February 25, 2021 Researchers used a circular knitting machine to make a prototype of a replacement for a coronary artery. Image courtesy of Fan Zhang. Knitted vascular graft prototype shows promise in preclinical findings. By Laura Oleniacz In a proof-of-concept study, Raleigh, N.C.-based North Carolina State University (NC State) researchers reported promising preclinical findings for a prototype of a vascular graft designed as a replacement for a damaged or blocked coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart. The findings, which were made in partnership with researchers from Case Western Reserve University, are part of an effort to develop a man-made graft that could replace a damaged or blocked coronary artery when a patient’s own vessels are not available as viable replacements after a heart attack. Ultimately, the graft is designed as a scaffold to aid in regeneration of the patient’s own blood vessels. And while their work is still in early stages, the researchers said their design will help to move the field forward.