ACMD Seminar: Mechano-pathogenesis of Esophageal Hypertrophy and Atrophy

Xinyi Liu
Ph.D. Candidate, Dept. of Engineering Sciences & Applied Math, Northwestern University

Tuesday, August 6, 2024, 3:00-4:00 PM ET (1:00-2:00 PM MT)

A video of this talk will be made available to NIST staff in the Math channel on NISTube, which is accessible from the NIST internal home page. It will be taken down from NISTube after 12 months at which point it can be requested by emailing the ACMD Seminar Chair.

Abstract: Esophageal hypertrophy and atrophy are chronic conditions characterized by abnormal inner pressures and disordered contractions during swallowing. Clinical data indicate that disease pathogenesis involves remodeling of esophageal tissue, leading to hypertrophy and/or atrophy, and ultimately resulting in end-stage esophageal dilatation. However, the specific mechanical triggers that drive different pathways of disease progression remain unclear. In this study, we utilize a one-dimensional anisotropic finite growth tissue remodeling model to uncover the fundamental mechanisms of esophageal wall remodeling. The model incorporates the progression of esophageal pressure during swallowing (short-time scale peristalsis) and its impact on long-time scale remodeling of the esophageal wall. The tissue-level feedback mechanism, which influences growth through changes in local mechanical stresses, is referred to as a growth law in the theory of morphoelasticity. This theory aims to understand the interplay between mechanics and geometry in developing and transforming biological materials. We investigate the properties of equilibria emerging from the trajectories dictated by the growth law and their implications in the context of esophageal tissue hypertrophy. This work potentially provides a roadmap for investigating hypertrophies at a more microscopic level, where signaling pathways control and balance muscle protein synthesis and proteolysis, ultimately leading to muscle hypertrophy or atrophy.

Bio: Xinyi Liu is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics at Northwestern University. Under the supervision of Professor Neelesh Patankar, Xinyi’s research focuses on the physical and mechanical aspects of esophageal tissue growth at the organ and organism levels. As she progresses in her Ph.D., Xinyi is dedicated to advancing the fields of mathematical biology and medical sciences, aiming to provide theoretically grounded interpretations for clinical observations.

Host: Leroy Jia

Note: This talk will be recorded to provide access to NIST staff and associates who could not be present to the time of the seminar. The recording will be made available in the Math channel on NISTube, which is accessible only on the NIST internal network. This recording could be released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Do not discuss or visually present any sensitive (CUI/PII/BII) material. Ensure that no inappropriate material or any minors are contained within the background of any recording. (To facilitate this, we request that cameras of attendees are muted except when asking questions.)

Note: Visitors from outside NIST must contact Meliza Lane at least 24 hours in advance.