Scholar Profiles
Cristos Ifantides
2004 - 2005 University Scholar
Mentor: Scott Berceli
College of Medicine
"The USP has given me an opportunity most people won’t experience as undergraduates. As a student planning to enter the medical field, the opportunity to work one-on-one with my mentor is invaluable. Along with gaining hands-on experience, I will inevitably gain a better understanding of how the medical and research fields coincide and operate at an early stage in my medical career."
Cristos is a senior majoring in classical studies. He has been on the dean’s list in his college and is a recipient of the Emmanuel Bilirakis Scholarship for Pre-medicine Students in Greek Studies. He is the acting director of both philanthropy and scholarship for the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, a member of the Greek American Student Association, Golden Key International Honors Society, Eta Sigma Phi, and president of the Sons of Pericles. For fun, Cristos enjoys racquetball, rock climbing, intramural soccer, guitar and camping.
Research Description:
The Effects of Tensile Forces on Vein Graft Architecture and Matrix Metalloproteinases
Arterial occlusive disease continues to be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States, with bypass grafts providing the mainstay of surgical therapy. Unfortunately, vein graft patency is hindered by accelerated intimal hyperplasia following surgery. Prior studies in my mentor’s research laboratory have shown biomechanical forces influence proteinase enzyme activities, which are involved in the formation of intimal hyperplasia within vein grafts. Two of these matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and -9) have received much attention due to their expression within the vein graft wall and their ability to break down components of the basement membrane and collagens. Previous experiments suggest that matrix-degrading enzymes are influenced by the magnitude of the pressure within the vein graft. Specifically, I hypothesize that MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities are up-regulated during increased levels of wall tension and that these changes are involved in the development of intimal hyperplasia.
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