Alyssa Lantz

Pre-doc scholar, TRACT TL1 Program

Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy

Primary mentor: Melanie Nicol, College of Pharmacy
Additional mentors: Pamela Jacobson, College of Pharmacy; Christopher Staley, Medical School

Project: Host modulators of tenofovir exposure and efficacy in the female genital tract

Alyssa is a PhD student in the department of Experimental and Clinical pharmacology with a focus on infectious disease. The goal of Alyssa's primary research is to further develop an ex vivo tissue model into a viable translational tool with the ability to identify target mucosal tissue concentrations in women that are protective against HIV transmission regardless of inconsistent adherence and the presence of genital inflammation/ vaginal dysbiosis. The identification and validation of a target concentration in the ex vivo tissue model is likely to provide a translational model that can be used to improve tenofovir-based PrEP in women and streamline development of more effective prevention strategies for women.