Awarded in 2024
Home Department: Biomedical Physics
Faculty Advisors: Michelle James (Radiology – Molecular Imaging Program at
Stanford, Neurology) and Marion Buckwalter (Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Neurosurgery)

Research Title: A new translational approach for quantifying innate immune activation in stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability. Stroke survivors face nearly double the risk of developing dementia for a decade post-stroke. Neuroinflammation exacerbates post-stroke tissue damage, with activated microglia/macrophages playing a significant role. While TSPO-PET is a gold standard for neuroinflammation imaging, it lacks cell specificity. GPR84, specific to activated microglia/macrophages, offers promise for tracking neuroinflammatory component of stroke and predicting clinical outcomes. Samantha aims to address this critical need by utilizing GPR84-PET as a tool for quantifying and tracking neuroinflammation in stroke as a method of predicting post-stroke clinical outcomes.