Research Projects

Exposure to ambient air pollution is an underappreciated risk factor but increases morbidity and mortality, and is a leading contributor to the global ischemic heart disease burden. Myocardial damages due to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), often encountered in surgical revascularisation procedures are recognised to be the result of a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors like air pollutants. This study aims to answer the following questions: 1. Whether diesel particulate matter (representative of heavy-duty and automobile diesel engines) adversely affects the recovery of rat hearts from ischemia-reperfusion injury. 2. Whether DPM-mediated mitochondrial functional changes are similar in the subpopulation and have any consequential impact on the recovery of the heart from ischemia-reperfusion. 3. Negative influence of DPM on the cardio-protective protocol in the management of ischemia-reperfusion injury.