BME Distinguished Seminar Series: Jennifer Munson Ph.D., Virginia Tech

Title: "Interstitial fluid flow in the brain: Contributions to cancer and cognition"

Abstract: Fluid flow in the brain is an emerging area of research with implications in Alzheimer’s, aging, brain homeostasis, development, and cancer. In cancers, interstitial fluid flow is increased as pressure builds as tumors grow, and during aging and Alzheimer’s disease, we see decreases in flow. In my laboratory, we study the role of interstitial fluid flow, or the fluid flow within the spaces of tissues, on cellular behaviors, with an eye towards how we can leverage flow and its effects to treat disease. In glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer, cellular invasion is a defining factor of its resistance to therapeutic intervention and poor patient prognosis. Using tissue engineered models of the brain, we see that interstitial flow can induce invasion through a number of mechanisms which can be inhibited in vivo. Using MRI to map flows, we can find invading cells based on specific attributes of tumor originating fluid flow. Translating our tools, we have found that flows slow in Alzheimer’s and chemotherapy-related cognitive disruption. In these scenarios, we see that changes to brain-draining lymphatics can drive these decreases, and in some cases, their targeting can reverse the adverse effects. In this talk, I will explore and show data from these neurological disorders and highlight how we develop the tools needed to measure, model, and manipulate fluid flow.