Abstract

Using Exosomes to Diagnose and Treat Chronic Neurodegeneration

Lynn Pulliam, Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Medicine, University of California-San Francisco

Diagnosing neurocognitive disorders has been challenging and doing so without invasive and expensive procedures even more difficult. My lab has been interested in diagnosing chronic cognitive impairment in HIV infection and more recently longCOVID using neuronal-derived exosomes. The goal is to identify liquid biomarkers associated with cognitive impairment and follow these during and after treatment. In addition, studies may identify common and distinct processes in neurodegeneration that may help in drug interventions. Alternatively, exosomes can be used as therapeutic delivery vehicles. Implementing these strategies in the clinical laboratory is the goal and still a challenge.