When
Presenter:
Dr. Naomi Lee
Northern Arizona University
Abstract:
At the national level, opioid overdoses are among the leading causes of death across the United States especially within Native American communities. Vaccines may pose as a possible treatment for addiction and prevention of overdoses. Virus-like particles (VLPs) have multi-valent displays and a structure that mimics the conformation of certain native viruses but lack a viral genome, making them noninfectious. A derivative of oxycodone was conjugated to pre-formed Qβ VLPs using a sulfhydryl-amine reactive heterobifunctional crosslinker with high loading of oxycodone. In mice, intramuscular immunization with Qβ-oxycodone elicited high-titer, high-avidity and long-lasting antibody responses. Pilot studies also showed the Qβ-oxycodone is immunogenic in nonhuman primates, eliciting serum oxycodone antibodies after intramuscular immunization of rhesus macaques. These data establish Qβ-oxycodone as a promising opioid vaccine candidate. Finally, Dr. Lee will present briefly on her career path and motivation for research to decrease health disparities in Native American communities. As one of the only Native Americans to receive a PhD in 2013, Dr. Lee strives to change this story for the next generation of Native American students through incorporating the teachings of my Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) ancestors into her science and mentorship. The Haudenosaunee Seventh Generation philosophy states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Dr. Lee will discuss obstacles and successes throughout her academic journey and military career along with how these experiences shaped her career goal of improve Native American health through research, STEM education, and mentoring.
Hosted by: Dr. Craig Aspinwall