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MENDING HEARTS USING NANOTECHNOLOGY 

By Felicity Taylor 

What is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular Disease is a term for conditions relating to the heart, blood vessels, structural issues, and blood clots.

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Main types of Cardiovascular disease

Arrhythmias

Where the heart rhythm is irregular, too fast, or too slow.

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Coronary Heart Disease

Damage or disease in major heart blood vessels.

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High Blood Pressure

The pressure and force against the artery walls are too high.

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Cardiac Arrest

Unexpected and sudden loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness.

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Heart Failure

A condition where your heart doesn't beat and pump blood as well as it should.

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Stroke

Lack of blood to the brain resulting in brain damage.

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Current cures/treatments for heart diseases

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Arrhythmias

Anti-arrhythmic drugs, cardioversions, cardio frequency ablation, implantable devices, and surgery.

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Coronary Heart Disease

Medication, coronary stent, coronary angioplasty, surgery.

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High Blood Pressure

Exercise, specific diet, medications.

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Cardiac Arrest

Defibrillation, medications, coronary catheterization, implantable cardioverter, defibrillator.

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Heart Failure

Exercise, weight loss, medication, cardiac resynchronization therapy, implantable cardioverter, defibrillator, surgery.

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Stroke

Blood thinners, medications, cardiac monitoring, surgery, therapy.

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Cardiovascular Disease Statistics

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Cardiovascular disease is a major issue in Australia as 26% of deaths are caused by heart issues and over 1.2 million Australians have one or more heart conditions. As seen in Figure 1 men over the age of 75 are the most common and likely group to have heart disease.

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Figure 1: Graph of heart disease percentages by age

Future Heart Disease Cures

In this forever developing world, Scientists are constantly discovering and researching new medicines, devices, and potential cures for syndromes and diseases. One of these areas of research relates to that of Hossein Tavassoli who has created a microchip to help redevelop broken heart tissue using nanotechnology.

Background on Hossein Tavassoli

  • Hossein Tavassoli is a material engineer

 

  • His career involves working with metals, ceramics, and plastics to create new products

 

  • Hossein has an undergraduate degree in material engineering and is also completing his biology element of his PhD

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What is Nanotechnology? 

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Nanotechnology is a type of research and innovation science that corresponds with the building of different materials and devices from atoms and molecules. This technology has uncovered the potential to solve major health issues.

 Mice Research

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In the development of this technology, mice were studied as within their first seven days after birth, baby mice have an ability to mend damaged heart tissue. Mice develop these abilities while in the embryo and are very significant as they are one of the only creatures who can treat themselves after having heart failure. Researchers developed this technology to study mice heart cells, to then use the information from the cell regeneration to then implement into humans. 

 Hossein's Invention

Hossein Tavassoli has designed a microchip that resembles the natural environment that the embryonic heart cells survive in. This microchip works as a beating heart to help the recreation of these cells. Researchers are then able to analyse these cells and study the activity that occurs in the regeneration process. From this information, scientists are learning how cells communicate with each other and the possibilities of human heart regeneration.  

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How did Hossein's background support the research and development of this technology? 

Hossein Tavassoli's engineering background has supported this research as his expertise was required to design this microchip. Hossein has also worked with Nanotechnology and tissue regeneration, which are two key components of this breakthrough. As he is also studying the biology component of this PhD he can provide his understanding of the human body into this technology. 

 How does this Invention help scientists? 

This microchip will allow scientists and researchers to learn how regenerative cells communicate with each other. The knowledge the microchip provides researchers can then be applied to mend human heart tissue and cure people with heart disease in the future.

How would this invention benefit society? 

This technology would have a very positive effect on our society's needs. It would open up a new range of possible treatments and cures for ill patients to help them treat cardiovascular diseases. This new possible cure will also allow for our hospitals to become less crowded and increase the number of patients that can receive medical attention without waiting their whole life on a waiting list. As cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in Australia, it is vital that new technology is created to help save people's lives and therefore this nanotechnology would have a very positive effect on our society. 

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