Andrew Baker (BSc (Hons), PhD, FAHA, FESC, FMedSci, FRSE)
Head of Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Gustav Born Chair of Vascular Biology
Address
- Street
-
Centre for Cardiovascular Science
The Queen's Medical Research Institute
Edinburgh BioQuarter
47 Little France Crescent - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH16 4TJ
Research summary
My lab is interested in the mechanisms that control vascular damage and how to influence repair and regeneration of the vascular system using innovative therapies, including gene-, cell- and RNA-based approaches. Focusing on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, we are defining the non-coding RNA pathways and networks that influence cell function in health and disease and developing interventions to influence beneficially repair and regeneration. We additionally have focus on gene therapy, both in the translational and basic sense. We have developed an innovative gene therapy approach to prevent pathological vascular remodelling associated with coronary artery bypass graft failure and are pursuing this at the clinical interface. We are also generating endothelial cells from human embryonic stem cells for regeneration in ischaemic conditions, and developing an understanding in mechanisms that control endothelial cell commitment and specification.