2007 Wylie Scholar
Assistant Professor, Vascular Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University

Dr. Eagleton is investigating the processes leading to the development of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a potentially fatal bulge or ballooning of the main artery leading from the heart to lower portions of the body. In the majority of cases, the presence of an AAA remains undetected until the aneurysm ruptures or is found incidentally while the patient is undergoing evaluation for another problem. Currently, the only available treatment for aortic aneurysm disease is surgical repair. No medical therapies exist. A group of protein enzymes (matrix metalloproteinases) play an important role in the degeneration of the aorta and the development of an aneurysm. Dr. Eagleton's research focuses on the mechanisms that lead to the increased production of these enzymes. His goal is to develop a drug therapy that will limit the growth of an aneurysm or prevent it from forming.

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