantitative (immuno) histology, in situ hybridization, tissue micro array, tissue laser catapulting micro dissection, confocal microscopy, computer-assisted quantification based on image analysis, genoproteomics .The dept. of cardiology recruites about 3000 patients/year for coronary artery angiography.
Tasks in FAD:
TAA and AAA clinical and biological database; inflammation, angiogenesis and mechanism of rupture of AAA; development of functional imaging of AAA, biomechanics
Members of the FAD staff
Sakalihasan Natzi, MD, PhD. CV Surgeon, WP1, 3, 4, 5; Limet Raymond, MD, PhD. CV surgeon, WP1,5; Nusgens Betty, PhD, cell & molecular biology, WPI, 3; Hustinx Roland, MD, PhD, nuclear medicine, WP4; Nchimi Alain, MD, radiology, WP4; Dondelinger Robert, MD,PhD, radiology, WP4; Delvenne Philippe, MD,PhD,pathology,WP3;Xu Yun, MSc,PhD,Biomechanics,WP3,4 ;Legrand Victor,MD,PhD, Cardiologist, WP1
Main publication/patent linked to FAD tasks
Sakalihasan N, Limet R, Defawe O. Abdominal aortic aneurysm. Lancet, 2005, 365: 1577-1589.
Defawe O, Kenagy RD, Choi C, Wan Sy, Deroanne C, Nusgens B, Sakalihasan N, Colige A, Clowes AW. MMP-9 regulates both positively and negatively collagen gel contraction: a nonproteolytic function of MMP-9. Cardiovasc Res, 2005, May 1; 66 (2): 402-9.
Sakalihasan N, Hustinx R, Limet R. Contribution of PET scanning to the evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Semin Vasc Surg, 2004, 17 (2): 144-53.
Shibamura H, Olson JM, Van Vlijmen-Van Keulen C, Buxbaum SG, Dudek DM, Tromp G, Ogata T, Skunca M, Sakalihasan N, Pals G, Limet R, Mackean Gl, Defawe O, Verloes A, Arthur C, Lossing AG, Burnett M, Sueda T, Kuivaniemi H. Genome scan for familial abdominal aortic aneurysm using sex and family history as covariates suggests genetic heterogeneity and identifies linkage chromosome. Circulation, 2004, 109 (17): 2103-8.
Leung J, Wright AR, Chehire N, Crane J, Thom SA, Hughes AD, Xu Yun. Fluid structure interaction of patient specific abdominal aortic aneurysms: a comparison with solid stress models. BioMedical Eng. Online 2006, 5 (33) : doi: 10.1186/1475-925X-5-33.
