Neuroimaging biomarkers of brain fluid compartments and tools for enhanced drug delivery
The brain fluidic system is partitioned into cerebrospinal (CSF), interstitial (ISF), intracellular, and intravascular fluid compartments. Homeostasis of the brain and clearance of toxic waste products relies on the intricate balance and exchange between these distinct yet interconnected compartments. These compartments are dynamic and undergo substantial change with aging,and in various neurodegenerative and neurovascular disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). MRI has the unique capability to disentangle signal from these compartments by leveraging characteristic diffusion, flow, and tissue relaxation properties. The core missions of my lab are to (i) develop and validate neuroimaging biomarkers of brain fluid compartments to study brain microstructure and neurofluid dynamics and (ii) develop tools to manipulate brain fluid dynamics for enhanced drug delivery and liquid biopsy using MR-guided focused ultrasound (FUS) and other methods. To realize these missions, my lab has two interdependent preclinical and translational/clinical wings. While brain tissue microstructure imaging can be utilized to assess early effects of aging and neurodegenerative disorders, neurofluid imaging can provide insights into the mechanisms behind the clearance (or accumulation) of toxic proteins (e.g., amyloid beta and tau protein species), offering potential pathways for therapeutic intervention.
More about the Nazeri Brain Fluid Translational Imaging (BraFTI) Lab