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**The Ph.D. defense of the student (Rua Mohsen Mohammed Taqi) in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry/Medical Biochemistry.**
Publishing date :2024-09-19

On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 9:00 AM, Ph.D. candidate (Rua Mohsen Mohammed Taqi) defended her dissertation in the discussion hall of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry/Medical Biochemistry under the title:
**"Evaluation of Growth Differentiation Factor-15, Endothelial-cell derived extracellular vesicle, Heart-type Fatty Acid Binding Protein, and Soluble Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 in Association with SYNTAX Score in Predicting the Complexity of Coronary Artery Lesions"**

### Objectives of the Study:
The SYNTAX score is a visual estimate of the burden and complexity of coronary artery disease. It considers complex lesions, including branching and diffuse small-vessel disease. Due to the requirement for coronary angiography and the challenges in interpreting the results, practical and sensitive alternatives like high-accuracy biomarkers are needed.
1. The efficiency of GDF-15, EVs, FABP, and sST2 in detecting coronary artery complexity with respect to the SYNTAX score.
2. The role of demographic and clinical factors in the complexity of coronary artery lesions.
3. The relationship between GDF-15, EVs, FABP, sST2, and the SYNTAX score.
4. The correlation between GDF-15, EVs, FABP, sST2, lipid profiles, and the atherosclerosis index.

### Results:
Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to explore the potential relationships between the SYNTAX score, ST2, FABP, GDF-15, and EVs with lipid profiles, age, and body mass index (BMI). The SYNTAX score showed a significant positive correlation with age, BMI, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and GDF-15. In contrast, it had a significant negative correlation with HDL-c. GDF-15 exhibited a significant positive correlation with BMI, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c, and vLDL-c. ST2 showed a significant positive correlation with FABP and a significant negative correlation with HDL-c and EVs. Finally, FABP had a significant positive correlation with both GDF-15 and EVs.

GDF-15, EVs, H-FABP, and sST2 are significantly associated with higher SYNTAX scores, indicating their potential as biomarkers to predict the complexity of coronary artery lesions. These findings could aid in risk stratification and personalized treatment strategies for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

### Discussion Committee:
- Prof. Dr. Omar Farouk Abdul Rashid (Chair)
- Prof. Dr. Alaa Hussein Jawad (Member)
- Prof. Dr. Mustafa Taha Mohammed (Member)
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Abbas Fadhil Abdul Wahab (Member)
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Amal Ismail Ibrahim (Member)
- Prof. Dr. Raed Jasim Mohammed (Member and Supervisor)
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Moayad Basheer Hamed (Member and Supervisor)

The dissertation was accepted successfully with a grade of distinction.

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