# Preclinical Assessment of a Compliance Matched Biopolymer Vascular Graft - Diversity Supplement > **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $31,574 ## Abstract PROJECT ABSTRACT Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) stand as the primary contributor to global mortality and play a significant role in diminishing the quality of life. The growing incidence of cardiovascular diseases has led to an escalating demand for cardiac bypass grafting (CABG), now recognized as the most prevalent cardiac surgical procedure on a global scale. Despite autologous tissue interventions in CABG being considered among the most effective treatment options, their failure rate remains as high as 42.8%, with only 50% to 60% maintaining patency after a decade. Vascular engineering research has aimed to create tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) in the form of acellular or cellularized constructs as an alternative solution. Despite decades of research progress, only a limited number of TEVGs have progressed to clinical studies, and currently, there are no clinically approved TEVGs in use. Aim 1: Quantify VSMC infiltration in compliance matched TEVGs biofabricated with mesoscopic porosity features in-vivo. First, we will test the hypothesis that the manufactured mesoscopic porosity features can influ- ence the rates of cellular migration and proliferation of native vascular tissue onto a tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG). In this Aim, we will employ two-photon subtractive manufacturing to enhance cell infiltration in our compliance-matched TEVGs in vivo. This technology will create precisely cut pores to enhance cell infiltration. The rationale behind this approach is rooted in the notion that heightened porosity will facilitate greater infiltration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), thereby promoting enhanced engraftment and bolstering the produc- tion of extracellular matrix (ECM). By optimizing the porosity, we aim to create an environment conducive to robust cellular integration and ECM synthesis within the TEVGs.Cellular migration and proliferation will be evaluated at the end of a 4 week time period. Aim 2: Quantify the hemocompatibility of SB coated compliance matched TEVGs in-vivo. Secondly, we will evaluate the efficacy of SB coating in reducing platelet deposition on our TEVGs in-vivo. We aim to investigate whether SB-coated TEVGs will reduce platelet deposition on the graft surface and enhance in vivo hemody- namics. Additionally, we will conduct comprehensive characterization of the resulting polymers, examining their mechanical and thermal properties, hydrophilicity, biodegradability, and thrombogenicity. The rationale behind this Aim lies in the hydrophilic nature of the SB coating, which is expected to mitigate thrombotic deposition both before and after significant degradation. This assessment aims to provide insights into the long-term performance and biocompatibility of the SB-coated TEVGs. ## Key facts - **NIH application ID:** 11081840 - **Project number:** 3R01HL157017-03S2 - **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH - **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan Pieter Vande Geest - **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.) - **Funding institute:** NIH - **Fiscal year:** 2024 - **Award amount:** $31,574 - **Award type:** 3 - **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2025-11-30 ## Primary source NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11081840 ## Citation > US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11081840, Preclinical Assessment of a Compliance Matched Biopolymer Vascular Graft - Diversity Supplement (3R01HL157017-03S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11081840. Licensed CC0. --- *[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*