PhD Student, Jonalyn (Herce) DeCastro: PhD Dissertation Defense – “Characteristics of Erythrocyte Exosomes from Different Aged Donors: Implications in Aging and Neuropathology”

Please join us for PhD Student, Jonalyn (Herce) DeCastro’s PhD Dissertation Defense Presentation on “Characteristics of Erythrocyte Exosomes from Different Aged Donors: Implications in Aging and Neuropathology”

Aging biomarkers are crucial in predicting lifespan, physiological age, and preventing age-related diseases. Old systemic milieu hampers tissue maintenance and repair, causing cognitive decline in young mammals. This decline indicates potential neurodegenerative disease pathways like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Blood complexity hinders the identification of specific therapeutic solutions. Our previous research using an organ-on-a-chip model revealed that old donor erythrocytes under physiological shear stress displayed increased apoptosis, release of neurotoxic contents, and loss of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. This dissertation aims to explore the role of erythrocyte exosomes and exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in propagating neuropathology. This work will outline a workflow for isolating and characterizing exosomes from erythrocytes of different aged donors to assess age-dependent differences in their morphology and function that can contribute to cognitive decline. Additionally, this work identifies expression differences in cargo miRNAs between young and old donor erythrocyte-derived exosomes. Candidate miRNAs and potential protein targets associated with neuropathological pathways are identified, facilitating future biomarker and therapeutic studies for neurodegenerative diseases. 

Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2023

UPDATED Time:   12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Location: 535 Bldg. – 152 Classroom AND Via Zoom (See Outlook invite for Zoom Link)