The Doctor of Philosophy Seminar and Examination of Josefa K. Garcia-Mora

Biography

Josefa earned her veterinary medicine degree from the Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, in 2018. After working for a couple of years in private practice, she was awarded a scholarship by the Chilean government to pursue her PhD at Virginia Tech. She joined Dr. John Rossmeisl's laboratory in January 2021. During the final phase of her PhD, in July 2023, she also began a Specialty Internship in Radiology at the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine. Josefa plans to continue in the field of radiology and aims to apply for a radiology residency. Her research interests include neuroimaging, radiomics, quantitative imaging analysis, and brain tumors.

Funded by

• ANID
• Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Awards and Academic Achievements

• “American college of veterinary internal medicine (ACVIM) forum”, Minneapolis, MN., USA., Top Neurology Articles of 2023: “The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker of canine oligodendroglioma” (June 2024)”
• Winner of the VMCVM Phi Zeta Manuscript Competition in the category of Applied/Clinical Science. "The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker for oligodendrogliomas in dogs", (March 2024)

Lay Language Abstract 

Radiomics is a cutting-edge approach that combines advanced computer algorithms with medical imaging techniques like Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Computed tomography (CT), Positron emission tomography (PET), ultrasound, and X-rays to uncover patterns invisible to the human eye. By analyzing detailed image data and using artificial intelligence (AI), radiomics provides new ways to diagnose and predict diseases. While this field has been widely studied in human medicine, its use in veterinary medicine is just beginning to be explored. Radiomics could transform how we diagnose gliomas (GM), a type of brain tumor that is particularly hard to identify on medical imaging studies in animals due to cost, logistical issues, and shared features with other diseases. Additionally, conventional MRI techniques often fail to accurately determine GM type and aggressiveness.

This research aims to enhance GM diagnosis by using advanced imaging methods, combining both traditional visual and innovative quantitative MRI techniques. We believe that objective, measurable approaches and novel qualitative imaging features will be more effective than relying solely on radiologist conventional visual assessments. The goal is to develop a more accurate, accessible, and objective tool to assist veterinary clinicians in diagnosing and treating their patients. Chapter 1 reviews the challenges in diagnosing GM with conventional MRI and introduces radiomics as a promising solution, discussing how it integrates AI with quantitative imaging analysis. Chapter 2 demonstrates how tumor size can be effectively assessed to predict response to treatments using simple quantitative measurementmethods. Chapter 3 explores the T2-weighted–FLAIR mismatch sign (T2FMM), a key imaging biologic marker in human brain tumors, and evaluates its application in dogs—a pioneering effort in veterinary science. Finally, Chapter 4 outlines a radiomics-based pipeline for analyzing brain tumors, focusing on identifying GM type and aggressiveness, distinguishing tumors from non-tumor conditions, and comparing the performance of AI against expert diagnoses. This work has the potential to revolutionize veterinary brain tumor diagnostics and advance care for both animals and humans.

Publications

An Illustrated Scoping Review of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characteristics of Canine and Feline Brain Tumors Animals 2024-03-29 | Journal article DOI: 10.3390/ani14071044 Contributors: James L. May; Josefa Garcia-Mora; Michael Edwards; John H. Rossmeisl

Magnetic resonance and computed tomographic imaging characteristics and potential molecular mechanisms of feline meningioma associated calvarial hyperostosis Veterinary and Comparative Oncology 2024-02-08 | Journal article DOI: 10.1111/vco.12964 Part of ISSN: 1476-5810 Part of ISSN: 1476-5829 Contributors: Michael R Edwards; Josefa K. Garcia-Mora; Kayla M. Fowler; Christina Vezza; John L. Robertson; Gregory B. Daniel; Richard L. Shinn; Rell L Parker; Stephen R. Werre; John Rossmeisl, Jr.

The T2‐FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker for oligodendrogliomas in dogs Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2023-07 | Journal article DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16749 Contributors: Josefa Garcia‐Mora; Rell L. Parker; Thomas Cecere; John L. Robertson; John H. Rossmeisl

High-frequency irreversible electroporation improves survival and immune cell infiltration in rodents with malignant gliomas Frontiers in Oncology 2023-05-05 | Journal article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1171278 Part of ISSN: 2234-943X Contributors: Sabrina N. Campelo; Melvin F. Lorenzo; Brittanie Partridge; Nastaran Alinezhadbalalami; Yukitaka Kani; Josefa Garcia; Sofie Saunier; Sean C. Thomas; Jonathan Hinckley; Scott S. Verbridge et al.

Advancements in drug delivery methods for the treatment of brain disease Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2022-10-18 | Journal article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1039745 Part of ISSN: 2297-1769 Contributors: Brittanie Partridge; Allison Eardley; Brianna E. Morales; Sabrina N. Campelo; Melvin F. Lorenzo; Jason N. Mehta; Yukitaka Kani; Josefa K. Garcia-Mora; Etse-Oghena Y. Campbell; Christopher B. Arena et al.

Comparison of linear and volumetric criteria for the determination of therapeutic response in dogs with intracranial gliomas Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2022-05 | Journal article DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16406 Part of ISSN: 0891-6640 Part of ISSN: 1939-1676 Contributors: Josefa Karina Garcia-Mora; John Robertson; Fang‐Chi Hsu; Richard Shinn; Martha M. Larson; Christopher G. Rylander; Christopher T. Whitlow; Waldemar Debinski; Rafael V. Davalos; Gregory B. Daniel et al.1.

Presentations

“American college of veterinary internal medicine (ACVIM) forum”, Minneapolis, MN., USA., Video recording presentation-Top Neurology Articles of 2023: “The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker of canine oligodendroglioma” (June 2024)”

“33rd annual Graduate research symposium”, Blacksburg, VA, USA., Poster presentation: “Exploring radiomics on magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of glioma in dogs” (March 2024)

“American college of veterinary internal medicine (ACVIM) forum”, Philadelphia, PA., USA., Poster presentation: “The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker of canine oligodendroglioma” (June 2023) “

“GPSS research symposium”, Blacksburg, VA, USA., Short presentation: “The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker of canine oligodendroglioma” (March 2023)

“32nd annual Graduate research symposium”, Blacksburg, VA, USA., Poster presentation: “The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign as an imaging biomarker of canine oligodendroglioma” (March 2023)

“Neuro- oncology symposium”, Minneapolis, MN, USA., Poster presentation: Comparison of linear and volumetric criteria for the determination of therapeutic response in dogs with intracranial gliomas.” (May 2021)Cancer research alliance inaugural retreat” Roanoke, VA. USA.,

Poster presentation: “Comparison of linear and volumetric criteria for the determination of therapeutic response in dogs with intracranial gliomas.” (March 2021)

Examination Graduate Committee

Major Advisor/Chair:

John H. Rossmeisl, Jr. DVM, MS, DACVIM-Internal Medicine,Neurology
Associate Department Head, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Dr. and Mrs. Dorsey Taylor Mahin Professor of Neurology and

Graduate Advising Committee Members:

Rell Parker, DVM, PhD, DACVIM-Neurology
Assistant Professor
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Gregory B. Daniel, BS, DVM, MS, DACVR
Emeritus Professor of Radiology

Kurt Zimmerman, DVM, PhD, DACVP-Clinical and Anatomic Pathology
Associate Head for Faculty Affairs
Professor
Pathology/Informatics
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology