Utilizing the Immunomodulatory Effects of Electroporation for Treating Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are among the most devastating types of solid tumors to treat. Standard of care for glioblastoma (GBMs), the most aggressive form of primary brain tumors, has failed to improve the current survival rates in the past decades. Despite many other solid tumors, recent advances in cancer immunotherapies have also shown disappointing outcomes in GBMs. The heterogenous nature of GBMs, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the restrictive role of blood brain barrier (BBB) are some of the main challenges faced for treating GBMs. Electroporation-based treatments have demonstrated promising results, treating preclinical models of GBMs. It has been shown that low and high frequency irreversible electroporation treatments shift the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and reversibly open large areas of blood brain barrier (BBB). In this dissertation, in vitro cell culture models are utilized to study electroporation-based treatments for achieving a more optimized treatment for glioblastoma. We are proposing to utilize the immunomodulatory effects of electroporation treatments to improve the outcomes of immunotherapies in the brain.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biomedical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Alinezhadbalalami, Nastaran

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Davalos, Rafael V.
• Verbridge, Scott

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Munson, Jennifer M.
• Allen, Irving C.
• Rossmeisl, John H. Jr.

• Focal ablation therapies
• Tumor ablation
• Electroporation
• High frequency irreversible electroporation
• Anti-cancer immunity
• Immunostimulation
• Immunotherapy

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:34550

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110377