Munson Lab
Led by principal investigator Jenny Munson, Ph.D., the Munson Lab studies the tumor microenvironment in cancers, including glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer. The lab's research focuses on the emerging research area of fluid flow. Cancer’s invasion of the brain follows distinctive routes that correlate with interstitial and bulk flow pathways. In brain cancer, fluid flow increases between cells within the tissue, specifically across the invasive edge of the tumor where cells are prone to both interact with the surrounding brain tissue and to evade localized, transport-limited therapies. Munson and her team believe fluid flow can alter how a tumor responds to drug therapies. Not only is fluid flow important in cancer, but also is a contributor to normal function in tissues and other diseases. The lab is translating many of its methods and hypotheses to understand the role of fluid flow in immunity, aging, and women's health.
The lab's methods combine in vivo imaging methodology with in vitro tissue engineered models to examine the role of interstitial fluid flow and the cellular components of the microenvironment in cancer progression and treatment. The lab uses patient-derived cells to create personalized models of disease to test hypotheses related to fluid and tissue transport in tumors and the brain and to identify new drug targets and treatment approaches.
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Naciye Atay , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
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Cora Carman Esparza , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
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Savieay Esparza , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
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Jennifer Hammel , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
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Samantha Howerton , bioGraduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
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Peng Jin , bioPostdoctoral Associate
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Yamilet Macias-Orihuela , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Systems Engineering
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Gabriela Geraldo Mendes, Ph.D. , bioPostdoctoral Associate
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Monét Roberts, Ph.D. , bioPostdoctoral Associate
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Caleb Stine , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
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Aileen Suarez , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
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Kinsley Tate , bioGraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
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Olivia Turk , bioGraduate Student, PREP Scholar
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Emily Walker , bioResearch Assistant / Lab Manager
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Article ItemVirginia Tech scientists, engineers to talk about steps to stop cancer in virtual public session , article
A year ago, Virginia Tech united its biomedical and technical expertise into a Cancer Research Alliance to take on the second leading cause of death in the United States. Now, scientists and engineers will talk about some leading-edge projects in breast cancer, brain cancer, and noninvasive cancer treatments in a public Zoom discussion at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Date: Nov 02, 2020 -
Article ItemFluid flow in the brain: Sorting the good and the bad , article
Ian Kimbrough, an assistant professor in the School of Neuroscience, and Jennifer Munson, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, are taking research learned from brain tumors to help fight Alzheimer’s.
Date: Sep 23, 2020 -
Article ItemResearcher receives NIH grant to study noninvasive treatment for metastatic breast tumors , article
The aim of this project is to develop a novel, noninvasive method that combines nanoparticles with ultrasound to selectively target and kill cancerous cells in the breast tissue.
Date: Aug 27, 2020 -
Article ItemNew drug application stops spread of brain cancer cells caused by clinical treatment approach , article
This work is part of a five-year research grant project across multiple universities, examining the role of interstitial fluid flow in the spread of brain cancer cells.
Date: Nov 19, 2018 -
Article ItemCollaborative grant takes on brain cancer cell invasion , article
A relatively unexplored area of cancer research, interstitial fluid flow, or the movement of fluid around and through the three-dimensional space surrounding cells, has been shown to lead to an increase in cancer cell invasion. However, the mechanisms of how and why that happens, particularly in cases of brain cancer, are still unknown.
Date: Feb 01, 2018