Walter Atwood, Ph.D.

Research Program Award (R35)
Image
photo of Walter Atwood
Institution
Brown University, Providence, RI

Dr. Atwood's research focuses on the pathogenesis of human polyomaviruses that can lead to fatal demyelinating disease in immunosuppressed patients, including Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML). The basic biology underpinning the development of PML remains elusive, including its anatomical sites, the mechanisms that govern its persistence, and how it spreads to and within the central nervous system. For this project, he aims to investigate the pathophysiology of PML to better understand its basic mechanism of infection. This information can be used to identify biomarkers of PML prediction, which will inform the development of novel strategies to treat and prevent PML.