Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) as a non-invasive imaging biomarker for predicting neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease
A long-term objective of our research is to establish QSM as a noninvasive MRI marker for predicting neurodegeneration in AD. Our scientific premise is that QSM can measure iron overload involved in AD progression. We propose to establish QSM as an MRI marker for predicting neurodegeneration ex vivo using AD brain tissue pathology, and in vivo by correlating QSM with neurodegeneration measured...
Rapid non-invasive whole-body imaging of gene transfer vectors
Award or Grant: National Institutes of Health (NIH), R01 EB027918The goal of this project is to develop noninvasive, safe, temporal monitoring of adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) biodistribution following in vivo administration that can be ultimately used in humans. The lab’s strategy is to covalently radioiodinate AAV capsids using the positron emitting isotope iodine (I)-124, and to track...
Assessment of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) volumetrics and kinetics for drug delivery
Delivery of various drugs in both intrathecal and intracisternal spaces are being used to treat a myriad of diseases. Knowledge of the rate of drug delivery to each region in the brain via the CSF space may be estimated by using MRI. Our lab published the first time course results of intrathecal gadolinium uptake in CSF and brain regions in normal control subjects using high resolution MRI. In...
Pharmacokinetic PET modeling of 18F-BPA-fructose in glioblastoma multiforme in BNCT
Dr. Dyke’s Ph.D. work focused on compartmental modeling of a novel tumor- specific PET tracer used for dose planning of radiation therapy. He implemented novel pharmacokinetic compartmental model fitting of metabolic uptake of this tracer in subjects presenting with glioblastoma multiforme brain tumors prior to therapy. Uptake results were used to produce dose treatment plans prior to a novel...
Urinary drug disposing system
Most bladder cancer (BC) patients are diagnosed early. The standard treatment is to surgically remove the tumors, followed by intravesical immunotherapy (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) or intravesical chemotherapy (ITC) to eradicate any residual cancer cells. The current ITC are limited due to incomplete treatment, poor patient compliance, and high recurrence rate. In addition, clinicians are...
A multiplexed approach to improve tumoral targeting and chemotherapeutic treatment
Drawbacks of nanoparticles are: poor tissue extravasation, incomplete drug release, and off-targeted delivery to the reticuloendothelial system and organs. The Law lab developed a new nanofiber platform (NFP) displaying a unique dimension (0.5 x 5 x 100 nm) different from other nanoparticles (Carousel Image 1). The NFP has an excellent tumor-targeting property (Carousel Film 1). It can...
Anticancer agents
To improve treatment outcome, multiple drugs of distinctive mechanisms but complementary anticancer activities are often used to enhance antitumor efficacy and minimize risk of acquiring drug resistance. Specifically, the Law lab investigates the synergistic effects of drug combinations (Carousel Image 5), with the aim of developing new therapeutic strategies, such as drug-induced targeting...
PET measures of CSF clearance in preclinical AD
This PET project examines the longitudinal relationship between the clearance of cerebrospinal fluid and the propagation of brain amyloid.
CSF clearance in sporadic Alzheimer's disease
A longitudinal study of elderly normal control and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects to examine the clearance deficit in early stages of AD, association with brain amyloid burden, and features of neurodegeneration (atrophy and cognitive function).