Article | NSW Health News
New test to prevent heart attacks receives long-term funding boost
The Snow Medical Research Foundation has invested $8 million in rapid blood clot test microtechnology research, led by a Sydney biomedical engineer on a personal mission to save lives. It was during the first year of his PhD that Associate Professor Arnold Lining Ju’s father suffered a heart attack at the age of 54 – his blood vessels occluded by clots. This “pivotal moment” not only drove home in the young engineer’s mind the critical effect of “the sheer force of blood flow” in the human body, it also altered his research career trajectory. Inspired, he shifted his focus from mechanical to biomedical engineering. Now, he’s investigating cardiovascular mechanobiology and developing a rapid blood test microtechnology to predict clot risks and potentially prevent heart attacks for people like his father. “This personal connection has served as a constant reminder of the importance of early detection and intervention in cardiovascular diseases,” he says.