Hal Dietz, MD

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Hosts: Tim Schedl, PhD, Emma Casey

Title: Leveraging Nature’s Success: Lessons from Modifiers of Vascular Connective Tissue Disorders

Abstract: We have identified the genes responsible for many syndromic presentations of aortic and arterial fragility. Using animal models, we have defined the pathogenic sequence for loss of arterial wall homeostasis and, in that manner, have shown that targetable cellular signaling events are the predominant drivers of vascular catastrophe. On the basis of this work, a variety of treatment strategies have been validated and are in widespread clinical use for patients with these conditions.