Graduation Date

Spring 5-10-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Programs

Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area

First Advisor

Yutong Liu

Second Advisor

Dongming Peng

Third Advisor

Aditya Bade

Fourth Advisor

Thomas Lane

Abstract

Though the inception of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has fundamentally changed the life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, accessibility and outcomes vary enormously along demographic lines. Even for people living with HIV (PLWH) with perfect access and adherence to anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), modern treatment plans are fundamentally unable to secure complete viral remission for patients. The cause of this perpetual infection is the persistence of viral reservoirs in the central nervous system (CNS), hidden beyond the reach of modern ARVs, leaving patients to deal with lifelong medication side-effects and risks of developing HIV-associated neurodegenerative disorders (HAND). Despite improving outcomes in many nations, a lack of understanding of HAND and ARV efficacy causes a significant decline in the quality of life for PLWH. Fortunately, the utilization of the chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effect as a novel contrast method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers complementary utility to mature methods leveraging water diffusion and metabolic spectroscopy. The power of multi-modal MRI allows for robust, non-invasive assessment of neuroimmune health and drug biodistribution in HIV mouse models through endogenous contrast agents alone. This thesis investigates the intersection of multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging and HIV theranostics, in hopes of accelerating the development of effective and accessible immunological care.

Comments

2025 Copyright, the authors

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