Congratulations to Aung Moe Zaw, Ph.D., Director and Head Surgeon, MHI-Cardiovascular Physiology and Phenotyping Core, for the receipt of Leica M320 Surgical Microscope Award and for publishing article, titled “Substrate Topography Modulate Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Phenotype in Proinflammatory Condition”, in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Dr. Zaw received $23,878.89 from the Core Facility Advocacy Committee (CFAC), $3000 from the McAllister Heart Institute (MHI) and $2000 from the Cardiovascular Physiology and Phenotyping Core (CPPC) for a Leica M320 surgical microscope. This advanced surgical microscope and imaging system will significantly enhance precision and visualization in microsurgery procedures and training, supporting MHI’s mission to advance cardiovascular science through innovation and technical excellence.
Dr. Zaw’s research article was co-authored by University of Waterloo researchers, Drs. Dency David, Joshua Kunihiro, Yuan Yao, and Evelyn K. F. Yim. The paper explores how micro- and nano-scale substrate topographies influence vascular smooth muscle cell behavior under inflammatory conditions — an important step toward developing advanced biomaterials for cardiovascular applications. It is featured in Volume 17, Issue 33 of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces and can be read online now