GREENBERG LECTURE GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH INTO AAAs SET TO TAKE CENTER STAGE SATURDAY

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH INTO THE prevention of both formation and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) will highlight this year’s Roy Greenberg Distinguished Lecture, set for 10:45–11:15 a.m. Saturday.

Michael P. Murphy, MD, of Indiana University, will deliver the lecture, “Modulating Patient Immune Responses to Prevent Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Initiation and Expansion.” AAAs are a topic of particular focus for Murphy; his laboratory, funded by the National Institutes of Health, concentrates on defining the immune mechanisms pathogenic in the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms. SVS President Michael Dalsing, MD, also of Indiana University and a past co-researcher of Murphy’s, will moderate the lecture.

“This is very cutting-edge research into the epigenetic events that lead to immune dysregulation and the formation of aortic aneurysms,” said Dalsing. “Based on the premise that unregulated T-cell mediated immune responses target elastin in the aortic wall, Dr. Murphy has developed a nanoparticle ‘reverse vaccine’” that will help prevent aneurysms.”

The late Roy Greenberg himself also was a pioneer in his research, said Dalsing. “It’s appropriate Dr. Murphy is giving the lecture named for Roy Greenberg, who we lost way too soon.” Murphy is the Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation professor of vascular biology research at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.—Beth

Katherine Gallagher

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