Publications by authors named "L Zaman"

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves the quality of life for those living with the human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1). However, poor compliance reduces ART effectiveness and leads to immune compromise, viral mutations, and disease co-morbidities. Here we develop a drug formulation in which a lipid-based nanoparticle (LBNP) carrying rilpivirine (RPV) is decorated with the C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) targeting peptide.

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Life at all scales is surprisingly effective at exploiting new opportunities, as demonstrated by the rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance and novel pathogens. How populations acquire this level of evolvability and the various ways it aids survival are major open questions with direct implications for human health. Here, we use digital evolution to show that changing environments facilitate the simultaneous evolution of high mutation rates and a distribution of mutational effects skewed toward beneficial phenotypes.

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Article Synopsis
  • Parasites can adapt to exploit different host species, but little is known about their genetic evolution in natural settings with diverse hosts.
  • Researchers studied Bartonella bacteria in rodent populations in Israel to understand how they adapt when infecting different rodent species.
  • After infecting rodents, they found that specific genetic mutations dominated, particularly in a gene related to adhesion, indicating that these mutations could help the bacteria escape immune responses and evolve to better target specific hosts.
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Viruses of microbes are ubiquitous biological entities that reprogram their hosts' metabolisms during infection in order to produce viral progeny, impacting the ecology and evolution of microbiomes with broad implications for human and environmental health. Advances in genome sequencing have led to the discovery of millions of novel viruses and an appreciation for the great diversity of viruses on Earth. Yet, with knowledge of only "who is there?" we fall short in our ability to infer the impacts of viruses on microbes at population, community, and ecosystem-scales.

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Article Synopsis
  • Antiretroviral therapy (ART) significantly enhances the quality of life for individuals with HIV-1, but issues with patient adherence can lead to negative health outcomes, including viral mutations and co-existing medical conditions.
  • A new drug delivery system using lipid nanoparticles (LNP) decorated with CCR5 is designed to effectively target and deposit rilpivirine (RPV) in areas where the virus hides, improving delivery and retention in immune cells.
  • This innovative approach, including the use of focused ultrasound to cross the blood-brain barrier, shows promise in enhancing HIV suppression, especially in hard-to-reach sites within the body such as the brain.
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