Dr. Eno E. Ebong
Endothelial Cell Glycocalyx: A Critical Node in the Vascular Mechanotransduction Network
ABSTRACT:
The Ebong research lab studies how the mechanical forces of blood flow affect endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels and guard them from disease conditions like atherosclerosis and cancer metastasis. Much of the focus is on studying the structure and function endothelial cell glycocalyx, which can be seen as a node receiving cues from the extracellular environment and transmitting them into the ECs. The structure of the endothelial cell glycocalyx is gel-like, composed of sugar molecules and proteins. A primary function of the glycocalyx is to convert mechanical forces from the microenvironment into EC biological responses to facilitate protection from disease. This glycocalyx structure gives fragile arteries the resilience they need to withstand the raucous fluid environment coursing through them. Unfortunately, glycocalyx sheds in the presence of disease, especially at the branch points where plaques are most prevalent. Therefore, it is of great interest to study how gradual glycocalyx degradation initiates and/or promotes pathological remodeling that leads to atherosclerotic lesion or secondary tumor formation. The Ebong lab constructs in vitro systems comprising fluids and mammalian endothelial cells, to replicate both healthy and disruptive blood-flow conditions and to uncover the intricacies of the flow-glycocalyx-endothelial cell relationship. This work is combined with live animal studies to assess the validity of the findings, in real disease conditions. The long-term goal is to leverage mechanobiology, endothelial cells, and the glycocalyx to develop clinically relevant therapies and reverse the progression of disease.
NARRATIVE BIOSKETCH:
Dr. Ebong is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology and an Associate Chair for Graduate Studies in Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University. She directs the “Ebong Mechanobiology Laboratory”. Prior to joining Northeastern University, Dr. Ebong earned her S.B. (1999) in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, MA and her M.Eng (2001) and Ph.D. (2006) in the area of biomechanics from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. She was a National Institutes of Health Cardiovascular Research Fellow (2007 to 2012) at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, NY. Now Dr. Ebong’s research mission is to study the means by which endothelial cell mechanotransduction occurs under normal and pathological conditions, with a particular focus on cardiovascular diseases and on diseases in which dysfunctional vascular function play a role. Her work is highly regarded, making her the recipient of several honors and awards. Most notably, she received the prestigious NSF CAREER Award, for her “EMBRACE STEM (Endothelial MechanoBiology Research And multiCultural Education in STEM)” project. She recently received an NIH award to study “Glycocalyx Regeneration to Heal Vascular Inflammation and Atherosclerosis”. She was previously awarded the NIH Mentored Research Career Development Award (K01), for studying “Atheroprotective vs. Atherogenic Glycocalyx Mechanotransduction Mechanisms.” She was also awarded the Northeastern University College of Engineering Faculty Fellow. Nationally, Dr. Ebong has been recognized as one of the top 1,000 inspiring Black Scientists in America.