Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Anthrax Models Involving Immunology, Epidemiology And Controls, Buddhi Raj Pantha

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is divided in two parts. Chapters 2 and 3 consider the use of optimal control theory in an anthrax epidemiological model. Models consisting system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and partial differential differential equations (PDEs) are considered to describe the dynamics of infection spread. Two controls, vaccination and disposal of infected carcasses, are considered and their optimal management strategies are investigated. Chapter 4 consists modeling early host pathogen interaction in an inhalational anthrax infection which consists a system of ODEs that describes early dynamics of bacteria-phagocytic cell interaction associated to an inhalational anthrax infection.

First we consider a …

Design Of Romp-Based Protein Mimics For Sirna Delivery, Brittany M. Deronde

Doctoral Dissertations

Designing delivery agents for therapeutics is an ongoing challenge. As treatments and desired cargoes become more complex, the need for improved delivery vehicles becomes critical. Excellent delivery vehicles must ensure the stability of the cargo, maintain the cargo’s solubility, and promote efficient delivery and release. In order to address these issues, many research groups have looked to nature for design inspiration. Proteins, such as HIV-1 TAT and Antennapedia homeodomain protein, are capable of crossing cellular membranes. However, due to the complexities of their structures, they are synthetically challenging to reproduce in the laboratory setting. Being able to incorporate the key …

The Role Of Notch3 Signaling In T Helper Cell Differentiation And Induction Of Eae, Furkan Ayaz

Doctoral Dissertations

Th1 and Th17 are subsets of CD4⁺ T cells or T helper cells (Th). Th cells are the major adaptive immune cells involved in inflammation during the development of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is a neurodegenerative autoimmune disease and one mouse model of the disease is Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE). Development and differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells are regulated by the Notch family of trans-membrane proteins (Notch1, 2, 3 and 4). We and others have shown that pharmacological inhibition of Notch activity impairs Th1 and Th17 differentiation as well as development of EAE. However, it is not known …