Alberto Avolio

Biography

Professor Avolio has acquired international recognition in the field cardiovascular haemodynamics. His work concerns investigations of the pulsatile function of blood pressure and flow in the arterial vasculature and the alterations in vascular properties that lead to high blood pressure and end-organ damage. He has made significant contributions in describing the age-related changes in arterial stiffness leading to collaborative research in understanding cellular and mechanisms that alter the elastic function of large conduit arteries. This work is now being applied to uncover effects of mechanical forces on endothelial cells that may be associated with underlying vascular mechanism of dementia. His laboratory supports in vivo haemodynamic experiments in rodent models, in vitro cell mechanotransduction studies and tensile measurements of vascular properties. Studies using non-invasive estimation of central aortic pressure and vascular stiffness (using pulse wave velocity) are done in collaboration with clinical investigators.

Research Interest

Pulsatile relationships between arterial blood pressure and flow and cardiovascular modelling. Pulse wave analysis and non-invasive estimation of central aortic pressure. Mechanisms of arterial stiffness and effects on blood pressure Arterial hemodynamic s and cerebrovascular function associated with measurement of intracranial pressure. Mechanotransduction in brain endothelial cells and relation to vascular mechanisms of dementia.