2010 Wylie Scholar
Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Bryan Tillman is investigating why vascular bypass grafts fail. A bypass graft is a medical procedure in which a vein graft from another part of the body or a graft made from artificial material is used to create a detour around a blocked artery. A primary treatment for people suffering from blood flow blockages in the legs or a mechanism used in dialysis for treating kidney disease, vascular bypass grafts often fail over time. Half of all artificial grafts fail within a year and vein grafts fail in up to 30% of cases in 3 to 24 months. Failure of vascular bypass grafts is a primary cause of limb loss and death among patients. Dr. Tillman is studying how particular stem cells contribute to this failure and is working to develop an effective therapy to prevent the failure and save lives and limbs.

Watch this video to learn more about Dr. Tillman's research.