Biography
Annabelle Ward completed her Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours, majoring in Physiology, at The University of Sydney in 2021. Her Honours project investigated an alternative anti-inflammatory therapy for vascular devices used to treat Peripheral Arterial Disease. Since graduating, she has worked as a Phlebotomist in clinical research on breast cancer diagnostics. Her research interests focus on inflammation in cardiovascular disease.
Project description
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries. When these plaques become unstable, identified by a thin fibrous cap, they are at high risk of rupturing, which can trigger blood clots and lead to life-threatening events such as heart attacks and strokes. A key driver of plaque instability is the abnormal transformation of vascular cells into harmful phenotypes that fuel inflammation and weaken the plaque structure.
In 2023, the FDA approved Colchicine as the first-ever anti-inflammatory drug for cardiovascular disease. Laboratories’ recent research has shown that Colchicine enhances plaque stability by thickening the fibrous cap and reducing inflammation. Building on this work, her project will focus on understanding how Colchicine influences plaque inflammation and vascular cell behavior to uncover protective pathways that could be targeted for treatment.
Using advanced vascular cell fate-mapping techniques in an atherosclerosis model that closely mimics human cardiovascular disease, she aims to decode the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving plaque development. By identifying these pathways, the goal is to discover new therapeutic targets that can directly stabilize plaques, ultimately reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.