Zaid Salameh
BME PhD Proposal Presentation

Date: 2025-09-25
Time: 9 AM
Location / Meeting Link: Whitaker 4101

Committee Members:
Rafael Davalos, PhD (Advisor); Mark Prausnitz, PhD; Stanislav Emelianov, PhD; Brooks Lindsey, PhD; Iain McKillop, PhD


Title: Modulating Electrochemical Reactions to Enhance Electroporation-Based Therapies

Abstract:
Liver cancer is the 4th most deadly cancer with 800,000+ deaths and is the 6th most diagnosed malignancy with 900,000+ diagnoses, per year, globally. Up to 80% of patients are ineligible for surgical resection due to underlying disease pathology, advanced tumor stage, and tumor location. Thermal ablation technologies can effectively treat early-to-intermediate stage liver tumors but cannot entirely address the gap in patient care presented by disease location and compromised hepatic function. Thus, there is a need to develop novel technologies to address the global health burden of liver cancer. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) uses electrical pulses delivered through in situ electrodes to induce a transmembrane potential across targeted cancer cells resulting in pore formation, unregulated mass transport, and eventual cell death. Because acellular architecture is relatively unaffected by the electrical field, IRE is not contraindicated by tumor location (distinct from surgical resection and thermal ablation). Electrical pulses generate pH fronts and induce bubble nucleation through hydrolysis and the production of gaseous species at the tissue/electrode interface. Since the tumor microenvironment skews the acidity and electrical conductivity, we postulate that IRE-driven electrochemical reactions could be modulated to address these oncogenic factors. The central hypothesis of my dissertation is that electroporation influences on the electrochemical microenvironment of hepatic tissue can be leveraged to improve oncological treatment outcomes. Aim 1 will evaluate the feasibility of modulating the electrochemical environment to increase immune recruitment. Aim 2 will characterize electrochemical reactions and dielectric breakdown at the tissue/electrode interface to predict and prevent electrical failure. Aim 3 will translate improved pulsing schemes and electrode geometries in vivo. Collectively, these aims will investigate how electrolysis could be used for improved therapeutic outcomes to advance the use of IRE for the treatment of liver cancer.