Melissa Cadena
BME PhD Proposal Presentation

Date: 2026-01-23
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location / Meeting Link: MoSE 3201A, https://gatech.zoom.us/j/96764429894

Committee Members:
Stanislav Emelianov , PhD (Advisor) Costas Arvantis, PhD Jocelyn C. Mejias, PhD Robert Dickson, PhD Kelsey P. Kubelick, PhD


Title: Development of ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging approaches for immunotherapy applications

Abstract:
Immunotherapy has introduced new strategies, including vaccines, cellular therapies, antibodies, and therapeutic vaccines, for treating cancer and other diseases. However, its success is often limited by challenges in delivery, biodistribution, and the inability to monitor immune response in vivo. Standard methods to evaluate immunotherapy efficacy - such as histology, flow cytometry, and light microscopy- provide static endpoints and cannot capture immune processes in vivo. Conventional imaging methods, such as CT, MRI, and bioluminescence (IVIS), have been used to track immune cells and particles, but each has limitations in resolution, depth, or sensitivity. These imaging limitations hinder efforts to improve delivery strategies and evaluate therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, there is a clinical need for noninvasive, functional imaging methods to track immunotherapy processes longitudinally and provide feedback on therapy progression. I propose to develop ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging approaches to monitor key stages of immunotherapy, including nanoparticle delivery, immune cell trafficking, and early treatment response, offering a versatile platform to guide the development of immunotherapies. In Aim 1, we will establish an imaging workflow for dye-incorporated virus-like particles (VLPs) and pathogen-like particles (PLPs) to assess delivery and lymphatic drainage. In Aim 2, we will apply functional US/PA imaging biomarkers—oxygen saturation, total hemoglobin, blood flow, and vascularity—to monitor tumors treated with adoptive cell therapy and identify imaging features that predict therapeutic response. In Aim 3, we will track dendritic cells labeled with hyper-branched gold nanoconstructs to quantify migration to draining lymph nodes and evaluate how their behavior in the tumor correlates with therapeutic outcome. Collectively, this work will create a versatile US/PA imaging framework to support the development and optimization of immunotherapies.