Marisa Jefferies

Bio

Dr. Marisa Jefferies is dedicated to understanding how HIV-1 infection affects white matter development during adolescence. Her research addresses the critical need to explore white matter pathology in individuals living with HIV-1, even those undergoing effective antiretroviral therapies. This focus is particularly important during adolescence, a period when the brain’s white matter continues to develop, and adolescents account for a disproportionately high number of new HIV-1 cases annually. Dr. Jefferies examines oligodendroglial and myelination dynamics during this critical window of brain development using an animal model. Her work also investigates how antiretroviral therapy during adolescence impacts white matter development, aiming to determine whether these drugs contribute to white matter pathology. By focusing on the understudied oligodendrocyte, the glial cell responsible for myelin production in white matter, Dr. Jefferies is at the forefront of a rapidly growing field, approaching these neurological questions from a novel perspective.