APEX Stent

About the Project

APEX (Advanced Precision-Engineered eXpandable) Stent is an interdisciplinary research initiative developing next-generation bioresorbable vascular scaffolds. Using advanced fabrication, gold-assisted degradation control, and AI-driven design, we aim to offer safer, smarter cardiovascular implants.

Our goal is to develop a publicly accessible, high-impact stent database enriched with detailed analyses to support the optimal selection and evaluation of stent materials. This database, along with its automated imaging system, will be built upon CRESt technology (https://iac011.github.io/apex-stent/media.html), originally developed by our partner at MIT and now integrated as a core external partnership within the APEX project. In the customized CRESt-APEX platform, we will incorporate a machine learning engine capable of analyzing multimodal images of the same stent sample—spanning electron microscopy, histological staining, endovascular imaging, and multiphoton microscopy.

By harnessing machine learning, this database aims to transform stent research through open access to extensive, high-quality datasets and intelligent analysis tools. It will enable the identification of correlations between specific complications and patient or device characteristics, predict the in-human performance of novel stent materials based on preclinical trial data, and even simulate complication progression in individual patients.

The overarching mission of APEX-STENT is to rigorously assess explanted clinical stents and benchmark them against next-generation alloys (Ti, Zr, Fe, Zn, Mg) designed for both permanent and biodegradable applications. With our expansive biobank of stent samples from both human and animal sources, combined with the deep interdisciplinary expertise of our consortium, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a transformative and publicly valuable stent research platform—powered by artificial intelligence and built for the future of cardiovascular care.