Archived Seminar: Neurovascular Interactions: Mechanisms, Imaging, Therapeutics

About This Seminar

The communication between the brain, immune and vascular systems is a key contributor to the onset and progression of neurological diseases. Dr. Akassoglou’s research has uncovered the blood clotting factor fibrinogen as a driver of neuroinflammation, as common thread in a wide range of neurologic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegenerative diseases. Her lab developed cutting-edge imaging tools to study the neurovascular interface and discovered a role for fibrin in microglia-mediated oxidative stress-dependent spine elimination and novel fibrin-targeting immunotherapy to protect the brain from pathogenic neuroinflammation. Recent advances in functional single-cell transcriptional profiling of neurotoxic innate immunity (Tox-Seq) allowed the development of the oxidative stress cell atlas at the neurovascular interface. These findings could be a common thread for the understanding of the etiology, mechanisms of progression, and the development of new treatments for neurologic diseases with neuroimmune and cerebrovascular dysfunction. 

Additional Details 

This is a free event hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and co-sponsored by the institute's Center for Neurobiology Research and the Center for Glial Biology in Health, Disease, and Cancer. The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Pioneers in Biomedical Research Program offers the expertise of a range of scientists who are exploring frontiers in biomedical research. These seminars are open to Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic faculty, students, and staff.

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