Immuno-oncology treatments, including checkpoint inhibitors like the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), have been shown to be effective at harnessing the body’s own ability to recognize and destroy cancerous cells whilst preserving normal healthy cells. However, these therapies are successful in only a small subset of patients, and it is challenging to accurately predict or monitor how an individual patient will respond to treatment. As the efficacy of these treatments is dependent on its ability to successfully activate and stimulate proliferation of T-cells, there is a need for clinical assays that can measure T-cell presence, activity, and proliferation in living subjects. To address this, we propose to develop radiolabeled antibodies and fragments that specifically bind the CD3ε antigen expressed on T cells for longitudinal in vivo imaging. The CD3ε fragmented antibodies will be modified with chelator deferoxamine (DFO) or ,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA) and radiolabeled with zirconium-89 or copper-64 respectively. We will describe here the synthesis, in vitro binding affinity and in vivo specificity. Furthermore, we will evaluate the in vivo utility of CD3ε radiolabeled probes in genetically engineered mouse models of lung adenocarcinoma. Our goal is to demonstrate the feasibility and translatability of our approach and ultimately employ these tools to further our understanding of the mechanism of action of current and future immunotherapies.

Nanomaterials have shown promising results in the antibacterial agents for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections due to their unique physiological and chemical properties and the difficulties of developing antimaterial resistance for bacteria. Especially, gold nanoraods, out of all nanomaterials that are currently adapted as antibacterial agents, have shown a unique tunable photothermal effect that can kill the pathogenic bacteria under a specific visible and infrared spectrum of light. For gold nanorods to attach to the target bacteria and kill them, the gold nanorods need to be functionalized with surfactants and then conjugated with the corresponding antibodies. The previous study of the gold nanorods conjugated with chimeric phages had a limit in the specificity that they can only apply to a narrow species of bacteria. In this research, we have developed a method for antibody conjugated gold nanorods expecting that it could apply to broader species of bacteria than the phage conjugated gold nanorods. So far, the ratio of different surfactants are explored and optimized to make stable antibody gold nano structure. The physico-chemical characteristics of the synthesized gold nanorods (i.e., transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential) were explored. Through antibody labeling we confirmed the attachment of antibody to the gold nanorod. Also, we explored the reactive oxygen species generation of gold nanorods and its contribution as antibacterial agents. In future research, the interaction of antibody conjugated gold nanorods with E.coli in vitro and in vivo would be studied.

Early life stress (ELS), such as neglect or maltreatment, has a major impact on neural development and behavior in mice and humans. Changes induced by ELS impact emotional and cognitive processing and can lead to psychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety. Symptoms of this condition often manifest during adolescence and include maladaptive responses to a perceived threat. Our lab has shown that mice who underwent limited bedding and nesting (LBN) from postnatal day (P)4 to P11 display elevated levels of avoidance behavior compared to standard reared (SR) controls. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and its connections to the prelimbic (PL) region of the medial prefrontal cortex have been shown to play a pivotal role in the development of adaptive avoidance behavior and emotional learning in adults. However, it is not known if early life adversity alters development of BLA to PL circuitry during adolescence when psychiatric symptoms first appear. These projections emerge at P7-P9 in mice, making their development vulnerable to our LBN model of ELS. This study aims to explore if LBN influences the number of BLA neurons that project to the PL compared to SR controls. To do this we injected a retrograde virus into the PL at P21 and analyzed the difference in the number of BLA neurons in adolescence (P35) between SR and LBN mice. Our results will tell us if the BLA to PL pathway is affected by ELS in adolescence. This research will provide insight into how early experience impacts developmental circuitry needed for refined behaviors.

For women living in impoverished communities, engaging in informal economic activities has become a form of combating poverty and finding stability. Street vending is a prominent business venture that has inhibited the participation of women looking for a way to manage family responsibilities and financial barriers. Vending offers an outlook on the informal sector as distinct dynamics are formed when each family member is incorporated in the business and actively pursues economic advancement. My research illuminates the lived experiences of women who sell tamales, also known as tamaleras, through the use of qualitative methods. This study seeks to unveil the influence of women in the labor market and offer an insight into the divisions of labor based on gender. I engage in a participant observer approach by working alongside 3 female vendors to observe how they manage their businesses and household responsibilities. Interviews are a significant portion of the study as it further sheds light on their vulnerabilities. Despite their far reaching impacts in the informal market, limited studies have identified the extent in which they negotiate gender roles in the context of their households and businesses. As a result, I ask: To what extent does the gendered organization of labor provide a conduit to economic status and encourage strategies of survival for female street vendors who sell tamales? In the midst of a crisis impacting workers, it is imperative to bring visibility to the “invisible” issues affecting women as their involvement is detrimental to the informal economic sector.