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How Fluid Flow Shapes the Brain: Cancer and Cognitive Function

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Jennifer Munson, Ph.D. headshot

Jennifer Munson, Ph.D.

Professor and Director
Cancer Research Center — Roanoke
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Virginia Tech College of Engineering
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Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture

How Fluid Flow Shapes the Brain: Cancer and Cognitive Function

Date: Oct. 30, 2025

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.  (Reception and hors d'oeuvres at 5 p.m.)

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About this Seminar

Humans are about 60 percent water — so where is it, and why does it matter for cancer, cognitive function, and other conditions? In this talk, Jenny Munson, director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Cancer Research Center — Roanoke, describes how the Munson Lab maps the currents that move between our cells, known as interstitial fluid flow. In aggressive brain cancers like glioblastoma, these flows create preferred routes for tumor cells to invade and can limit how drugs reach them. By linking data with experiments in the lab and studies in patients, her team is uncovering how fluid’s movement between cells shapes the tumor microenvironment and how adjusting therapies to those dynamics could improve outcomes. Because fluid flow also supports normal tissue function, the lab is translating its methods to immunity, aging, women’s health, and Alzheimer’s disease. You’ll leave with a new picture of how fluid movement can change the course of disease and patient outcomes.

Additional Details

This is a free event hosted by Dr. Michael Friedlander and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. For more information, please call 540-526-2059.

About Maury Strauss

Maury Strauss was a longtime community benefactor and businessman who supported biomedical research with the goal of energizing the local economy and improving quality of life in our neighborhoods and around the world. In order to ensure the continued success of Roanoke’s biomedical research enterprise, as well as the free public seminars, Mr. Strauss made a generous gift to the series. He passed away in June 2024 at age 99. 

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