Lynn Pulliam

Dr. Lynn Pulliam is Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. She serves as Director of Microbiology at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center where she teaches microbiology to Infectious Disease and Laboratory Medicine residents and fellows.

Dr. Pulliam earned her Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology from the University of California, San Francisco in 1983, her M.S. in Microbiology from California State University, Long Beach in 1977, and her B.A. in Biology from Northwestern University in 1969.

Dr. Pulliam's research focuses on HIV-associated cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, and chronic monocyte activation. She has pioneered work on extracellular vesicles from activated cells and their influence on inflammation in recipient cells. Her research demonstrates that blood neuron-derived exosomes can serve as biomarkers for cognitive impairment in HIV, Alzheimer's disease, and post-COVID sequelae. Her laboratory investigates how these exosomes provide a window into brain neuron health and how they might be used for early detection and monitoring of neurological conditions. This work bridges virology, neuroscience, and laboratory medicine, creating innovative diagnostic approaches for neurological complications across multiple disease states.

Dr. Pulliam's recent publications show a strong focus on exosomes and extracellular vesicles as biomarkers for neurological conditions, with particular emphasis on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, Alzheimer's disease, and Long COVID neurological manifestations. Her work demonstrates how these vesicles carry molecular signatures that reflect brain health, creating non-invasive diagnostic tools that could transform patient care across multiple neurological conditions.

Dr. Pulliam has received numerous prestigious awards including:

• San Francisco Business Times 2012 Most Influential Women in Business
• Society for Neurovirology President (2010-2013)
• International Society for Neurovirology 2009 Outstanding Women in Neuroscience
• Drexel College of Medicine 2017 Prize in Neurovirology
• International Society for Neurovirology 2019 Pioneer in Neurovirology

As a Principal Investigator, Dr. Pulliam has secured substantial research funding from the NIH and Veterans Affairs, including multiple R01 and R21 grants. Her current projects include 'Neural and cognitive consequences of COVID-19 survival' (Veterans Affairs Merit Award CX002322, 2021-2025) and 'Plasma neuronal-derived exosomes are biomarkers of HIV cognitive impairment' (NIH R01MH121121, 2020-2025). Her laboratory has been continuously funded for over two decades, focusing on the intersection of HIV, neuroinflammation, and cognitive disorders.

Dr. Pulliam maintains an active role in the scientific community as a continuing Board of Directors Member of the Society for Neurovirology and as a member of several journal Editorial Boards, contributing significantly to the advancement of neurovirology research and education.