Summary
Heart and blood vessel diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States. Many patients require surgery to replace damaged blood vessels, but reliable artificial options for small vessels do not currently exist. Existing synthetic grafts frequently fail because they heal poorly and can cause blood clots. Surgeons often must use a patient’s own veins, increasing pain, risk, and recovery times. This Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) project will develop a biodegradable blood vessel graft that actively supports healing. Rather than act as a passive tube, the graft will be de
