This research has major implications for understanding the underlying causes of many diseases, including stroke, congestive heart failure, re-blockage of arteries after angioplasty and inflammation. Ariz. The Foundation, incorporated in 1960 by Mr. Del E. Webb, makes grants to institutions providing medical services and conducting medical research in Arizona, California and Nevada. Principal investigator is Dr. Joseph C. Loftus who, before joining the Mayo research group, was a principal investigator at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. Dr. Loftus will assemble a team of four to five research postdoctoral fellows and research technologists to assist him in this endeavor. This is a basic underlying problem in stroke.
Stroke can occur because of hemorrhage or a blockage of blood vessels in the brain.
Dr. Loftus is also investigating how heart muscle cells respond to injury or prolonged stress. Conditions such as hypertension or valvular disease lead to cardiac enlargement and ultimately to decreased cardiac performance. Understanding this process has implications for treating congestive heart failure. Cell adhesion in the lining of the blood vessels . Understanding the basics of cell adhesion can provide new insights into this process and hopefully lead to therapies that decrease the incidence of re-blockage after angioplasty.