One in three American adults has high blood pressure, a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems. Jessica Wagenseil, DSc, is investigating how mechanical properties of the cardiovascular system contribute to this widespread condition.
Wagenseil, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, joined the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis last year. Her work focuses on cardiovascular mechanics and how the mechanical properties of the large arteries influence cardiovascular development and disease.
We sat down to discuss biomechanics, matrix proteins and the engineering of the heart. Visit here to read the Q&A.
