Biography
Isabella is an Honours student in the Atherosclerosis and Vascular Remodelling Group at HRI. She completed a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physiology, at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, where she was awarded the University of Otago Prestige Scholarship in Science. She then received a scholarship to join HRI and pursue the Summer Scholar Program and Honours Program through the University of Sydney. She is currently studying the development of atherosclerosis in diabetes.
Project description
Cardiovascular disease, driven by the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels, is the leading cause of death in individuals with diabetes. Diabetes is known to accelerate plaque formation, leading to earlier and more aggressive plaque rupture compared to non-diabetic individuals. When these unstable plaques rupture, they trigger blood clot formation, which can block smaller vessels, causing heart attacks or strokes.
Despite this, the reasons behind diabetes-induced plaque progression remain poorly understood. Isabella's Honours research focuses on uncovering the mechanisms that drive this accelerated disease. Specifically, she is keen to identify key cellular changes and environmental factors in the early stages of diabetic plaque development that contribute to its rapid progression.
To achieve this, she uses advanced techniques, including lineage tracing, immunofluorescence staining and histology, and confocal microscopy, to track how different cells behave within the plaque. By understanding these mechanisms, there is a hope to pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments for diabetes-induced atherosclerosis in the future.