Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Genetics, Pathophysiology, and Molecular Biology

Keynote Remarks: Challenges and Opportunities in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Research: Momtaz Wassef, PhD.

Part I: Epidemiology and Initiatives to Prevent Death from Rupture:.

1. Epidemiology of Aortic Aneurysm Repair in the United States from 1993 to 2003: Gilbert R. Upchurch, Jr., MD.

2. A Biomechanics-Based Rupture Potential Index for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Risk Assessment: Demonstrative Application: David Vorp, PhD.

3. Long-term Relationship of Wall Stress to the Natural History of AAAs (Finite Element Analysis and Other Methods): Mark F. Fillinger, MD.

4. A Summary of the Contributions of the VA Cooperative Studies on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Frank Lederle, MD.

5. Pharmacological Approaches to Prevent AAA Enlargement and Rupture: Tim Baxter, MD.

6. Should Usual Criteria for Intervention in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms be “Downsized” Considering Reported Risk-Reduction With Endovascular Repair?: Marc Schermerhorn, MD.

Part II: Animal Models: Pathophysiology and Biomechanical Aspects:.

7. Pathophysiology of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms:Insights from the Elastase-Induced Model in Mice with Different Genetic Backgrounds: Robert Thompson, MD, FACS.

8. Regression of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm by Inhibition of c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase in Mice: Koichi Yoshimura, MD, PhD.

9. Role of the Renin-Angiotensin System in the Development of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Animals and Humans: Alan Daugherty, MD, PhD.

10. AAA Disease: Mechanism, Stratification and Treatment: Ronald L. Dalman MD.

11. Refinements in Mathematical Models to Predict Aneurysm Growth and Rupture: Ramon Berguer, MD, PhD.

Part III: Enzymology - Another Approach to Interventional Pharmacology:.

12. AAA – A complex Multifactorial Disease: Interactions of Polymorphisms of Inflammatory Genes, Features of Autoimmunity, and Current Status of MMPs: William Pearce, MD.

13. The Intraluminal Thrombus as a Source of Proteolytic Activity: Jesper Swedenborg, MD, PhD.

14. Activators of Plasminogen and the Progression of Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Jes Lindholt, MD, PhD.

15. Is There a Role for Macrophage 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway in Aortic Aneurysm Development in Apolipoprotein E Deficient Mice?: Colin Funk, PhD.

16. Do Cathepsins Play a Role in AAA Pathogenesis?: Galina K. Sukhova, PhD.

17. MMP-2: The Forgotten Enzyme in Aneurysm Pathogenesis: Gillian W Cockerill PhD.

Part IV: Biological Aspects of Endovascular Devices to Repair AAA:.

18. Current Status of Endovascular Repair of Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in the Context of 50 Years of Conventional Repair: Norman R. Hertzer, MD.

19. Animal Models of Endovascular AAA Repair: Peter Faries, MD, FACS.

20. Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm, Juxtarenal Aneurysm, Fenestrated Endografts, Branched Endografts, Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Roy Greenberg, MD.

21. Vibrometry: A Novel Non-invasive Application of Ultrasonographic Physics to Estimate\Wall Stress in Native Aneurysms: Gautam Agarwal, MD.

22. Combining Open and Endovascular Approaches to Complex Aneurysms: Scott A. LeMaire, MD.

23. Engineering Improvements in Endovascular Devices: Design and Validation: David M. Williams, MD.

Part V: Genetics and Immunology in AAA:.

24. The Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a Specific Antigen-driven T-cell Disease: Chris D. Platsoucas, PhD.

25. Genes predisposing to rapid aneurysm growth: Janet Powell, MD, PhD.

26. Genetic Basis of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections: Potential Relevance to.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Dianna Milewicz, MD, PhD.

27. Structural and Functional Genetic Disorders of the Great Vessels and Outflow Tracts: Craig Basson, MD, PhD.

28. Genome-wide approach to finding AAA susceptibility genes in humansa: Helena Kuivaniemi, MD, PhD.

29. The Candidate Gene Approach to Susceptibility for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA): TIMP1, HLA-DR-15, Ferritin Light Chain, and Collagen XI-ALPHA-1: M. David Tilson, MD