Symposium Proceedings. Mexico Biomedical Research. Berlin 2017 by BIOMEDMX CLUSTER

Organizing Committee Chairs

Dr. Ana Luisa Piña-Hernández (RGMX Chapter Germany)

Dr. Héctor A. Cabrera-Fuentes (RGMX Chapter Singapore and Germany)

Student Section

Stephanie L. Proskauer-Peña, MD. (RGMX Chapter Czech Republic)

Dante V. Ortiz-Figueroa, MD. MSc. (RGMX Chapter France)

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES

8 9

ORGANIZING COMMITEE

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM

SPECIAL SPEAKERS Inaugural Words Dr. Alejandro Rivera Becerra

Mtra. Sofía Orozco Aguirre

Victor del Rosal, M.Sc

Dr. Guillermo Miguel Ruiz Palacios Prof. Dr. Duska Dragun

21 22 23

Dr. Manuel Ruiz de Chávez Guerrero MD, MSc & FRCP 24 Dr. Christian González Laporte María Elena Camacho-Mohr

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Prof. Dr. Elisa Liehn (Germany)

Prof. Dr. Óscar Pérez (Mexico)

Prof. Dr. Klaus Preissner (Germany)

Prof. Dr. Arturo Reyes Sandoval (United Kingdom)

Prof. Dr Ulrich Dirnagl (Germany)

Prof. Dr. Rafael Gutiérrez (Mexico/Germany)

Prof. Dr. Manuel Mayr (United Kingdom)

Dr. Víctor Villalobos (Germany/USA)

Prof. Dr. Guillermo Barreto (Germany)

MSc. Lutz Steiner (Germany)

SPECIAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Prof. Dr. Álvaro Rendón (France)

SPEAKERS ENTREPRENEURS M.Sc. Naivy Nava. Centro Kappa de Conocimiento Alejandro Ángeles y Patricia Campa.. KEHLSE Héctor Torres. ONKO SOLUTIONS. Francisco Javier Velázquez Escobar y Gerardo Anzaldúa. ERGO AGRO-NEGOCIOS

40 41

Hugo René González Rodríguez. TANGIBLE NOUS.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Héctor Salazar (Germany) Dr. Magali Aceves-Martins (Scotland) Dr. Paul Lamothe Molina (Germany) Dr. Carlos Omar Heras Bautista(Germany)

POSTERS

47 48 49 50

CANCER Isaac Perez/ Marín Lorenzo Holguín Luis Eduardo Lara-Gonzalez

52 53

CARDIOLOGY Raúl Quiñonez, MSc

INFECTOLOGY Diana L. Rodriguez Isaac Ruiz MD, MSc

55 56

NANOTECHNOLOGY & BIOMATERIALS 57 Gabriela Figueroa Miranda, M. Sc 58 Dante V. Ortiz Figueroa. MD, MSc

NEUROLOGY & NEUROSCIENCES Brenda Carolina Nájera Chávez , MD Silvina Romero Suárez MSc Stephanie L. Proskauer Peña. MD

59 60 61 62

Luisa Austin Hasam Henderson. MSc

OBESITY & DIABETE LN. Esther Ramírez-Villarreal

63 64

LN. Celeste Alejandrina Alcaraz Reza 65 René J. Hernández Bautista .PhD Nicté Figueroa-Vega

OTHER TOPICS Azalia Mariel Carranza-Trejo, MD

67 68

Karla Rubio. MSc 69 Naivy Nava MSc Gilberto Gonzalez, MSc J.Socrates Lopez-Noguerola

70 71

Art and Biomedicine 84

SURVEY 90

GALLERY 7

INTRODUCTION Red Global de Mexicanos Calificados en el Exterior (RED GLOBAL- MX) Working towards a healthier Mexico 1st International Symposium “Mexico in the Biomedical Research“ Berlin, Germany. April 27-28th 2017 “Health is a treasure through which everything becomes possible” Reads in Spanish as… “La salud es el bien más preciado, pues con salud se puede todo“

As biomedical researchers we recognize that financial resources in the area of Health are limited everywhere in the world, which is why it is necessary to optimize the efforts towards knowledge development in this area. The conception of this event originates from the need of gathering the Mexican biomedical diaspora; as first attempt in Europe, with the vision of establishing a global network of Mexican biomedical professionals to promote collaboration among us, to focus efforts to have a positive influence and impact in our country. Dr. Pina and Dr. Cabrera consolidated the idea of gathering the Mexican biomedical researchers through coordinated efforts of the Red Global (Global Network of Qualified Mexicans Abroad), which is the diaspora hosting this event. For this initiative we were fortunate to have the full support of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, the Mexican Embassy in Germany and Innovation –Match. For all this support and circumstances it was possible this first Symposium, of many more to come, “Mexico in the Biomedical Research” We acknowledged also the relevance and presence of other institutions such as the Mexican Ministry of Health, represented here by Dr. Guillermo Ruiz-Palacios. The Berlin Institute of Health, with her director Prof. Dr. Duska Dragun. The Mexican National Council of Science and Technology, CONACYT, with Dr. Christian GonzalezLaporte and the representative of the University of the State of México, UAEMEX, M.A. María Elena CamachoMohr. We also count with members of the biomedical section of “Dreamers without borders” from USA. And of course all of the Keynote speakers, students and assistants to this event.

Among our goals as organized diaspora in the Red Global (Global Network, which counts to full support from the Foreign Ministry of Mexico), is to promote that the high skilled professional contributes to strengthening the development and technological innovation of our country; also to guide the creation of projects impacting business and economic development, education for global innovation and the support of other Mexican communities abroad.

OBJECTIVES

With this Symposium we want to achieve: 1.- To create a network of Mexican biomedical researchers who live abroad. 2.- To promote the creation of projects in Europe and link and connect Mexican universities and enterprises. 3.- To enhance the communication among Mexican and European government institutions, private sector, academia and researchers; 4.- To promote and perform multidisciplinary research in biomedical topics, to establish the necessary regulations to guide and enforce state of the art manufacture. We want also to establish effective therapies of high quality for patients requiring them in Mexico. We, the Mexicans living abroad, want to share this fortune to live in this way, with the duality to love both our country of origin and the country which host and welcome us (as it is this wonderful country Germany). We will continue to put all our efforts and work to have an effective positive influence and impact in our country…our México! The Organizing Committee Dr. Ana Luisa Piña (Global Network of Mexicans Abroad, Chapter Germany) Dr. Héctor Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes (Global Network of Mexicans Abroad, Chapter Singapore) Dr. Stephanie L. Proskauer Peña (Global Network of Mexicans Abroad, Chapter Czech Republic) Dr. Dante Ortiz-Figueroa (Global Network of Mexicans Abroad, Chapter France)

ORGANIZING COMMITEE CHAIRS Dr. Ana Luisa Piña-Hernández (RGMX Germany) Dr. Ana Luisa Piña is a biomedical researcher with a Ph.D. in Neurosciences. She was born in Mexico City and did her undergraduate and graduate studies in the Institute of Biomedical Research and the Institute of Cellular Physiology of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. She worked at Rockefeller University (New York, USA), McGill University (Montreal, Canada) and University of Regensburg in Germany. She currently holds a position as Research Group Leader at the Experimental Neurosurgery section in the Neurosurgery Department at the Medical University Charité in Berlin. Her specialization area is Neuroprotection and recovery of function after brain damage, focusing mainly on neurotrophic factors during development, aging and pathogenesis of the mammalian central nervous system, with special attention to post stroke neuroprotective effects on blood brain barrier tight junction , Lymphocyte trafficking and Neurogenesis. She has received several fellowships and grants, such as “Rahel Hirsch”, which is awarded to women scientists in the medical area to achieve “habilitation” (highest academic degree in Germany). She has always advocated for creating the links between Mexican and German scientific institutions. Dr. Piña not only has always promoted academic exchange for students at all levels, but she had also supported collaboration among mexican researchers and events that could increase the international exposure of mexican researchers. She is the Head Coordinator of Science, Technology, Research and Academia and the General Secretary in the Board of the Chapter Germany of the Global network for Hiighly Qualified Mexican Abroad. . Dr. Ana Luisa Pina Global Network for Mexicans Abroad Chapter Germany Research Group Leader Department of Neurosurgery Experimental Neurosurgery/BCRT Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin Chariteplatz 1/Virchowweg 21 Aschheim-Zondek-Haus 03-003 D-10117 Berlin E-mail. ana-luisa.pina@charite.de / pinaal@hotmail.com https://www.medical-neurosciences.de/en/faculty/faculty_members/pina/ Dr. Héctor A. Cabrera-Fuentes (RGMX Singapore and Germany) Hector Cabrera-Fuentes was born in El Espinal, Oaxaca, Mexico, and graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Microbiology and MSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology at the Kazan State University, Russia in 2009. He became a fellow of the International Training Group PROMISE Giessen-Barcelona and obtained a PhD degree (2014) under the supervision of Prof. Klaus T. Preissner at the Medical School, Justus-Liebig University Giessen in Germany. During this time, he was the first to demonstrate the relevance of extracellular RNA-dependent triggering of TACE resulting in pro-inflammatory induction of macrophages (M1-polarization) that was accompanied by the release of a multitude of cytokines, particularly relevant for atherogenesis and myocardial infarction. He was the Winner of the SERVIERInternational Society of Heart Research Award 2016 and winner of Young Investigator Award of the Russian Society of Cardiology 2014. Hector A. Cabrera-Fuentes, PhD Depart. Biochemistry, Medical School Justus-Liebig-University Friedrichstrasse 24 35392 Giessen (Germany) E-mail: Hector.A.Cabrera-Fuentes@biochemie.med.uni-giessen.de Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases Program Duke-NUS Medical School 8 College Road, Level 8 169857 Singapore E-mail: alexcafu@duke-nus.edu.sg

Stephanie L. Proskauer-Peña, MD. (RGMX Czech Republic) Earlier this year in cooperation with other now-members she founded one of the 55 Chapters of the Global Network of High Qualified Mexicans abroad (RGMX) in the Czech Republic, in which she is holds the Presidential role for the period of 2017-2019. Coordinating recently scientific events on her laboratory and as part of the Chapter she is in charge, she is compromised to build bridges between her home country and her residence country; since 2014 she created a medical journal online for scientific medical divulgation of news worldwide. Since last year she has been in collaboration with the Bioscience Dept. of the German Chapter and later this year with the French and Singapore Chapters for the creation of the cluster in Biomedicine for the Europe Region of the RGMX and she is part of the Organizing committee of the 1st International Symposium “Mexico in the Biomedical Research”. Stephanie Lissette Proskauer Peña. MD, PhD candidate President Chapter Czech Republic RGMX Jr. Researcher at Experimental Neurophysiology Laboratory. Biomedical Center, Medical Faculty in Pilsen, Charles University. (Biomedicínské Centrum. Lékarská Fakulta v Plzni. Univerzita Karlova) alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00 Plzeň – Severní Předměstí E-mail: stephanie.proskauer@lfp.cuni.cz /presidencia@redmx-ceska.cz

Dante V. Ortiz-Figueroa, MD. MSc. (RGMX France) Dr. Ortiz scientific interest cover fields that are of special significance in nanotechnology and health, ethnomedicine, phytotherapy, phyllosilicates, chemistry and material science. He is an active member of the Global network of Mexican Professionals chapter France since 2012, working in the positions of Academic Coordinator and Secretary at the Administrative Council. President of the doctoral association of the University of Upper Alsace from 2015 to 2016. Since 2016 he participates in a radio broadcast in the region of Alsace preparing chronicles for science divulgation. Last year, in close collaboration with the main responsible Dr. Álvaro Rendón, he took out the role of cofounder, coordinator and animator of the Biomedicine Pole in the French chapter of the Global Network of High Qualified Mexicans Abroad (RGMX). Early this year, with the creation of the cluster in Biomedicine for the Europe Region of the RGMX, a cooperation between the Germany, Singapore and Czech Republic chapters has been carried out, Dr. Ortiz has then been invited to join the organizing committee of the 1st International Symposium “Mexico in the Biomedical Research”, to help articulate the work of Mexican researchers on Biomedical Sciences in the European region. Dante V. Ortiz Figueroa MD, MSc, PhD candidate Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M) Université de Haute Alsace (UHA) – Université de Strasbourg (UDS) Institut Jean-Baptiste Donnet, 3, rue Alfred Werner 68093, Mulhouse Cedex, France E-mail: dantescamente@gmail.com

MODERATOR MSc. Juan de Dios Ocampo (RGMX Germany) Juan De Dios Ocampo Peña holds a Diploma of Engineering in Mechatronics from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California in Mexico and a Master of Science on Global Production Engineering from the Technische Universität Berlin in Germany. He has gained experience in the Aerospace industry as well as in Telecommunications and Digital Topics; at the moment he is the Operations Manager of a StartUp in Berlin. He is also currently the President of Red GlobalMX, Chapter Germany (Red de Talentos Mexicanos Capítulo Alemania e.V.) and leads a registered non-profit association gathering 100+ members across the country. Also with an academic background in Languages, he has a position in the Central Station for Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation from the Technische Universität Berlin where he promotes and encourages cultural topics and diversity with an emphasis on Mexico. He is currently a Doctoral Candidate in the topic of Innovation Management at HHL Leipzig in Germany. Juan De Dios Ocampo Peña Red Global MX, Chapter Germany KIWI.KI GmbH Technische Universität Berlin HHL Leipzig E-mail: jdd.ocampo@rtmalemania.de

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM. 13:30

Registration. Embassy of Mexico in Germany. Day 1, April 27th, 2017 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 1 Mexico-Europe: Seeds for collaboration in Biomedical Research 14:00-15:00 Introduction MA Jorge Agraz /MA Juan de Dios Ocampo/Dr. Ana Luisa Pina/Dr. Héctor Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes Ambassador of Mexico in Germany Dr. Rogelio Granguillhome Morfín In Representation: Head of Chancery Dr. Alejandro Rivera Becerra Institute of Mexicans Abroad Mtra. Sofía Orozco Aguilar Coordinator of Europe Region of RGMX. M. Sc. Víctor del Rosal México´s Head of the Coordinating Commission of National Institutes of Health and Hospitals of High Specialty, representing México’s Minister of Health Dr. Guillermo Ruiz Palacios President of the Council of the National Bioethics Commission Dr. Manuel Ruiz de Chávez Guerrero (TBC) Director BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy Prof. Duska Dragun President/or Representative of the DAAD Prof. Dr. Margret Wintermantel (TBA) European Representative of CONACyT Dr. Christian González Laporte Representative for the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Europe Liaison Office UAEMex - University of Hildesheim M.A. María Elena Camacho-Mohr ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 2 Cardiovascular Scheherazade 15:00-16:00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dr. Héctor Alejandro Cabrera Prof. Dr. Elisa Liehn (Achen, Germany) Title Morpho-Biomechanical cross-talk in the heart after acute myocardial infarction Prof. Dr. Oscar Perez (México) Title HDL deliver cholesterol to cultured cells by a SR-Bi-independent mechanism: HMEC-1 as endothelial cell model ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Coffee break / Photo session 16:00 – 16:15

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 3 Emerging Infectious Diseases 16:15 – 17:15 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dra. Ana Luisa Pina Prof. Dr. Klaus Preissner (Giessen, Germany) Title The dual role of “neutrophil extracellular traps” (NETS) in innate immunity and thrombosis Prof. Dr. Arturo Reyes Sandoval (Oxford, UK) Title Novel vaccines for emerging pathogens: Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya and opportunities for biomedical research collaborations Oxford-Mexico ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 4 Oral and Poster Session 17:15 – 18:30 Concluding remarks ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Young researchers –Oral Presentations - Dr. Héctor Salazar (Berlin Germany) Mechanisms of activation and desensitization in ampa receptors - Dr. Magali Aceves-Martins (Scotland, UK) The European Youth Tackling Obesity (EYTO) Project: Highlights from the Spanish participation towards future replication - Dr. Paul Lamothe Molina (Hamburg, Germany) Optogenetic suppression of specific spatial memories in mice - Carlos Omar Heras Bautista Role of cardiomyocytes in extracelular matrix homeostasis in health and disease Poster session Photo session ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 5 Exhibition Art –Science-Biomedicine 18:30 – 20:00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Art and Biomedicine Exhibition Reception offered by the Embassy of Mexico in Germany

Day 2, April 28th, 2017 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 6 Health and Research 10:00 – 10:30 Mexico-Germany Relationship ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dr. Rogelio Granguillhome Morfín / Dr. Alejandro Rivera Becerra México´s Head of the Coordinating Commission of National Institutes of Health and Hospitals of High Specialty, representing México’s Minister of Health Dr. Guillermo Miguel Ruiz Palacios ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 7 Protecting Your Neurons – Basic and Translational 10:30 – 11:30 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dra. Ana Luisa Pina Prof. Dr Ulrich Dirnagl (Berlin, Germany) Title Neuroprotection: Renaissance of an already abandonded therapeutic concept? Prof. Dr. Rafael Gutiérrez (Mexico/Heidelberg, Germany) (confirmed) Title Electrophysiological studies of neuronal ensembles in health and disease ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 8 In flames we trust: Diabetes & Obesity Research 11:30 – 12:30 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dr. Magali Aceves-Martins (Scotland, UK) Prof. Dr. Manuel Mayr (London, UK) Title Very low-density lipoprotein associated apolipoproteins predict cardiovascular events and are associates with liver specific microRNA-122 Dr. Víctor Villalobos (Berkeley, USA) Title Diabetes remission: switching from the problem space to the solution space ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Lunch / Photo Session 12:30 – 13:45 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 9

Mexican Biomedical Researchers in Europe Scientific Exchange Experience: 13:45 – 14:30 Human Resources for Mexico ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dra. Ana Luisa Pina /Dr. Héctor Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes Prof. Dr. Guillermo Barreto (Bad Nauheim, Germany) Title Scientific research and development of human resources MsSc. Lutz Steiner (Berlín, Germany) Opportunities for Collaboration in Graduate Education ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 10

Mexican Biomedical Researchers in Europe A Successful Story 14:30 – 15:00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dr. Ana Luisa Pina

Dr. Álvaro Rendón (Paris, France) Title Since October 1966, 50 Years of A Franco-Mexican investigator and still on the workbench ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Session 11 Mexican Biomedical Researchers Abroad 15:00 – 15:30 Efforts for a Healthier Mexico Proposal for specific objectives and direction ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: MSc. Juan de Dios Ocampo/ Dr. Ana Luisa Piña/Dr. Héctor Alejandro Cabrera Dr. Guillermo Ruiz Palacios Mtra. Sofía Orozco Aguilar Dr. Christian González Laporte Dr. Rogelio Granguillhome Morfín Dr. Alejandro Rivera Dr. Álvaro Rendón Concluding remarks Session 12 Mexican Entrepreneurs for a Healthier México 15:30 –16:30 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chair: Dr. Ana Luisa Piña Kappa and Innovation Match-Supporting Mexican Innovative Science and Technology Kehlse-Biomedical Research-Love for Life(Video) OnkoSolutions-Innovation for Cancer Prevention Ercus Agro Negocios-Business with and for Social Development Tangible-Nous-Sustainable Food Innovation (Food tasting)

____________________________________________________________________________________ Food tasting and Photo Session 16:30-17:30 ____________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL SPEAKERS Inaugural Words

from Dr. Alejandro Rivera Becerra Head of Chancery In Representation of: Dr. Rogelio Granguillhome Morfín Ambassador of Mexico in Germany Buenas tardes. Estimado Dr. Guillermo Ruiz Palacios, Head of the Coordinating Commission of National Institutes of Health and Specialized Hospitals, from the Secretariat of Health of Mexico. Prof. Dr. Duska Dragun, Director of the Berlin Institute of Health, Dr. Christian González Laporte, Representative of CONACYT in Europe, Dr. María Elena Camacho, Representative from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Europe, Dr. Juan de Dios Ocampo, President of the Network of Mexicans Abroad, Germany Chapter Dr. Héctor Cabrera, President of the Network of Mexicans Abroad, Singapore Chapter Dear Dr. Ana Luisa Piña, Head of the Technical and Scientific Pillar of the Network of Mexicans Abroad, Germany Chapter. I would in all honesty like to mention each and every one of you, our distinguished guests who today honor us with your presence. On behalf of Ambassador Rogelio Granguillhome I extend to all the warmest welcome to our Embassy, the "House of Mexico in Germany". He regrets not being here, but he is hosting our Minister of Economics in Hannover, Ildefonso Guajardo, who this morning witnessed the formalization of Mexico’s participation in the Hannover Industrial Fair in 2018. Ambassador Granguillhome will be back to Berlin tomorrow, when he will join you. We appreciate setting time from your busy schedules to join us this afternoon and tomorrow for this event. This symposium is a concrete example of the resolve and continuous effort to strengthen the scientific and biomedical cooperation ties between Mexico and Germany, between our talented professionals abroad and Mexico, and between academia and government. To our guests who don’t know us very well, let me first tell you briefly about Mexico: -

We are a developing country of 127 million inhabitants, 50% of whom are 25 years old or younger; The 15th largest economy in the world, and therefore members of G20, whose presidency Germany holds at the moment; Our economy is comprised in 90% by the manufacturing and services sectors, and we also have an important primary sector; Mexico is a member of the OECD. We are a large country. Our territory is roughly 2 million square kilometres and we have an extensive coastline expanding more than 9,000 kilometres. To put it in perspective, we are 5.5 times the size of Germany: the distance from Tijuana to Chetumal is the distance from Berlin to Bagdad. We are a country that faces development challenges, including health, which we want to address, and which we are dealing with. And we are a very proud country, of our achievements, our culture, our food, our heritage, and our privileged resources, which set the basis for the future all of us work to build.

It is in this context that we are particularly excited about this Symposium, truly first of its kind, organized by the Network of Mexicans Abroad. This Network is integrated by highly qualified Mexican men and women who live abroad, who wish to maintain their ties and links to Mexico, with the aim of contributing to the solution of our development challenges. The objective of this event is twofold: -

One objective is to recognize the work of Mexican physicians, researchers, and doctors who live abroad and who have performed at the highest levels of excellence. We are talking about contributions, achievements and brilliant breakthroughs in the field of biomedicine. We are excited to showcase their work during these two days, with an in-depth focus in cardiology, neurology, diabetes, obesity and infections. From emerging pathogens like the Zika virus to neuronal ensembles, I am confident you will find these conferences quite fascinating and inspiring.

Another objective is to get Mexico’s most brilliant minds in Europe, to establish the European Network of Biomedicine, and to insightfully provide their opinion on Mexico’s current policy on health issues.

This is a cornerstone in public diplomacy, engaging the qualified scientific diaspora with scientists from other nations and with the public sector, to join efforts and come up with concrete measures to construct a healthier Mexico. We couldn’t be prouder, and the expectations are quite high. This is the reason why today we are honoured to have with us Dr. Guillermo Ruiz Palacios, Head of the Coordinating Commission of National Institutes of Health and Specialized Hospitals in Mexico, who is here representing our Secretary of Health. We thank you for being here with us today. And I wish to acknowledge all who have worked tirelessly and with great generosity to make this possible, Dr. Ana Luisa Piña and Dr. Hector Cabrera, Dr. Stephanie Proskauer Peña and Dr. Dante Ortiz-Figueroa. A word of gratitude goes to the Institute for Mexicans Abroad from the Secretariat of Foreign Relations of Mexico, and to Jorge Agraz and his team from our Embassy. To end I wish to reiterate the support of the government of Mexico, and wish all of you a successful symposium. We look forward to the results and follow up conferences. Gracias



Institute of Mexicans Abroad. Deputy General Director at the Institute for Mexicans Abroad. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MEXICO SUPPORTS THE MEXICAN DIASPORA THROUGH THE MEXICAN GLOBAL NETWORK

Mtra. Sofía Orozco Aguirre With more than 25 years of experience in the development of programs aimed to empower the Mexican immigrant communities abroad, Sofía Orozco Aguirre is responsible for the Mexican Global Network for highly qualified expatriates (Red Global MX) at the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME). She holds a B.A. on Education from the Mexico’s National Pedagogic University and a M.A. on Government and Public Policies from the Panamerican University in Mexico City. From a very young age, she began her career in Mexico’s education sector focusing on populations at risk. She became an elementary school teacher and worked for more than 8 years with children. Her passion to help decrease the education level gap of her fellow Mexicans, led her to become part of the founding team of the Mexican Government’s “Program for Mexican Communities Abroad” created in 1990. The program’s goal was to create a link between the Mexican Government and the Mexican diaspora living abroad. This program soon evolved into the current Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME). Being born in a family of peasants, she closely experienced the life and suffering of the Mexican population that decided to migrate to the U.S. Ever since, she became involved with IME and permanently advocated towards the creation of public policies to assist Mexican immigrants. She has vast experience in promoting programs and projects to empower Mexican immigrants and on engaging with the highly qualified diaspora to promote technology and knowledge transfer and contacts to Mexico, as well as in the adoption of best practices for the social, technological, scientific development in Mexico. Orozco is recognized by her great dedication and support to the Mexican Global Network, whose principal goal is to insert Mexico into the global economy of knowledge. This initiative is in constant evolution, with a great number of collaborations and connections, which are promoting the creation of new programs and initiatives around the world. Today, the network has grown to 54 chapters with more than four thousand active members in 24 countries and four continents. One extraordinary example is the First International Symposium “Mexico in the Biomedical Research: Working towards a healthier Mexico” celebrated in Berlin, which was organized by Germany and Singapur Chapters from the Mexican Global Network, in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy in Germany and the Institute for Mexicans Abroad. These events contribute to share best practices and successful projects, as well as lessons learned which multiply profitable efforts in strategic areas for Mexico. Through this, knowledge, contacts and experiences will result in an important asset for Mexico’s development and will create great opportunity areas for its public administration and for the country itself. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Institute for Mexicans Abroad, Deputy General Director E-mail : sorozco@sre.gob.mx



Regional Coordinator, Red Global MX, Europe.

THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN A WORLD OF WHITE-COLLAR AUTOMATION´

Victor del Rosal, M.Sc. Victor’s message focused around the importance of the contributions of the Mexican diaspora to help Mexico lead in the knowledge economy, that is, Mexican professionals abroad who never really left Mexico, as demonstrated by their work in various initiatives that improve Mexico’s education, for example. He also highlighted the importance of the aims of the Simposium in creating a network of biomedical professionals abroad, fostering international academic cooperation in this matter, establishing links with key stakeholders, and conducting multidisciplinary research aimed at improving standards. Mexico’s role in the knowledge economy is a key item for discussion given the advances in information technologies and other emerging technologies. To put this into context, powered by advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the global supply of intelligence has increased. We now carry in our pockets devices which have the same computing power as the military-grade supercomputers of the 80s. This computing power means that operations that used to be performed by human cognition will continue to lose value: we live in the age of automation. Think for instance of an automated fraud detection algorithm used by banks requiring minimal human input. As AI systems continue to evolve and become increasingly powerful, tasks which are repetitive and predictable will continue to be phased out of the economy. The supply of computing power will continue to increase exponentially, leading to interesting challenges in the future of work. One particular area of interest is: how will we prepare at school for this? What should education be like in the age of AI? What skills will be valued in the workplace? What is the future of education?

Victor del Rosal, M.Sc. is Senior Consultant at Emtechub and Lecturer of Emerging Technologies and Business Strategies at NCI's Cloud Competency Centre in Dublin. Author of the book “Disruption: Emerging Technologies and the Future of Work” (Amazon/Kindle), used as textbook in universities in Ireland, Switzerland and USA. Head of Business Analysis for Tata Consultancy Services, serving Fortune 500 clients in the High Tech and Telecom space. Masters in Management (M.Sc., 2:1 Honours) from UCD Smurfit, Dublin, Ireland. Consultant for the InterAmerican Development Bank and World Bank, Washington, DC. Economics diploma from Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. Global Top 50 Futurist, Futurist Influence Rankings (Ross Dawson, 2017). Speaker at SXSW, Austin, TX, 2016. Co-founder of Youth Business chapter, mentoring and training, (with the Prince’s Trust UK) in Mexico City. Lead mentor for the winning startup of the Citi upStart 2017 Challenge, Dublin & Belfast, March 2017. Founder, EmtecHub Lecturer, National College of Ireland Regional Coordinator, Red Global MX Europe Dublin, Ireland E-mail: victor.delrosal@rgmx.eu https://www.linkedin.com/in/victordelrosal/



México´s Head of the Coordinating Commission of National Institutes of Health and Hospitals of High Specialty, representing México’s Minister of Health (Mexico’s Ministry of Health)

Dr. Guillermo Miguel Ruiz Palacios Dr. Guillermo M. Ruiz-Palacios, MD, PhD (National University of Mexico; Residency in Internal Medicine, National Institute of Nutrition, Mexico City; Postdoctoral Fellowship in Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical School–Houston) is Professor of Internal Medicine and Chair of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition in Mexico City. He is currently Head of the Coordinating Committee of National Institutes of Health and High Specialty Hospitals. Dr. Ruiz Palacios is internationally recognized for his contributions in Infectology and Microbiology. As leader of the research group and with international partners, he developed .strategies for prevention, treatment and the Rotavirus vaccine, which has a worldwide impact in reducing mortality and hospitalizations for diarrhea in children Pioneer in HIV research and control in Mexico. He played a key part of the identification and control of the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009. Co-Director of the Emerging Infection Research Network. INSALUD-NIH, and a member of a number of steering committees and working groups of the World Health Organization. He has more than 100 publications on infectious diseases, has served as the President of the Infectious Disease Society of Mexico. Dr. Ruiz-Palacios is a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and member of the American Society of Microbiology, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the Campylobacter Society. His research is funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the government of Mexico, and private industry. Dr. Ruiz Palacios has been awarded several national and international prizes, in between them: 1998 Miguel Otero Prize by the National Health Council of the Mexican Ministry of Health 1983 Jacques Monod Medal awarded by the Louis Pasteur Institute of France 2007 Mexican National Prize of Sciences and Arts 2009 Carlos Slim Prize in Health, for his Research trajectory 2009 Medal for 30 years of Professor of the Faculty of Medicine (UNAM)



Director Berlin Institute of Health - Biomedical Innovation Academy

MEXICO‐EUROPE: SEEDS FOR COLLABORATION IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

Prof. Dr. Duska Dragun Acting Director BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, Berlin Institute of Health, Germany Duska Dragun is a professor of medicine at the Medical Faculty of Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin and a senior attending in the Department for Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Campus Virchow. Beside her clinical and research appointment, she is acting director of the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy and founding director of the Charité and Berlin Institute of Health Clinician Scientist Program currently supporting 110 clinician scientist fellows among all medical and surgical disciplines fostering translational biomedical research with structured translational medicine oriented curriculum and protected time for research. Her research is dedicated to understand acute and chronic disturbance of cardiovascular continuum in renal and transplant patients and to identify mechanisms to explain their therapy-refractory course. With combined approach of cohort studies in addition to careful phenotyping, she was able to define new disease entities on the base of mechanistic differences on the level of receptor biology and intracellular signaling as well as by identification of new soluble mediators. One example is the introduction of the new concept of biased signaling via autoimmune activation of vascular GPCRs explaining severe pathologies in renal, heart, lung and liver transplants and systemic autoimmune disease that fail to respond to classic immunomodulatory interventions. She has published more than 120 articles in peer-reviewed journals and is recipient of numerous national and international awards in nephrology, cardiovascular and transplantation medicine for her research achievements as well as awards for her society engagement exemplified by “Germany - Land of Ideas” award for the Clinical Scientist Program at Charité. Focus on the talk will be on creating timely structural framework to enable translational research by securing career pipeline. BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program (CSP) is the centerpiece of BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA). During clinical specialization, Clinician Scientists and Junior Clinician Scientists are allotted 50% or 20% of their working hours as “protected time” to exclusively conduct research. Both programs offer to their members a structured, personalized curriculum including clinical, scientific, and transferable skills training. The appointment of clinical and scientific mentors as well as progress and feedback meetings ensure guidance and support both for the research project itself and for the career development of clinician scientist. Further important challenges to tackle for the coming years will be to develop further career options which include entrepreneurial training, to prepare the program for the increasingly important digital era challenges and to support the overall goal of BIH of developing personalized advanced therapies. In the future it should be self-evident that translational researchers need to have access to both clinical and laboratory training. Acting Director BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy Berlin Institute of Health, Germany Senior attending physician in the Department for Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany E-mail : duska.dragun@charite.de



President of the Council of the Mexican National Bioethics Commission

Dr. Manuel Ruiz de Chávez Guerrero MD, MSc & FRCP

Dr. Manuel H Ruiz de Chavez, is the National Bioethics Commissioner of Mexico since 2009. He obtained his medical degree at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and his Master in Science at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, as well as a specialization on family medicine and public health. He has assumed various positions at the highest levels of health institutions in the areas of public health, primary care and health research, in the national and international field. He has served as Undersecretary of Planning at the Secretariat of Health, Corporative Director of Medical Services at PEMEX, President of the Mexican Health Foundation; President of the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico. He is currently a member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Spain, the Catalonian Royal Academy of Medicine and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, as well as board member of the Mexican Red Cross. From 2009 to 2012, he served as National Contact Point of Health between Mexico and the European Commission. He is currently the official representative of Mexico at the Committee on Bioethics (DH-BIO), Council of Europe, as well as UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee (IGBC). During 2014, he was President of the 10th Global Summit of National Ethics/Bioethics Commissions, and the 12th World Congress of Bioethics. In 2016, the Mexican Federal Government bestowed him with the National “Eduardo Liceaga” Award for Medical Sciences and Health Care Administration.



European Representative of CONACyT

Dr. Christian González Laporte

Christian Gonzalez Laporte is the representative of the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico for Europe. He earned a Master´s and a Ph.D. in Administration and Public Policy at the Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) in Grenoble, France. He obtained his Bachelor´s degree in International Relations at the ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México). Mr. Gonzalez Laporte has been a professor and researcher in different French and Mexican universities lecturing in management, public policy and political science courses. Likewise, he has been responsible of several international projects for cooperation at French and Mexican institutions. Mr. Gonzalez Laporte also has served as director for the Master´s of Public Policy and Administration Program at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico. He has held various government positions, as a consultant and director, at the Federal Telecommunications Institute of Mexico, the OECD, and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Dr. Christian Gonzalez Laporte Representative for Europe National Council for Science and Technology CONACYT Mexico E-mail : cglaporte@conacyt.mx



Representative for the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Europe (Liaison Office UAEMex - University of Hildesheim, Germany)

THE LIAISON OFFICE AS A TOOL FOR SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION BETWEEN MEXICO AND EUROPE: THE UAEMEX EXPERIENCE

María Elena Camacho-Mohr Representative of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Europe Liaison Office UAEMex – University of Hildesheim, Germany The Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex) develop collaborative academic and scientific work with other countries through four liaison offices in Argentina, Germany, Spain and USA. The representation office at the University of Hildesheim in Germany, being the first and only official representation of a Mexican higher education institution (HEI) in this country, opened in Mai 2016 for the purpose of facilitating academic and scientific cooperation with HEI and research centres in Europe. In my talk, I will explain the main activities of this liaison office, the benefits it represents for the Mexican HEI and the qualities needed in order to be successful in this effort. M.A. María Elena Camacho-Mohr Representative of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Europe Liaison Office UAEMex – University of Hildesheim, Germany

E- mail: camachom@uni-hildesheim.de

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS  Prof. Dr. Elisa Liehn (Germany)  Prof. Dr. Óscar Pérez (Mexico)  Prof. Dr. Klaus Preissner (Germany)  Prof. Dr. Arturo Reyes Sandoval (United Kingdom)  Prof. Dr Ulrich Dirnagl (Germany)  Prof. Dr. Rafael Gutiérrez (Mexico/Germany)  Prof. Dr. Manuel Mayr (United Kingdom)  Dr. Víctor Villalobos (Germany/USA)  Prof. Dr. Guillermo Barreto (Germany)  MSc. Lutz Steiner (Germany)

MORPHO-BIOMECHANICAL CROSS-TALK IN THE HEART AFTER ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION Elisa A. Liehn MD, PhD Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany Background. The acute loss of myocardium after infarction (MI) results in an abrupt increase in loading conditions inducing a unique remodeling pattern over the infarcted, border and remote myocardium. To interpret accurately the heart functionality, its constitutive elements and their complex interactions need to be interrogated. Here, we investigate the morphology-associated biomechanical modifications of myocardium at different regions following MI by using state-of-the-art biological approaches. Methods and Results. C57BL/6 mice undergone myocardial infarction by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. At high mechanical stress, remote areas compensate the loss of the function in ischemic areas, while collagen fibers accumulate, undergoing continuous architectural reorganization. The alternating accumulation of collagen assisted by its bimodal conformation is accompanied by the odd and even distribution of the sarcomere contractile length at the border zone, creating a feedback mechanism for heart function. Reciprocally, micropores act to distend the border zone concentrated stress. Hence, heart tissue regains compliance, while heart function reaches equilibrium. Conclusions. Based on our experimental evidence we can postulate that early stage fibrosis formation will be of benefit for the improved ejection fraction and the overall contractility performance. Thus, remodelling of remote, scar, and border zone might be revealed by correlative morpho-biomechanics cross-talk of architectural organization of collagen, the extent of sarcomere contraction, pore size and distribution.

PD Dr. Dr. Elisa A. Liehn Head of Cardiovascular Research Group HeART Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Aachen Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR) IZKFAachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen Pauwelsstr.30, D-52074 Aachen Tel. +49 241 8035983 Fax +49 241 8082716 E-mail: eliehn@ukaachen.de www.izkfaachen-heart.rwth-aachen.de

Elisa Liehn, MD, PhD, scientist in cardiovascular research. Her scientific interest focuses on the field of cardiovascular medicine. Specifically, she focuses on mechanisms of inflammatory processes and extracellular matrix formation after myocardial infarction, as well as cardiovascular regenerative and reconstruction therapies. Using broad experimental and clinical approaches, as well as wide interdisciplinary connections, her team is involved in finding and developing new therapeutical strategies for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

HDL DELIVER CHOLESTEROL TO CULTURED CELLS BY A SR-BI-INDEPENDENT MECHANISM: HMECC-1 AS ENDOTHELIAL CELL MODEL Óscar Pérez-Méndez, PhD Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardioliogía, Mexico Background. Despite the accepted mechanism of the reverse cholesterol transport as the most important antiatherogenic property of HDL, several studies strongly suggest that HDL carry, internalize, and deliver lipids to endothelial cells to maintain their membranes homeostasis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to demonstrate that HDL are cholesterol carriers that deliver cholesterol via SR-BI to endothelium using HMEC-1 cells as a new model of endothelial cells. Methods and Results. HMEC-1 endothelium model derived from dermic microvasculature was validated by quantitation of endoglin, SR-BI, and TNFalfa-induced expression of VCAM-1, and compared with HUVEC by flow cytometry. Lipoprotein internalization was assessed by labeling HDL protein with Alexa-Fluor 488. Alternatively, we prepared reconstituted HDL (HDLr) using fluorescent 25-NBD-cholesterol. We incubated HMEC-1 cells with HDL preparations and fluorescence was analyzed by confocal microscopy and/or flow cytometry. SR-BI contribution to HDL internalization was performed using BLT-1, a specific and non-reversible inhibitor of the receptor. HMEC-1 is a suitable endothelial cell model because these cells express characteristic markers in a comparable amount than HUVEC, the most accepted model of endothelial cells. HMEC-1 cells have the additional advantage to be stable and not prone to inter individual variations associated with primary cell culture as HUVEC. Using HMEC-1 cells, we demonstrated by confocal microscopy that they internalize HDL components; after 20 minutes incubation, HDL protein is located in perinuclear area, inside structures coinciding with early endosomes. On the other hand, cholesterol showed a diffuse distribution in cytoplasm. BLT-1 partially inhibited the internalization of protein and cholesterol associated to HDL holoparticle. Unexpectedly, increasing doses of BLT-1 were associated with more protein internalization, whereas total cholesterol fluorescence delivered to the cells by HDL remained almost constant despite the presence of BLT1. Conclusions. HDL protein and cholesterol are differentially internalized by HMEC-1 cells suggesting the dissociation of the lipoprotein during the interaction with the endothelial cells. Additional to SR-BI, there are other cellular mechanisms that retain the cholesterol carried by HDL. More studies are warranted to elucidate such mechanisms. Óscar Pérez-Méndez. Senior Researcher, Head of Department and Associate Professor Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología y Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Juan Badiano 1 Sección XVI, CP14080, Mexico City. Phone: +52-1 5523016409 E-mail: opmendez@yahoo.com

Dr. Pérez-Méndez obtained his Ph.D. degree in the Université de Lille II, France with the thesis performed in the Institut Pasteur de Lille. He demonstrated that deep hypoalphalipoproteinemias have their kinetic etiology on an accelerated HDL-apoAI catabolism. Under such circumstances, very low levels of HDL are not associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis. During his postdoctoral fellowship in the Ghent University, Belgium, he demonstrated that some domains of enzymes and lipoprotein remodeling proteins are involved lipid mixing and membrane fusion using fluorescent markers. Once in the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología, Mexico City, he postulated that HDL subclasses might be a biomarker of coronary heart disease risk. He developed several methods to quantify the lipids associated to HDL subclasses. By these methods, he demonstrated that triglyceriderich small HDL are associated to coronary clinical events; sphyngomyelin in HDL subclasses increases when coronary risk factors decreased by weight loss. In addition, impaired HDL lipid remodeling is observed during postprandial period in patients with high risk of atherosclerosis. He particularly demonstrated that phospholipids of HDL subclasses are associated with increased coronary calcification. In line with these observations, he recently demonstrated that epicardial adipose tissue expresses high levels of osteopontin and low levels of osteonectin, suggesting that this tissue acts as a paracrine organ contributing to the calcification of atheroma. Finally, recent data from his group of research, demonstrate that during acute phase, i.e. acute coronary syndrome and cranioencephalic trauma, the decrease of HDL below a determined plasma level, is a biomarker of fatal outcomes. On the basis of these observations, he postulated that HDL carry cholesterol to the tissues, necessary for tissue repair.

THE DUAL ROLE OF “NEUTROPHIL EXTRACELLULAR TRAPS” (NETS) IN INNATE IMMUNITY AND THROMBOSIS Klaus T. Preissner Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany Neutrophilic granulocytes are within the first line defence of the innate immune system and fulfil their job by intracellular killing (following phagocytosis of microbial material) as well as by extracellular killing, using ejected “Neutrophil extracellular traps” (NETs), composed of nuclear DNA-histone networks. NETs are liberated from neutrophils by “NETosis”, a process that follows activation of these cells by various agonists, requires reactive oxygen species and the modification of histones to liberate the entire nucleo-some (DNA-histone) content. Upon infection, bacteria get attached to this extracellular DNA-histone network and become killed due to the high concentration of bound antimicrobial peptides, derived upon neutrophil degranulation. Excessive formation of NETs can lead to complications such as tissue damage and impaired cell functions, particularly mediated by the cytotoxic function of histones. Phagocytic triggers significantly enhance NETosis in neutrophils, in order to instantaneously provide all available defence weapons to fight microbial attack. Another major trigger of NETosis, particularly in the blood stream, are (activated) platelets, which form cellular conjugates with neutrophils that respond with the fast production of NETs to provide a highly pro-thrombotic scaffold. Subsequently, NETs may become an integral constituent especially of arterial thrombi. Preclinical animal studies revealed that NETs are causally involved in both, arterial and venous thrombosis, and that prevention of NETosis or degradation of NETs by application of DNase protects or reduces pathological thromboembolism. In the context of innate immunity, the NET-promoted generation of thrombi in the microcirculation also prevents dissemination of bacteria and thereby serves as an accessory defence mechanism (designated “immunothrombosis”). Thus, the dual role of NETs not only contributes to new perspectives of innate immunity, including thrombotic reactions and vascular diseases mechanisms, but also opens unexpected ways for therapeutic approaches. Klaus T. Preissner, PhD Deputy Director, Department of Biochemistry, Division of Cellular Biochemistry Medical School, Justus-Liebig-University Friedrichstrasse 24 35392 Giessen, Germany Tel. +49-641-994-7500 Fax. +49-641-994-7509 E-mail: klaus.t.preissner@biochemie.med.uni-giessen.de Prof. Klaus T. Preissner studied Chemistry/Biochemistry in Cologne (Germany) and there he received his PhD in 1978 for research on HDL-structure. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Immuno-logy at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA (1980-1983), investigating regulatory mechanisms of complement attack. Thereafter, he became a principal group leader at the “Clinical Re-search Unit for Blood Coagulation and Thrombosis” of the Max-Planck-Society in Giessen (1983-1997), followed by the position as associate professor in 1987 (JustusLiebig-University, JLU, Giessen). Since 1998 he is Professor for Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry at the Depart. Biochemistry, JLU-Medical School in Giessen. His previous research was devoted to cell adhesion and proteolytic mechanisms in the context of vascular diseases and wound healing, particularly involving vitronectin and its receptors. His current scientific activities are concerned with innate immunity and alarm mechanisms in cardio-vascular and thrombotic pathologies, particularly with respect to the role of self-extracellular nucleic acids and new therapeutic concepts using endo-nucleases as cardio-protective drugs. He served as editor-in-chief (2003-2010) for “Thrombosis and Haemostasis” and was chairman (2009-2014) of an international graduate program “PROMISE” (Protecting the heart against ischemia), between Barcelona (Spain) and Giessen and has organized several international conferences. He is (co)author of more than 320 peer-reviewed publications, including cooperative projects with several international groups.

NOVEL VACCINES FOR EMERGING PATHOGENS: ZIKA, DENGUE AND CHIKUNGUNYA; AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS OXFORD-MEXICO Prof. Arturo Reyes-Sandoval, PhD The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK Background. In the last 15 years, vaccines developed using molecular techniques to develop transgenic viruses have become a leading platform to fight infectious diseases. My group is using these techniques to design, clone and assess new vaccines against neglected and infectious diseases, including Malaria, Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and Chagas disease, all prevalent in Mexico. In parallel, I have established a collaborative network with Mexican scientists to study these infectious diseases and contribute to the improvement of the vaccines being developed in Oxford. Methods and Results. Recombinant viral vectors consisting of Adenovirus and Modified Vaccinia Ankara have proven useful for the development of new vaccines against arboviruses, such as Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya, where high frequencies of T-cell responses and titres of antibodies have been induced and demonstrated protection in animal models. Other platforms like Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) have proven useful as malaria vaccines and Oxford has been supportive to apply for various patents, while funds have been successfully raised to take some of these developments to clinical trials. A long-term interest and commitment will be to assess these vaccines in Mexico, while supporting infrastructure development and capacity building with scientists in Mexico, for which I have promoted the development of an initiative called NDM-Mexico to promote collaborative research and student/academic exchanges. Conclusions. The presentation will focus on the scientific approaches taken to develop vaccines and academic activities to promote collaborations between the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Oxford- and Mexico.

Prof. Arturo Reyes-Sandoval Principal Investigator Emerging and Neglected Infectious Diseases Group Director of Graduate Studies at the Jenner Institute The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford United Kingdom E-mail: arturo.reyes@ndm.ox.ac.uk

Dr. Arturo Reyes-Sandoval is an Associate Professor at the Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM) in the University of Oxford. He is a Principal Investigator at the Jenner Institute. Arturo is currently leading a group working on a research program to develop vaccines for 5 neglected and emerging infectious diseases, including two in preclinical phase: Chagas disease and Dengue; and three that have entered clinical stage: P. vivax malaria, Zika and Chikungunya. His work is supported by the Wellcome Trust, the MRC, Department of Health through Innovate UK, the Brazilian and Mexican governments. Recently, he has contributed to the establishment of strong links between Oxford and Mexico supported by formal agreements between the NDM and six leading universities and public health laboratories and has extended his program for vaccine development to studies in Mexico. This has led to the creation of the NDM-Mexico initiative to support collaborative work between various research groups in Oxford with scientists from Mexico, as well as student and academic exchanges.

NEUROPROTECTION: RENAISSANCE OF AN ALREADY ABANDONDED THERAPEUTIC CONCEPT? Prof. Ulrich Dirnagl Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany Neuroprotection is a mantra of translational neuroscientists ever since ‘excitotoxicity’ was described in the nineteenseventies, and anti-NMDA receptor targeted strategies fueled the hope for an imminent breaktrough in the therapy of stroke and other brain diseases in which neurons die acutely or chronically (brain and spinal cord trauma, Parkinsons’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy). However, despite spectacular results in animal models of these diseases, translation of these findings to patients has failed, despite numerous attempts in clinical trials, and the concept of neuroprotection has fallen from grace. In my talk I propose that a reevaluation of neuroprotection, at least in stroke, may be overdue. 1) We begin to understand why clinical translation may have failed. Important reasons include low interrnal and external validity of preclinical research, or to put it more bluntly: low quality of research; 2) clinical trial designs did not match the ultrashort time window for neuroprotection in stroke; 3) novel trial designs are emerging to put hyperacute stroke treatment to the test (in the field randomization and treatment by trained paramedics; specialized stroke ambulances with CT and point of care laboratory combined with tailored dispatch algorithms within the emergency medical system); 4) novel classes of neuroprotectants for which smart proof of concept has been obtain in patients. Prof.Dr.Ulrich Dirnagl Department of Experimental Neurology Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany and QUEST – Quality | Ethics | Open Science | Translation BIH Center for Transforming Biomedical Research Berlin Institute of Health, Germany E-mail: ulrich.dirnagl@charite.de

The research of Ulrich Dirnagl is focused on stroke, cerebral blood flow regulation, and brain imaging. In preclinical models as well as clinical trials he and his coworkers and collaborators explore mechanisms by which brain ischemia leads to cell death, and develops novel methods to intercept mechanisms of damage in acute brain damage, as well as to foster regeneration and repair of the lesions. He is particulary interested in how the brain protects itself (‘endogenous neuroprotection’), and how the brain interacts with other systems of the body after it has been injured. Closely linked to his interest in stroke pathophysiology is his interest in the coupling of regional blood flow to neuronal acitivity, the mechanism underlying functional brain imaging with MR and PET. Beyond imaging structure and function of the CNS he and his team are developing, validating and using techniques that allow the non-invasive imaging of brain biochemistry and molecular signaling. To this end they use optical, MR, and nuclear medicine approaches in mouse and man. To improve the predictiveness of preclinical translational research he is actively promoting the introduction of quality standards for experimental design and reporting, as well as international collaboration in large, phase III-type preclinical trials. Through meta-research he is trying to identify opportunities for improving research practice and to obtain evidence for the impact of targeted interventions. At the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Ulrich Dirnagl serves as Director of the Department of Experimental Neurology. Since 2017 he is also the founding director of the Center for Transforming Biomedical Research (CTBR) at the Berlin Institute of Health. CTBR aims at overcoming the roadblocks in translational medicine by increasing the value and impact of biomedical research through maximizing the quality, reproducibility, generalizability, and validity of research.

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF NEURONAL ENSEMBLES IN HEALTH AND DISEASE Rafael Gutiérrez, PhD Department of Pharmacobiology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City Neurons communicate with each other via synapses, which are the sites where either ionic currents flow between the neurons or where one neuron releases a chemical messenger to communicate with the other. These modes of communication, electrical and chemical, are not mutually exclusive and we have demonstrated that they can coexist. To study the way neurons communicate, how this communication changes by experience and to understand how many neurons “get together” in ensembles to convey messages to other neuronal ensembles, several electrophysiological approaches, of increasing complexity, have to be used in parallel. To understand the underlying principles of communication between neurons, we study how pairs of cells interact in isolation. At the next level, we also study how single cells behave when they are part of a tissue and, finally, we try to unravel how microcircuits communicate with each other by simultaneously recording thousands of cells. On the one hand, advances in electronics have enabled us to undertake such massive recordings and, on the other, analytical (mathematical and computational) tools have been developed to cope with the task of finding sense in the signals that thousands of neurons generate. Unravelling how cell ensembles behave will allow us to understand how microcircuits behave in health and in models of neurological diseases. This will eventually lead us to device new intervention approaches to combat neurodegenerative diseases. Prof. Dr. Rafael Gutiérrez Departamento de Farmacobiología Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Calzada de los Tenorios 235, Col. Granjas Coapa, 14330 Ciudad de México

E-mail: rafagut@cinvestav.mx

Prof. Rafael Gutiérrez obtained his PhD in Neurosciences from the National University of Mexico in 1993. In that year, he was awarded with the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Research Scholarship and spent 3 years working with Prof. Uwe Heinemann in the University of Cologne and Humboldt University in Berlin. In 1997, he established his laboratory at the National Institute of Psychiatry, where he was the head of the department of Neurophysiology. In 1998 he obtained his tenure at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico, where he is full professor at the Department of Pharmacobiology. He has over 70 published papers, a book edited by Springer Verlag and has received several distinctions. He has served in several evaluation committees from International Organizations and has been reviewer for research proposals and scholarhips granted by Institutions in Germany, US, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, UK. He is a regular reviewer for most of the journals of neurosciences and member of the editorial board of 5 of them. He was recently awarded with the Mercator Professorship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and is currently spending a sabbatical year at the University of Heidelberg. His research interests are synaptic transmission and its plasticity. He is known in his field for having discovered the co-release of glutamate and GABA from single cells and for the description of mixed electrical-chemical communication between principal neurons of the hippocampus. Together with his colleagues in Heidelberg, he and his group are studying how neural cells work in concert to create activity patterns.

VERY LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN ASSOCIATED APOLIPOPROTEINS PREDICT CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS AND ARE LOWERED BY INHIBITION OF APOC-III Manuel Mayr MD, PhD King’s British Heart Foundation Centre, King’s College London, London, UK Background. Routine apolipoprotein measurements for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are restricted to apoA-I and apoB. Methods and Results. Here, we applied a standard flow liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method to samples from the community-based longitudinal Bruneck Study (year 2000 evaluation, n=668). We have reduced the run time to almost a third of the nanoflow LC-MS approach. In addition, the standard flow method also offered less variation in protein measurements. The associations of 13 apolipoproteins, 135 lipid species, and 211 other plasma proteins with incident CVD (91 events of stroke, myocardial infarction, or sudden cardiac death) were assessed prospectively over a 10-year period (2000-2010). The apolipoproteins most significantly associated with incident CVD were apoC-II (hazard ratio per 1 standard deviation, 95% confidence interval: 1.40, 1.17-1.67), apoCIII (1.38, 1.17-1.63), and apoE (1.31, 1.13-1.52). Associations were independent of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and non-HDL cholesterol and extended to stroke and myocardial infarction. The lipidomic and proteomic profiles implicated these 3 very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-associated apolipoproteins in de novo lipogenesis, glucose metabolism, complement activation, blood coagulation, and inflammation. Notably, apoC-II/apoC-III/apoE correlated with a pattern of lipid species previously linked to CVD risk. Next, changes in apolipoprotein and lipid levels following treatment with volanesorsen, a second-generation antisense drug targeting apoC-III, were determined in two human intervention trials, one of which was randomized. ApoC-III inhibition by volanesorsen reduced plasma levels of apoC-II, apoC-III, triacylglycerols, and diacylglycerols, and increased apoA-I, apoA-II, and apoM (all P<0.05 vs. placebo) without affecting apoB-100 (P=0.73). Conclusions. In summary, the multiplexing capability of LC-MS increases throughput and reduces the costs of large-scale protein measurements in epidemiological cohorts. The strong associations of VLDL-associated apolipoproteins with incident CVD in the general community provide support to the concept of targeting triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins to reduce risk of CVD . Prof. Manuel Mayr BHF Professor of Cardiovascular Proteomics King's British Heart Foundation Centre King's College London 125 Coldharbour Lane London SE5 9NU, UK E-mail: manuel.mayr@kcl.ac.uk

Biography: Manuel Mayr qualified in Medicine from the University of Innsbruck (Austria) in 1999. In 2001, he moved to London to undertake a PhD, on the topic of “Cardiovascular Proteomics: Linking Proteomic and Metabolomic Changes”. He obtained a British Heart Foundation (BHF) Intermediate Research Fellowship in 2005 and was appointed as Lecturer at King’s College London in 2006. In 2008, he was successful in obtaining a BHF Senior Research Fellowship and this was recently renewed for a second term. In parallel, he achieved promotion to Professor in 2011. His academic achievements have been recognised by the inaugural Michael Davies Early Career Award of the British Cardiovascular Society (2007), the inaugural Bernard and Joan Marshall Research Excellence Prize of the British Society for Cardiovascular Research (2010), and the Outstanding Achievement Award by the European Society of Cardiology Council for Basic Cardiovascular Science (2013). In 2017, he was awarded a BHF Personal Chair.

DIABETES REMISSION: SWITCHING FROM THE PROBLEM SPACE TO THE SOLUTION SPACE Victor Villalobos WeIngarten Hochschule, Germany / UC Berkeley, USA.

For long time, scientific efforts have focused on studying the natural history of diabetes, how it appears, progresses and worsens people’s health. This can be called the study of the “problem space”. However, there is no warranty that understanding the causes of the disease, we will provide us with mechanisms of reversal or cure. We have hopes they will, but, as decades of research have shown, this approach has had little, if any, success to achieve remission or cure of diabetes. An alternative approach, coming from design sciences is to study cases of diabetes remission: their physiology, genetic expression, functional and morphological changes; to study their lifestyles, their psychology. From this perspective, each case of remission constitutes a design, a solution for a complex problem that so far was unsolvable. By studying these designs, we can get insights to develop more effective solutions for the general population. This can be called the study of the “solution space”.

Victor Villalobos WeIngarten Hochschule, Germany University of California, Berkeley USA Diabetesremission.org

E-mail: vvilla@berkeley.edu

The research of Victor Villalobos is focused on merging design sciences with health sciences. He is particularly interested in tackling complex, not yet solved, health and epidemiological problems with novel approaches. Design is understood as the science of the artificial, of how humankind creates new entities, new solutions. With this approach, health issues are reframed with a new light. Giving up “perfect” answers in exchange of an enlightened trial and error, new solutions are developed. Villalobos holds a technical degree in computer programming, a bachelor´s in Psychology, a Master´s in Nutrition and is doctoral candidate from the University of California, Berkeley. His thesis was devoted to develop a new framework for health interventions development, Behavioral Design. The topic of his dissertation was to explore the causality behind diabetes remission and to try to develop a preliminary non-surgical intervention with that aim.

NON-INVASIVE LUNG CANCER DIAGNOSIS USING EXHALED BREATH CONDENSATES: AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE FOR A MEXICAN-GERMAN SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION BRINGING CLINICAL AND BASIC RESEARCH TOGETHER AND INVOLVING THE FORMATION OF MEXICAN HUMAN RESOURCES Guillermo Barreto, PD, Dr rer nat Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany Background — Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite significant advances in therapeutic strategies, the case fatality rate of LC remains exceptionally high (95%), since the majority of the patients are diagnosed at late stages when patient prognosis is poor. Thus, early LC diagnosis is crucial to reduce the high case fatality rate of this disease. Methods and Results — In this case-control study, we developed an accurate LC diagnosis test using retrospectively collected formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human lung tissues and prospectively collected exhaled breath condensates (EBCs). Following international guidelines for diagnostic methods with clinical application, reproducible standard operating procedures (SOP) were established for every step comprising our LC diagnosis method. We analysed the expression of distinct mRNAs expressed from GATA6 and NKX2-1, key regulators of lung development. The Em/Ad expression ratios of GATA6 and NKX2-1 detected in EBCs were combined using linear kernel support vector machines (SVM) into the LC score, which can be used for LC detection. LC score-based diagnosis achieved a high performance in an independent validation cohort. Conclusions — We propose our method as a non-invasive, accurate, and low-price option to complement the PD. Dr. Guillermo Barreto Group leader LOEWE Research Group Lung Cancer Epigenetic Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research Parkstr. 1 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany E-mail: guillermo.barreto@mpi-bn.mpg.de success of computed tomography imaging (CT) and chest X-ray (CXR) for LC diagnosis. Guillermo Barreto, PD, Dr rer nat, molecular biologist. His research activities are centred on the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the determination of the respiratory cell fate in the primitive foregut, leading to the formation of the lung bud and later on to the cellular diversity generated in the developing lung. His research group particularly focuses on the mechanisms involved during embryonic lung development that are recapitulated in several lung diseases, such as lung cancer (LC), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). New experimental approaches, especially those based on studies of embryonic development, are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these lung diseases. He has scientific expertise in the area of chromatin-mediated genome regulation as proven by his publications in internationally recognized journals from ongoing projects in his laboratory. He deciphered the molecular mechanism of transcription regulation mediated by the high-mobility group AT-hook 2 protein (HMGA2), one of the most abundant non-histone chromatin-associated proteins. His results link phosphorylation of the histone variant H2AX at serine 139, a classical marker for DNA damage, to transcriptional activation, which is an entirely new function for this histone modification. He proposes a model in which controlled chromatin opening during transcription activation involve intermediates with DNA breaks that require mechanisms that ensure the integrity of the genome. He also has experience in integrating basic research findings on epigenetic deregulation into the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies using molecular targets as further demonstrated by two ongoing European Patent Applications with extensive clinical relevance. As a member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) and Faculty member of the “Excellence Cluster Cardio Pulmonary System” (ECCPS) and of the “Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center” (UGMLC) he is engaged in their research networks and actively contribute to their further development.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION IN GRADUATE EDUCATION Lutz Steiner International Graduate Program Medical Neurosciences, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany Early bird catches the worm, or why it is worth the effort to start research exchange and collaboration already during graduate school. In my talk I will highlight some good practise examples of young Mexican researchers getting trained in neuroscience research at Charité. Also, I will sketch some funding instruments both national and international to support international graduate education and collaboration of junior researchers. Lutz Steiner, MSc International Graduate ProgramMedical Neurosciences Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany E-mail: lutz.steiner@charite.de www.medical-neurosciences.de

A seasoned higher education and research manager, Lutz Steiner has been coordinating the International Graduate Program Medical Neurosciences since 2001. This research driven Master and PhD program is run by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in cooperation with the Humboldt and Freie University as well as the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, the Berlin Institute of Health, the Leibniz Center for Molecular Pharmacology and the Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development. Of the 50 graduate students admitted yearly, more than 60% come from abroad. The language of instruction is English. The 2 year Master program is fully Bologna-conform and prepares students for doctoral research through intense theoretical and practical training in translational neuroscience research. The PhD program recruits both from within and outside of the Master program and prepares mainly for a continued academic career. It is closely connected to the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neuroscience. In his capacity as program manager, Lutz Steiner has conceptualized graduate education for the Berlin School of Mind and Brain and NeuroCure, both funded through the excellence initiative, as well as for the Center for Stroke Research Berlin. He managed an EU funded Early Stage Training (FP6) and currently represents Medical Neurosciences in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Neurasmus. At Charité, he is an active member of the internal working groups on Master programs, accreditation and internationalization.

SPECIAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER

In recognition to an extraordinary biomedical scientist, whose successful professional career, developed in France, exalts the name of Mexico

Prof. Dr. ร lvaro Rendรณn (France)

SINCE OCTOBER 1966, 50 YEARS OF A FRANCO-MEXICAN INVESTIGATOR AND STILL ON THE WORKBENCH Alvaro Rendon, PhD Sorbonne Universités, Pierre et Marie Curie Université, Université Paris 06, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Institut de la Vision, Paris, France

Álvaro Rendon was born on February 19, 1945 in Mexico City. He did his high school in the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria N° 5 of the UNAM in 1960-1961. He graduated as a Biologist (Generation 62-65) at the Faculty of Sciences, UNAM in May 1966. In October 1966 he arrived in Strasbourg, France, recipient of a grant from the French Government and one from the Mexican Government (INIC, ancestor of the CONACYT). In the Faculty of Sciences of the University Louis Pasteur of Strasbourg, he obtained the "Doctorat d'Etat". In October,1969, by opposition he got a permanent position at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France where he carried out his entire career until August 30, 2010, the year in which he retired. He is currently Directeur de Recherche Emérite at the Institute of Vision in Paris. He was a founding member in Strasbourg in 1995 of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Retinal Pathophysiology, a laboratory of translational research on the mechanisms of retinal cell degeneration. This laboratory was the heart of the current Institute of Vision (Director José-Alain Sahel), which was founded in Paris in 2008. Currently the research that Alvaro Rendon and his colleagues deal with, is the "Role of dystrophins in the development, physiology and vascular pathology of the visual system. At present, Alvaro Rendon and his collaborators at the Institute of Vision continue to investigate the role of the dystrophin superfamily in the vascular pathologies of the visual system, such as diabetic retinopathy and agerelated macular degeneration. One of the important discoveries of the work of Alvaro Rendon and his collaborators is to have shown in an animal model that the reintroduction of Dp71 dystrophin gene therapy can alleviate the pathological symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. Alvaro Rendon coordinates at the international level a research group on the role of the superfamily of dystrophins in the nervous system. Álvaro Rendón has established close scientific and academic contacts with Mexican institutions such as CINVESTAV, UNAM, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez, Oaxaca (UABJO), The Foundation Conde de Valenciana and the Universidad Panamericana. It has more than 25 publications with Mexican researchers. In Mexico, he has served as a trainer in numerous doctoral theses, given lectures and courses, codirected master's and doctoral work. He is currently involved in the organization of a Master's Degree in Vision Sciences with a Binational program between Mexico and France. Dr. Alvaro Rendon Directeur de Recherche Émérite INSTITUT DE LA VISION 17 rue Moreau 75012 PARIS France E-mail: alvaro.rendon@inserm.fr

SPEAKERS ENTREPRENEURS

 M.Sc. Naivy Nava. Centro Kappa de Conocimiento  Alejandro Ángeles y Patricia Campa. KEHLSE

 Héctor Torres. ONKO SOLUTIONS.

 Francisco Javier Velázquez Escobar y Gerardo Anzaldúa. ERGO AGRO-NEGOCIOS  Hugo René González Rodríguez. TANGIBLE NOUS.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;INNOVATION MATCH 2016-2017â&#x20AC;? 2nd INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF MEXICAN TALENT; DEVELOPING THE GREEN INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY, by CENTRO KAPPA DE CONOCIMIENTO S.C. Innovation Match is organized by Centro Kappa de Conocimiento, a Technology Transfer Office in Mexico, created by Dr. Eduardo Ramirez (CEO). This company has more than 20 years of experience in the project management, consulting and training and other kind of services related with innovative processes. Centro Kappa de Conocimiento has international collaborations with Universities and Companies giving as result the Graduate Network Linking, International Experts Catalog and RIIIT, that is an International Journal of Research in Innovative Technology. Innovation Match is a forum that aims to match Mexican talent over the world, with Mexican companies looking for development in their innovation process. Innovation Match look for researchers and PhD students all over the world to let their research work know, with the objective of entail it with Mexican companies. This releases the opportunity of employment incorporation, stimulates the creation of new companies with technological basis and set up research projects linked with Mexican companies and prestigious Institutions to create public politics proposals. This Forum includes Master lectures, Technological and Industrial projects, Workshops and Panels, Investment Funding linkage, Creative Industries, Special talks, Acknowledgement to Innovative Mexicans, Teen Innovators, Stands and Pavilions of the States and Public Institutions. The Forum is divided in 10 different subjects: Biotechnology; Health Sciences; Engineering and Manufacture (Electronics, Robotics, Mechatronics, Automotive, Aerospace and Manufacture); Chemical industry, Petroleum, Shale gas and Mining; Creative industry; TICs; Food technology and Primary activities (Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fishing); Ecosystem (Education, Legal Politics [normative/regulatory], Social; Economy), Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials; Renewable energies, Natural resources, Environmental Systems and Sustainability.

MSc. Naivy Nava Centro Kappa de Conocimiento PhD student in Institute of Biology and Biotechnology of Plants (IBBP) University of Muenster (WWU), Germany E-mail: naivy.nava@centrokappa.com.mx / naivy.nava@uni-muenster.de

Naivy Nava used to work as Project Coordinator in Centro Kappa de Conocimiento in Saltillo, Mexico. Nowadays she is a Mexican representative of the company in Germany, looking for connections and colaborations with german companies involved in Mexican projects. Naivy Nava is a PhD student in the IBBP of the WWU. Her research is focused in the control of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes affecting important crops such as tomato and maiz; this research is conducted using Chitooligosacchaarides as seed treatment. The work is being supervised in the group of Prof. Dr. Bruno Moerschbacher in the WWU.

KEHLSE-BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH-LOVE FOR LIFE

World health today presents major challenges that require global and innovative solutions. KHELSE rises from the desire to improve the way Mexico deals with health challenges, by generating solutions through technology, innovation and talent to democratize access to effective health tech solutions. Particularly in Mexico, these solutions must adapt to new environmental, socio-economic, epidemiological and science and technology conditions. In response to this clear need the Health Tech Innovation Institute Mexico is being created, with one of the best strategic positions, with a top global source of innovation and technology like California as a neighbour. This will be possible through a network of national and foreign Higher Education Institutes to encourage education and the generation and transfer of new technologies that solve current and future health issues, strengthening our ability to solve complex problems that transcend frontiers with a rich diversity of ideas and global perspective. We are focused on health innovation and the offer of domestic and offshore R&D, our intrests center on regenerative medicine, metabolic syndrome, inmunomicrobiology and re-emerging diseases associated with climate change.

Alejandro ร ngeles Chief Executive Officer | KHELSE E-mail : aa@khelse.com

Bachelor in Business Administrator, currently undertaking a Master degree in Government and Institutional Communication Strategies in the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and founding-partner of KHELSE. Managed communication strategies, founding partner of Bast&Hoff investment club, CEO of Nanopharmacia Diagnรณstica a leading company in oncology molecular diagnostics in Mexico.

Patricia Campa Business Coordinator | KHELSE E- mail : pc@khelse.com

Bachelor in Human Nutrition and Dietetics in Universidad de Guadalajara, currently undertakes a Master degree in Project Management in the Global School for Project Management and is partner in KHELSE entrepenourship. Colaborated as an assistant reseacher in centers such as Health Sciences University Center in Universidad de Guadalajara, National Medical Center in the Mexican Institute of Social Security and the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirรกn. Particpated as a project manager in health tech oriented companies.

ONKO SOLUTIONS Onko Solutions is a Limited Liability Company formed in Texas committed to the development and commercialization of medical products for screening, detection and treatment of cervical cancer. Onko Solutions has developed InstaPAP®, a portable medical device for cervical cancer screening that unlike Pap smears, HPV tests, or biopsies, does not require laboratory analysis or a tissue sample. InstaPAP® is designed to provide noninvasive screening with instantaneous results, eliminating costly, painful and unnecessary lab work. InstaPAP® aims to significantly reduce the fatalities attributed to cervical cancer by bringing to the market an affordable, and non-invasive testing alternative that will considerably increase the number of women that get screened and treated, and thus preventing the propagation of this cancer before it is too late. InstaPAP® combines multiple technologies leveraging Intelligent Systems based on neural networks and support vector machines, including optical and electrical spectroscopy. InstaPAP® is a superior solution that is minimally intrusive, portable, and inexpensive, while providing immediate results and greater efficiency.

Hector Torres

CEO E-mail: hector@onkosolutions.com

Hector Torres is a technology and business expert with a passion for innovation and more than 15 years of experience in planning and executing technology and commercialization projects. Mr. Torres has successfully evaluated, transferred and commercialized technologies in multiple fields and countries and enjoys helping entrepreneurs and inventors get their innovations to the market. Hector is actively promoting and assisting Universities, Research and Development Centers, and inventors in the commercialization and transfer of their intellectual capital. Mr. Torres has a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Computer Science from Davenport University, and a Master of Science in Technology Commercialization from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

ERCUS AGRO NEGOCIOS-BUSINESS WITH AND FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WHAT AWAITS BEYOND TRADITION? ENHANCING THE POST-HARVEST PROCESSING OF MEXICAN COFFEE FOR CONTROLLED TOXICANT FORMATION, REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, EXPANDED AROMATIC RANGE AND INCREASED BENEFITS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES Francisco Velázquez (Technische Universität Berlin), Gerardo Anzaldua (Ecologic Institute) Coffee is one of the most highly appreciated commodities worldwide, with global consumption rising at an average annual rate of 1.3% since coffee year 2012/2013, increased popularity in countries like China and India, and challenges to production yields underpinned by changing environmental conditions. To reach the point of consumption, coffee beans undergo post-harvest processing which includes extraction, drying, and roasting at temperatures commonly oscillating between 210-240°C. Largely untouched by advances in research and technological development, coffee roasting remains a traditional process with limited control of secondary reactions that result from the pyrolysis of sugars, amino acids and other aromatic compounds. This results in a loss of sensory properties as well as the uncontrolled formation of toxins, acrylamide being included. A promising way to regain the traditionally foregone properties and keep the formation of acrylamide to a minimum is to alter the molecular structure of the coffee bean in order to accelerate the kinetics of water evaporation within it and enhance its heat transfer capabilities. By incorporating the Instant Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC) process into the post-harvest processing, our research and implementation team has initiated preliminary tests to reduce the total humidity within the coffee bean and increase its porosity previous to roasting. Through these actions we expect to achieve a 30-40% reduction in roasting temperatures. In a second phase of the project, the effect of the DIC process on chemical, organoleptic and aromatic properties of green and roasted coffee beans (of the Arabica variety) will be measured. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of traditional and DIC post-harvest processing will be carried out in order to evaluate changes in energy and water consumption as well as the environmental impacts associated. Lastly a circular economy model will be developed to widen the range of coffee-based products stemming from the innovative processing, accruing additional benefits to coffee producers in Mexico.

Dr. Francisco Javier Velázquez Escobar Institut für Chemie Technische Universität Berlin, Germany E-mail: velazquez.escobar@mailbox.tu-berlin.de

The research of Francisco Velázquez focuses on uncovering molecular events in physicochemical and biophysical processes by implementing vibrational spectroscopy and understanding structural changes in complex molecule systems such as proteins. He is currently appointed as associated researcher at the group of Prof. Dr. Peter Hildebrandt at the Max Volmer Laboratorium for Biophysical Chemistry (Technische Universität Berlín) and is currently leading a research cell focused on photoreceptor proteins, implementation and development of vibrational spectroscopy in Life-Science and Bioanalytics. Currently he is also leading an international research network with Grupo Ercus, focusing on high-end extraction process for natural products, among others in coffee and avocado.

Gerardo Anzaldua, MSc Water Policy and Environmental Economics Ecologic Institute Berlin, Germany E-mail: gerardo.anzaldua@ecologic.eu

Gerardo Anzaldua is a Fellow at Ecologic Institute in Berlin. His research focuses on the economic aspects of environmental and water policy and the practical application of the ecosystem services approach. Gerardo also conducts consultancy work on business development for firms creating technological innovations that enable the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources. Since 2011 Gerardo is a member of the European Topic Centre on Inland Coastal and Marine waters (ETC-ICM), which supports the European Environment Agency (EEA) in its research and assessment of European waters. Currently he leads activities in four large-scale European research projects on innovation in the water sector and supports Grupo Ercus on environmental impact assessments of innovative technologies.

TANGIBLE NOUS In many countries topics related on food and health have become a major concern. Tangible Nous As food manufacturers and researchers, it is our duty to create tasty and balanced solutions to preserve food with its original organoleptic characteristics. The overall challenge is not only to reduce the caloric intake, but at the same time maintain the nutritional balance on the food. This has motivated us to tailor food strategies to overcome major health diseases such as malnutrition, over weight obesity (México is number 1) and diabetes that affect the population worldwide. To reduce the negative effects of the food products that nowadays dominate, we have developed products based on vegetable protein, it will support people’s wellbeing and quality of life. Our innovative approach is the "Sustainable Food based on Vegetable Protein" project, which represents an inclusive proposal that disregards race, religion, health factors or economic status, for all those who are looking for better food, we develop products containing a high nutritional value without losing the characteristics of foods commonly consumed anywhere in the world. In Tangible Nous here food ideas become reality. · · ·

Tangible Nous: first company in the food industry winner of the “National Technology and Innovation Award” Excellence Supplier Award from Tyson Foods ADIAT Award

Hugo René González Rodríguez E-mail: rene.gonzalez@tangiblenous.com

ACADEMIC TRAINING: College of Scientific and Technological Studies of San Luis Potosí Technician in Foreign Trade (1995-1998) TRAJECTORY President of the Organizing Committee of the CONFILAT Latin American Confectionery Congress Award of the Mexican Association of Directors of Applied Research and Technological Development ADIAT 2014 Graduated from the Management Program at Deutsche Management Akademie Niedersachen, organized by GIZ Germany and INADEM in Mexico Counselor and Founding Partner of the Association of Mexican-German Entrepreneurs AC (EMAAC) Winner of the Best Project Award from the "Fit for Partnership with Germany Program” Berlin, Germany in 2016. Graduated from the High Management Program of Companies of the Agro-Idustry Chain. IPADE

SPEAKERS

Dr. Magali Aceves-Martins (Scotland)

Dr. HĂŠctor Salazar (Germany)

Dr. Paul Lamothe Molina (Germany)

Dr. Carlos Omar Heras Bautista (Germany)

MECHANISMS OF ACTIVATION AND DESENSITIZATION IN AMPA RECEPTORS Dr. Hector Salazar Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Universitätsmedizin.

Pharmakologie

Cluster

Excellence

NeuroCure,

Charité

Background —Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are ligand gated ion channels that mediate excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain. Understand the motions of (iGluRs) receptors could lead to design better therapies to treat synaptic deficits like epilepsy and Parkinson. Methods and Results — Using a battery of different techniques like electrophysiological recordings, crystallography, biochemistry and molecular dynamics. We found that cysteine mutants at the interface between subunits A and C, which cross-link receptors in partially-active states when desensitization is blocked, can also trap freely-desensitizing receptors. When we exposed receptors to 100 µM glutamate, crosslinks formed that were much more stable than those seen in the absence of desensitization. Consistent with stabilizing a desensitized state, introduction of bulky amino acids at this subunit interface produced a receptor with slow recovery from desensitization. Using mutations that progressively stabilise deep desensitized states (E713T & Y768R), we were able to selectively reduce the formation of crosslinks. Together with structural modelling, these results indicate that large movements corresponding to stable desensitized states are adopted relatively slowly, on a timescale much longer than physiological activation. Conclusions — Our results provide the first structural characterization of an iGluR in a desensitized state in the context of a tetramer. Leading to understand the synaptic transmission and use the AMPA receptors as possible drug target for epilepsy.

Postdoc Dr. Hector Salazar Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie and Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Charité Universitätsmedizin Timoféeff-Ressowsky-Haus Robert-Rössle-Str. 10 13125 Berlin Germany E-mail: salazar@fmp-berlin.de Dr. Hector Salazar investigate the structural and functional determinants of activation of glutamate receptors, which is fundamental for the understanding of synaptic transmission and could lead to the generation of potential therapies for synaptic deficits like epilepsy. With the help of techniques that provided functional insights of the receptor such as patch clamp and single channel recordings coupled with cysteine crosslinking analysis, in addition to molecular biology, protein purification, crystallography, biochemistry and molecular dynamics and modeling. We be able to elucidate the motions of the (iGluRs) during the activation and desensitization.

THE EUROPEAN YOUTH TACKLING OBESITY (EYTO) PROJECT: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SPANISH PARTICIPATION TOWARDS FUTURE REPLICATION. Magaly Aceves-Martins, Ph.D, MSc. Background. The European Youth Tackling Obesity (EYTO) project was developed as a multi-centre study aimed at improving adolescent lifestyles by applying new methodologies and strategies (i.e. social marketing, peer-led education, youth involvement, social media) such as healthy diets and physical activity, with the long-term goal of preventing obesity in adolescents from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal and the Czech Republic. The Spanish intervention within the EYTO project (“Som la Pera” study) intended to engage adolescents in healthy habits (e.g. increase fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity while reduce sedentary behaviours). Methods and Results. The Spanish intervention was implemented as a parallel-cluster randomized controlled study. Four high schools from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Reus (Catalonia, Spain) were randomly selected; two being assigned as intervention group (n=170 adolescents of 13-to-16-year-old) and the other two as control group (n=223 adolescents of 13-to-16-year-old). Five adolescents from the intervention group, designed and implemented 10 activities as challenges (using social marketing, peer-led education, youth involvement, social media) for their 165 school-aged peers. Meanwhile, the control group received no intervention. To assess selfreported lifestyles, the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey was used at baseline and at the end-ofstudy in both groups. Generalised linear models and McNemar tests were used to analyse differences from the baseline to the end of the study in the primary outcomes of the intervention and control groups and changes over time respectively. Lower SES participants were at a higher risk of obesity (OR 5.81; 97.5% CI 1.15 to 24.05; p=0.02). After 12 months, intervention adolescents showed an increase of 29.9% in ≥1 fruit/day (p<0.01) and of 18.3% in ≥ 6 hours/week of physical activity (p<0.01) compared to control adolescents. Additionally, males in intervention had an increase of 28.8% in ≥1 vegetable/day (p<0.01) and of 15.7% in ≤2 hours/day of sedentary activity (p=0.01) compared to males in control. Conclusions. A intervention designed and implemented by adolescents attending high schools in low-income neighbourhoods, effectively improved the healthy choices (i.e. increase fruit consumption and physical activity) of their school-aged peers. Furthermore, adolescents were more motivated by participating in an international project and were receptive to messages that highlighted the benefits of being healthy, more than those that highlighted the harms of being obese. Funding: This research project was funded by the European Commission (European Directorate General HEALTH2012 12 19). MA-M was granted by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT). Ph.D. Magaly Aceves-Martins Research Fellow at the Health Services Research Unit Institute of Applied Health Sciences School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition University of Aberdeen Health Sciences Building Foresterhill Aberdeen AB25 2ZD E-mail: magaly.aceves@abdn.ac.uk

She is a passionate advocate of nutrition, health promotion, healthy lifestyles and health policies for building a better future. She holds a Bachelor in Nutrition, a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism and a Ph.D in Biomedicine. Previously, she worked at the Functional Nutrition, Oxidation and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group (Rovira I Virgili University - Tarragona, Spain) on obesity prevention and lifestyles improvement projects in young people. She has experience on both quantitative and qualitative research methods, as well as fieldwork experience in clinical nutrition, health promotion and nutrition interventions. Her current work involves the review and evaluation of behavioral and lifestyle interventions that aim to tackle severe obesity. She also has an interest in methods regarding knowledge transference and the implementation of research findings into clinical practice and policy making.

OPTOGENETIC SUPPRESSION OF SPECIFIC SPATIAL MEMORIES IN MICE Paul J. Lamothe-Molina MD, PhD

Institute for Synaptic Plasticity, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg, Germany Background . A considerable amount of neuroscience research focuses on the memory engram – the cellular and molecular changes in the brain that occur with learning and alter the subsequent processing of specific external cues to produce memory recall. It is thought that engrams for two different memories can overlap in order to create associative memories and therefore function as a mechanism to link experiences. This engram overlap has been however, only characterized in contextual fear conditioning and not in more goal-oriented, spatial memory tasks, such as the Morris Water Maze Methods and Results . Using a combination of the tetracycline trans-activator system (c-Fos::tTA) for conditional gene expression, a 2hr short-life neuronal activity reporter enhanced green fluorescent protein (c-Fos::shEGFP) and the novel improved version of the chloride conducting channelrhodopsin (iChloC)3 we labeled specific engram cells in different subregions of the hippocampus. We used adeno-associated viruses to deliver iChloC’s gene attached to a red fluorescent protein into the region of interest and prevented its expression by giving doxycycline (Dox) in the food. 24hrs before the animals were trained, Dox was removed to allow iChloC expression and therefore be able to silence the cells with blue light that were active during encoding. With this technique we aimed to address if there is a specific subregion in the hippocampus where engrams corresponding to the 2 different positions are sufficiently separated to suppress the retrieval of one spatial memory without affecting the other. We have characterized that our behavioral paradigm is suitable to answer our question of research since we observed a behaviorally-induced labeling of engram cells. Pilot group experiments showed that optogenetic silencing of labeled dentate gyrus (DG) granule cells (day 1, learning) does not affect the animal’s memory retrieval (day 2, recall) (percentage of time in target quadrant, light ON 40.9%, ±4.7 SEM; light OFF 38.91%, ±7.1SEM). In the DG, the proportion of active cells during memory recall among the active cells during memory encoding is nearly 0 (2.71%, ±1.3 SEM). Conclusions. Even though DG is the first relay in the tri-synaptic hippocampal circuit and processes spatial information coming from the entorhinal cortex, optogenetic inhibition of cell assembles used during encoding, did not affect the animal’s performance. The most likely explanation for the lack of effect is that memories encoded distant in time (more than 6hrs) are allocated to a different cell assemble. The lack of reactivation of labelled cells (day 1) during the recall phase (day 2) go in line with this observation. We will perform the same experiments in other subregions of the hippocampus as well as doing reversal learning experiments to evaluate each region’s level of overlap. Paul J. Lamothe-Molina MD, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Synaptic Plasticity, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg, Germany University Clinic Eppendorf Falkenried 94 20251 Hamburg, Germany Email: paul.lamothe@zmnh.uni-hamburg.de

Paul J. Lamothe-Molina is a medical doctor that since early in his career developed an interest in basic neuroscience. After obtaining the medical degree, he followed this path and did his PhD in pain perception. Today he focuses in understanding the cellular and molecular changes in the brain that occur with learning and alter the subsequent processing of specific external cues to produce memory recall: the Memory Engram. In the past two years he has worked in animal models to understand spatial memory encoding and retrieval. His research uses a combination of optogenetics and conditional gene expression that allows control of neuronal assembles with spatial and temporal precision. With this scope, he hopes to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of memory.

ROLE OF CARDIOMYOCYTES IN EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX HOMEOSTASIS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE Dr. Carlos O Heras Bautista Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Germany Background . Cardiac fibrosis is a common, severe and irreversible complication of most cardiovascular diseases leading to arrhythmia and heart failure. Understanding the underlying signaling mechanisms that control matrix homeostasis in healthy myocardium and excess matrix deposition during disease is mandatory to target this process therapeutically and tackle the detrimental effects of cardiac fibrosis. We have successfully established a new in vitro model system to mimic the healthy and fibrotic environment based on engineered matrix materials. Methods and Results. Polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAA) were fabricated at elasticities matching the YoungÂ´s modulus of fetal, adult and fibrotic cardiac tissue (Heras-Bautista et al. 2014). Cardiomyocytes (CMs) are generated in vitro from induced pluripotent stem cells. Transcriptome analysis was performed using Mouse Genome 430 version 2.0 arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA). Electrophysiological properties of single CMs were recorded using the whole-cell configuration using patch-clamp. iPS-CMs cultured on PAA gels were studied in a field emission scanning electron microscope Phillips FESEM XL30 using secondary electron (SE)-, and backscattered electron (BSE)-modes. Transcriptome analysis revealed substantial differences between iPS-CMs cultured on different matrix elasticities, with the most remarkable difference occurring between healthy-like and fibrosis-like elasticity. SEM clearly demonstrated the deposition of extracellular matrix by cardiomyocytes grown on stiff hydrogels. Matrix fibers, fiber bundles, and non-fibrillar matrix were identified. A significant expression of IGF2 in CMs on the stiff matrix was confirmed by immunocytochemistry. The neuronal Kcna1 potassium channel was found up-regulated in CMs cultured in fibrotic-like conditions. Kcna1 was recently identified in atrial myocytes of patients suffering from atrial fibrosis (Glasscock et al. 2015). We tested CMs cultured on medium and stiff hydrogels for the repolarizing potassium current and found a substantial increase. Conclusions . We found gene expression signatures that overlap with published findings addressing the expression of individual genes or group of genes present in different conditions of cardiac fibrosis in vivo such as collagen I and III, decorin, lumican, and periostin, as well as a new set of genes including Car9, Fabp4/5 and Igf2. Interestingly, the neuronal voltage-gated potassium channel Kcna1 was also found to be highly expressed. We conclude that our new approach could mimic transcriptional signatures known to have a role in cardiac fibrosis in vivo. Dr. Carlos O Heras Bautista Postdoctoral researcher Institute of Neurophysiology University of Cologne / Uniklinik KĂśln Robert-koch str. 39 50931 Cologne, Germany E-mail: carlos.heras@uni-koeln.de

Dr. Carlos O Heras Bautista. His scientific interest focuses on the field of biomaterials, fibrosis and cardiovascular regeneration. Working at the group of PD Dr. Kurt Pfannkuche he developed a model to culture cells using biomaterials with specific characteristics. By controlling stiffness and protein coupling, he was able to culture iPSderived cardiomyocytes over long periods, in comparison to the traditional culturing approach where cardiomyocytes are damaged on long term. He has started to analyze the cell behavior during fibrotic events in the heart. Cells react to their environments adapting themselves to them. By controlling the elasticity to match those environments, it is possible to create a model where cells react to an environment close to the one present during fibrosis in a controllable fashion.

POSTERS

CANCER CAN CANCER CELLS BE STOPPED? Isaac Perez, Undergraduate of Science, Martin Lorenzo Holguin Jr., Undergraduate of Science Department of Biology, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, United States Background . Members of the Forkhead subfamily O (FOXO) transcription factors (FOXO-1, -3, -4) traditionally act as partially redundant tumor suppressors on the Pl3K pathway (4). These transcription factors bind to DNA and activate the gene expression of cellular components that induce apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle (4). Previously it was found that the FOXO3 transcription factor aided in cell cycle progression of glioblastoma cancer cells (U87MG cells). U87MG cells with mutant FOXO3 gene have increased gene expression of CYCLIN B1 and PLK (Polo-like Kinase), whereas CYCLIN D2 gene expression was decreased. In order to better understand the mechanism by which FOXO3 regulates the cell cycle in U87MG cells, we are investigating whether other cell cycle regulators are differentially expressed in FOXO3 mutant cells. Methods and Results. A series of polymerase chain reactions – a technique used in molecular biology to amplify a single copy or a few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands of millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence – was carried out to amplify the DNA sequence that contained the FOXO3 gene. Conclusions . Results show that FOXO3 overexpression reduced Cyclin A1 gene expression in all 3 trials which leads to G2 cell cycle arrest. Martin Lorenzo Holguin Jr. Student, Department of Biology The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 1201 W University Dr Edinburg, Texas 78542, United States E-mail: martin.holguin01@utrgv.edu

Martin Lorenzo Holguin Jr., Student. A soon to be graduate in Bachelor of Science in Biology and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Martin began his research career through the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP). Under LSAMP, he conducted research with signal transduction in cancer cells and gene expression through the use of polymerase chain reactions and western blot analysis. He has also worked on various studies at the Clinical Research Unit (CRU) under Dr. Daniel Hale in Harlingen, Texas, United States. These studies included working with childhood obesity, children with autism, and breast cancer Isaac Perez Student, Department of Biology The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 1201 W University Dr Edinburg, Texas 78542, United States E-mail: isaac.perez01@utrgv.edu

Isaac Perez, Student. He is currently a second year undergraduate pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Aspiring to study either psychiatry or neurology, Isaac focuses on becoming a strong candidate for medical school by seeking research opportunities. As a professional, he hopes that he is able to conduct research on Alzheimer’s disease.

CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG DOSE MODULATION ON CLONAL DYNAMICS Luis Eduardo Lara-Gonzalez1, David Goode1,2, Sherene Loi2, Davide Ferrari3, Anthony Papenfuss1,4 1

Bioinformatics & Cancer Genomics Laboratory - Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia Sir Peter MacCallum Dept. of Oncology - The University of Melbourne, Australia. 2 Translational Breast Cancer Laboratory - Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia 3 Mathematical and Computational Biology, Statistics - The University of Melbourne, Australia 4 Computational Biology, Bioinformatics Division - Walter and Eliza Hall, Australia 2

Background. By reconstructing tumour evolution, computational modelling is making significant progress toward identifying drug resistance origins and optimal drug timing and order. However, data-driven assessment is lacking. We are creating an onco-bioinformatic tool to study the dynamics of tumour growth, treatment, and resistance to improve our understanding of cancer and the design of better treatments for the disease. Methods and Results. We modeled tumour evolution as an agent-based discrete time branching process that tracks the expansion of diverse clonal lineages as they acquire driver and passenger mutations that alter their proliferation and mutation rates. Clonal proliferation is subject to a spatio-temporal size-dependent penalty to provide characteristic tumour growth patterns. Once the tumour attains a diagnosable size (1 to 4 billion cells), a mitotic phase-specific perturbation is introduced to model anticancer agents. This environmental disruption impacts clonal dynamics, and we observed diverse heterogeneity, genomic instability, and resistance evolutionary paths. Our tool recovers various tumour development rates seen in the clinic, in which genomic instability promotes clonal diversification, leading to a state of invasiveness and prevailing (cross)-resistance. Our tool predicts that the last couple of years prior to diagnosis are essential in the pathogenesis of the tumour, which requires 2 - 6 driver mutations to bypass the effects of anticancer agents. Our simulated clinical trials comparing cytotoxic and targeted drug combinations show that moderate-dose schemes lead to prolonged survival rates, even in the presence of pre-existing drug resistant clones. Conclusions. Treatments maintaining clonal proportions should be considered as an alternative way for tumour growth control, maximising patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; survival.

CARDIOLOGY IMAGING AND ANALYSIS TOOLS FOR OPTOGENETIC CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY Raúl Quiñonez 1,2, Stefan Luther1,2, Claudia Richter1 1

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

Background. Cardiac arrhythmias are defined by an abnormal heart rhythm. Sudden cardiac deaths due to ventricular arrhythmias account for ~15% of all deaths globally. Available treatments such as drug therapy and electrical shock therapy can have side effects or lead tissue damage. In cardiac optogenetics, a light sensitive ion channel, Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), is used to induce action potential in cardiomyocytes. This enables low energy optical control of cardiac tissue with high spatial and temporal control. Objectives- The aim of this project is the development of a control, imaging and data processing system to study complex electro-physiological events such as ventricular fibrillations and tachycardia in ChR2-transgenic mice hearts using optogenetics. As a first step I characterized the heart's response to optical stimulation. The Methods, Results and Conclusions sections will be based on this first step. Methods and Results. Langendorff perfused transgenic hearts were optically stimulated using a 470 nm LED connected to an optical fiber. Electric response was recorded using a MAP (monophasic action potential) electrode. Surface area of stimulation (mm²), pulses with duration (ms), frequency (Hz) and irradiances (mW/mm²) were varied to compare the response of the heart to optical stimuli. counted to quantify the capture rate. When stimulating the heart with shorter pulses, higher intensities were needed to achieve a 100% response rate. Furthermore, when stimulating in greater areas, shorter pulses and smaller intensities were required. No difference in response was observed when using two different stimulation frequencies. Conclusions. The response of the heart to light stimuli will depend on a wide range of factors, including: surface area of stimulation, duration, irradiance and its physiological state. All of these should be taken into account before moving on with this or other projects invovling optical stimulation as a mean to control and study cardiac electrophysiology. Raúl Quiñonez, MSc PhD Candidate Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization Biomedical Physics Group, Prof. Dr. Stefan Luther Am Faßberg 17 37077 Göttingen, Germany E-mail: raul.quinonez@ds.mpg.de

Raúl Quiñonez, MSc., biomedical engineer. His scientific interest focuses on the field of cardiac optogenetics. Currently, as while working on his PhD project, he uses different optical and imaging technologies to investigate the potential of optogenetics to control and terminate cardiac arrhythmias. His current projects utilize different light patterns to study the optogenetic electrophysiological responses of ChannelRhodopsin-2 transgenic mice hearts. During his master studies, Raúl used optogenetics as a tool to induce actin formation in cells. Before starting his master studies, he worked in the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California as a lecturer of different Bioengineering courses, as well as Head of the Biomedical Engineering Department in Hospital Velmar, back in his hometown Ensenada. Therefore, Raúl´s interests vary from cardiac optogenetics to medical devices and healthcare systems. In the future, he sees himself as a researcher involved in academia.

INFECTOLOGY IDENTIFICATION OF FUNCTIONAL TARGET GENES OF BIOFILM FORMATION IN CANDIDA ALBICANS Diana L. Rodriguez, Clarissa J. Nobile, PhD, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced Background. C. albicans can cause serious infections particularly in immunocompromised individuals and patients who have implanted medical devices. This opportunistic fungus successfully infects its host by forming biofilms, which are resilient, surface-associated, communities of cells. Current antifungal agents only work against the freefloating (planktonic) form of the organism and are highly inefficient at treating biofilm-based infections. The proposed research aims to identify and characterize the specific target genes required for C. albicans biofilms, which will provide a framework to develop novel antifungal agents that specifically target the biofilm formation. Methods and results . 250 C. albicans target gene mutants that are downstream of six core biofilm transcriptional regulators, previously discovered, are being constructed, screened, and characterized. Mutant strains are constructed using fusion PCR and heterologous markers (histidine, leucine, or arginine). In vitro biofilm assays are performed in standard biofilm inducing medium and are grown either on the bottom of 96-well polystyrene plates or on silicone square substrates for 24 hours at 37Â°C with agitation. Quantification of biofilm formation by optical density and real-time monitoring using the microfluidic flow device revealed that several of the identified target genes have clear roles in biofilm formation. We also confirmed the identification of several target genes with known roles in biofilm formation, thereby validating our approaches. For the in vivo biofilm assays, a rat central venous catheter model will be used to mimic human catheter infections. A polyethylene catheter will be inserted into the jugular vein of the rat and inoculated with C. albicans cells to allow for biofilm growth. After 24 hours, the catheter will be removed and the biofilm will be imaged by scanning electron microscopy. Conclusions. We have identified several new target genes required for biofilm formation. Some of these genes encode proteins with unknown functions and others encode enzymes with known functions. The latter class may be useful in the future as novel therapeutic targets. The former class will require further characterization to determine the function of these unknown proteins in biofilm formation.

Diana L. Rodriguez Graduate Student Quantitative and Systems Biology Program University of California, Merced 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95340 E-mail: drodriguez25@ucmerced.edu

Diana Rodriguez is a second-year graduate student in the Quantitative and Systems Biology Program, at the University of California-Merced. Rodriguez is interested in studying the transcriptional networks that regulates virulence in pathogenic fungi. Rodriguezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research focuses on identifying novel and more efficient targets for antifungals against biofilm formation of the fungus C. albicans. Her project involves identification and characterization of the biofilm target genes across the C. albicans genome, through various in vitro and in vivo assays.

SOFOSBUVIR-BASED REGIMENS FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C AND INHERITED BLOOD DISORDERS: A REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE Isaac Ruiz1,2,3, Pablo Bartolucci4, Anne Varaut1, Giovanna Scoazec1, Murielle François1, Stéphane Chevaliez2,3, Slim Fourati2,3, Alexandre Soulier3, Lila Poiteau3, Ariane Mallat1,2, Jean-Michel Pawlotsky2,3, Christophe Hézode1,2 1

Department of Hepatology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France ; 2 INSERM U955 Team 18, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France ; 3 National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta, Department of Virology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France; 4 Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France . Background. Patients with inherited blood disorders (IBD) have a high risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection due to multiple transfusions. The aim of this real-life cohort was to assess the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimens in patients with IBD and chronic HCV infection. Methods and Results. This ongoing study is monocentric, enrolling 24 patients with IDB and chronic HCV infection, with or without cirrhosis. 24 patients (23 with sickle cell disease, and 1 with major thalassemia), including 18 female (75%) with median age of 47 years (range 24-68), were enrolled. 66.7% of patients were treated with SOF/DCV, 26.7% with SOF/LDV and 6.7% with SOF/RBV because DCV wasn't available at the time of the treatment. At the time of the present analysis, 11 patients reached week 12 post-treatment visit. Ten patients (90.9%) achieved a SVR12. One patient discontinued treatment after 18 days of therapy due to headaches and myalgias not considered as related to antiviral treatment and reported as SAE. Mean hemoglobin level was 9.0±1.9g/dl (5.9-11.9g/dl) before starting the treatment, and 9.1±2.0g/dl, 8.6±1.9g/dl at S12 (EOT) and SVR12, respectively. No significant changes were observed during treatment. Conclusions .The efficacy and safety of SOF plus NS5A inhibitor for 12 weeks in patients with IBD is being investigated in the real-life. Preliminary data seems to show that antiviral treatment in this special population is effective and well tolerated. Acknowledgment - Isaac Ruiz has received grants from the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (ANRS) and the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). Isaac Ruiz MD, MSc INSERM U955 Team 18 - Virus Hepatology Cancer "Pr JM Pawlotsky” Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Henri Mondor 51 Av Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny 94010 Créteil, France Tel: (+33) 1.49.81.35.36 Mob: (+33) 6.66.19.55.75 E-mail INSERM: isaac.ruiz@inserm.fr / isaac.ruiz@me.com Isaac Ruiz, MD, MSc, French and Mexican Medical Doctor & Researcher. He earned his Medical Degree from the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2007. He was awarded his Hepatology and Gastroenterology Medical Degree from the University of Paris Diderot at the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, France in 2013 under the supervision of Prof. Christophe Hézode. He completed his specialized clinical training in Liver Intensive Care and Transplantation at the Paul Brousse Hospital, France, under the supervision of Prof. Didier Samuel. He then went on to earn a Master in Cellular Biology, Microbiology and Therapeutic Innovations with a focus on the Hepatitis C Virus from the University of Paris South, in 2014. Currently, Dr. Isaac Ruiz is undertaking a doctoral (PhD) research project in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Virology with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM Unit 955 team 18) under the supervision of Prof. Jean-Michel Pawlotsky at the Henri Mondor University Hospital, France. His research investigates various aspects of Hepatitis C Virus resistance to antiviral therapy and host related mechanisms.

NANOTECHNOLOGY & BIOMATERIALS APTAMER-BASED ELECTROCHEMICAL BIOSENSOR FOR HIGHLY SENSITIVE AND SELECTIVE MALARIA DETECTION Gabriela Figueroa Miranda, M. Sc. Institute of Complex Systems/ Peter Grünberg Institute (ICS-8/PGI-8), Bioelectronics Department, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany Background. Malaria is a disease that claims more than hundreds of thousands of lives globally every year. Therefore easy to perform point-of-care diagnosis is required for its early detection and treatment. Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) is a protein biomarker that is a diagnostic indicator of an infection with the malaria parasite. Recent years have seen the emergence of a new class of electrochemical sensors, termed as electrochemical aptamer-base sensors. An aptamer is a short single-stranded DNA/RNA oligonucleotide sequence which specifically binds to a target molecule. The fast emergence of the aptamers have been mainly due to their better thermal stability, and more convenient and lower cost of production, compared with conventionally used antibodies. Hence, the aim of this project is to fabricate an aptamer-base sensor to detect electrochemically the interaction with the PfLDH protein and for instance, to detect the malaria infection with high accuracy. Methods and results. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique is used to follow the biosensor response, which is especially sensitive to monitor specific interactions between immobilized probes on an electrode and analytes in a solution. Interestingly, due to the isoelectric point (pI) of PfLDH, the aptasensor response showed an adjustable detection range based on the different protein net-charge at variable pH environments. The specific aptamer recognition allows sensitive protein detection with an expanded detection range and a low detection limit, as well as a high specificity for PfLDH compared to analogous proteins. The specific feasibility of the aptasensor is further demonstrated by detection of the target PfLDH in human serum. Furthermore, the aptasensor can be easily regenerated by rinsing with Urea solution and thus applied for multiple usages. Conclusions.The robustness, sensitivity, selectivity, and reusability of the presented aptasensor make it a promising candidate for point-of-care diagnostic systems.

M. Sc. Gabriela Figueroa Miranda Doctoral candidate at Forschungszentrum Jülich Institute of Complex Systems/ Peter Grünberg Institute (ICS-8/PGI-8), Bioelectronics Department, Leo-Brandt-Str. 52425 Jülich, Germany E-mail: g.figueroa.miranda@fz-juelich.de

Gabriela Figueroa Miranda, M. Sc., Biomedical Engineering. Her scientific and research interests are focus on the fabrication and optimization of electrochemical biosensors based on aptamers as biorecognition molecules. Specifically she is now focused on the detection of the malaria infectious disease by means of an aptasensor.

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW HYBRID ORGANIC-INORGANIC NANOCOMPOSITES BASED ON PHYLLOSILICATES AND MEDICINAL PLANTS FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS. Dante V. Ortiz-Figueroa, MD, MSc, PhD candidate. Axe Matériaux à Porosité Contrôlée (MPC), Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), Université de Haute Alsace (UHA) – Université de Strasbourg (UDS), Mulhouse, France. Background. There is currently a great interest in the research and use of medicinal plants in the academic community, the health professionals and the pharmaceutical companies1,2. The development of standardized phytomedicines with proven efficacy (assessed by pre-clinical and clinical studies), safe and of good quality is of utmost importance3,4. The use of vegetal active principles can be optimized by associating them with phyllosilicates (clay minerals with lamellar structure) and thus creating nanocomposites with attractive properties for therapeutic and pharmaceutical uses5,6. Proper conditioning allows a good protection and subsequent release of biomolecules in the body, either by oral or topic ways7,8. Methods and Results. This study focuses on the integration of active principles of a well-known Mexican medicinal plant with phyllosilicates, comparing different systems: 3 natural mexican montmorillonitic clays and 4 natural systems synthesized in the laboratory: 1 Montmorillonite with and octahedral substitution rate 0.4 and 3 beidellites with tetrahedral substitution rates of 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 respectively. The hybrid nanocomposites have been manufactured in batch conditions with aqueous phytoextracts and with active principles isolated from the plant, with controlled temperature and pH. Analytical characterization studies showed the incorporation of an organic fraction in the interlayer space manifested by the displacement of the d001 reflection in the X-ray diffractograms. The Infrared Spectroscopy has confirmed the presence of organic groups identified by their corresponding vibrational bands. The Thermogravimetric Analysis coupled with Differential Scanning Calorimetry have shown different degrees of association of matter organic depending on the mineral system involved. Conclusions. We have managed to intercalate phytopolymers into the interlayer space of the clays, revealing a relationship between the concentration of organic matter incorporated and the location of electrical charges in the different minerals. The results obtained serve as a platform for the development of a new material with particular and suitable properties for the treatment of ulcerative diseases such as diabetic foot or gastric ulcers. The next stage will be the clinical studies in collaboration with partner hospitals of the project, members of the Health Ministry of Mexico City.

Dante V. Ortiz Figueroa MD, MSc, PhD candidate Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M) Université de Haute Alsace (UHA) – Université de Strasbourg (UDS) Institut Jean-Baptiste Donnet, 3, rue Alfred Werner 68093, Mulhouse Cedex, France E-mail: dantescamente@gmail.com

Dante V. Ortiz Figueroa, MD, MSc, PhD candidate. His scientific interest covers fields that are of special significance in chemistry, nanotechnology, ethnomedicine, phytotherapy, clays, material science and health. Currently, his work focuses on complex interactions between clay minerals, plant extracts and its different active principles, for the development of therapeutic materials aimed to be used as healing promoters of cicatrisation in ulcerative diseases. Dealing with a variety of analytical techniques to resolve important questions in chemistry and biochemistry, but in specific the use of FTIR, TGA and XRF to probe the chemistry; XRD and NMR to probe the structure and forces of the organic-inorganic interface at a nanoscopic scale. President of the doctoral association of the University of Upper Alsace from 2015 to 2016, since 2016 he participates in a radio broadcast in the region of Alsace as a science communicator, preparing chronicles for science divulgation. Dr. Ortiz is an active member of the Global network of Mexican Professionals chapter France since 2012, holding the positions of Academic Coordinator and Secretary at the Administrative Council. He has helped to establish the Biomedicine Pole in the French chapter and, in cooperation with the Germany, Singapore and Czech Republic chapters has been part of the organizing committee of the 1st International Symposium “Mexico in the Biomedical Research”.

NEUROLOGY & NEUROSCIENCES GENDER EFFECT ON SUBCORTICAL DEEP GREY MATTER ATROPHY IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Brenda Carolina Nájera Chávez MD. Department of Neuroimmunology, Charité University of Medicine, Germany Background. .The introduction of voxel-wise methods for the analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans has allowed for the definition of regional distributions of tissue loss in different brain compartments at various stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). This approach for atrophy quantification in subcortical deep gray matter (SDGM) structures is commonly used. Several studies have reported atrophy in the thalamus, globus pallidus, putamen and caudate. However, it does not occur equally in the male compared with the female population. Previous studies have demonstrated equal gray matter (GM) atrophy in men and women at first clinical onset, but as the disease progresses, males show a higher GM atrophy rate. This can be interpreted as men are more prone to developing a chronic neurodegenerative process in the GM tissue compartment compared to women. Methods and Results. We applied FMRI Software Library tools (BET, FIRST and fslstats) to perform SDGM segmentation and volumetric measurement on every MRI session from all the patients previously selected. We found that both males and females with relapse-remitting MS have a significant thalamic volume loss compared to healthy controls, however, only the volume reduction in men was significantly different. We also calculated the rate of thalamic atrophy per year and once more, we found a strong gender effect, in which men had significantly faster thalamic atrophy compared to women. Conclusions. males have a more pronounced SDGM atrophy compared with females, as a result of the gender effect that has been widely described for the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of multiple sclerosis.

Brenda Carolina Nájera Chávez , MD. Master Student, Department of Neuroimmunology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center Charité University of Medicine, Charitéplatz 1 D-10117 Berlin E-mail: carolina.najera@charite

Brenda Carolina Nájera Chávez, MD. Her scientific interest focuses on the field of Neuroimmunology and medicine. Specifically, she focuses on autoimmune diseases that affect the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is currently the best tool to understand the patterns of damage that manifest as a visible hyper or hypointense lesion throughout brain, brainstem and spinal cord extension in MRI sequences and its consequences in clinical symptoms. This is why computer software for image analysis and quantification have allowed to describe precisely the damaged area, damage extension and damage impact on grey and white matter volume. Combining computer knowledge and imaging resources, the Neuroimmunology department of the Charité University of Medicine is at the forefront of worldwide studies in which the attempted goal is to understand better the patterns and hallmarks of the demyelinating process to perform a faster and accurate diagnosis that would lead to an early treatment.

CHARACTERIZATION OF IMMATURE NK CELLS BY THE CO-EXPRESSION OF THE CHEMOKINE RECEPTOR CXCR3 AND THE ACTIVATING RECEPTOR DNAM-1 Silvina Romero Suárez, Alba del Rio Serrato, Laura Hertwig and Carmen Infante-Duarte Institute for Medical Immunology Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany Background. Chemokines are proteins that guide the migration of immune cells into specific locations on the body. We have recently shown that the chemokine receptor CX3CR1 contributes to the migration of protective CD11b+ mature NK cells into the central nervous system (CNS) in the mouse model of multiple sclerosis, the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, it is still unclear which chemokine receptor mediates the migration of immature NK cells that are present in healthy and inflamed CNS of WT mice. Objectives: To identify the chemokine tools that immature NK cells may use to migrate into the CNS in the context of EAE and to further characterize this population with the functional and maturation marker DNAM-1. Material and Results. Using flow cytometry, we performed an extensive analysis of the chemokine receptors expressed on immature NK cells in bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, blood, lung and CNS of naïve C57BL/6J mice. We performed EAE experiments to analyze the dynamics of these populations at peak disease. Finally, we sorted the immature NK cell population to perform in vitro experiments to investigate their differentiation dynamics. Immature NK cells express both CXCR3 and the activating receptor DNAM-1. Interestingly, DNAM-1 highexpressing NK cells could be segregated into CXCR3+ and CXCR3- cells. DNAM-1highCXCR3+ NK cells have an entire pre-mature/immature phenotype defined by CD27-CD11b- and CD27+CD11b-, respectively. While the loss of CXCR3 expression on the DNAM-1hi subset coincides with a progressive NK cell maturation identified by the expression of CD11b. During EAE, DNAM-1highCXCR3+ NK cells are reduced in the CNS at disease peak while DNAM-1highCXCR3- NK cells increase, compared to the naïve mice. Accordingly, using the Ki67 marker of cell cycle, we identified that the most proliferating population of NK cells in the inflamed CNS is the DNAM-1highCXCR3. In vitro experiments showed that the activation of CXCR3 by its ligand CXCL10 do not induce NK cell differentiation, rather, the inflammatory environment of the inflamed CNS Conclusions.CXCR3 serves to discriminate between two subtypes of immature DNAM-1high NK cells, while lack of CXCR3 and the progressive loss of DNAM-1 is characteristic of NK cell maturation. Immature NK cells seem to use this receptor to migrate into the inflamed CNS. During EAE, the DNAM-1highCXCR3- NK cells are the most proliferative, while CXCR3 is downregulated on NK cells in the context of neuroinflammation. Silvina Romero Suárez MSc E-mail: silvina.romero-suarez@charite.de

Silvina Romero Suárez MSc., studied the Bachelor in Biomedical Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Master on Medical Neurosciences at the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin. She is currently doing a PhD in the Department of Experimental Neuroimmunology of the Intitute of Medical Immunology at the Charité. Her project focuses on elucidating the chemokine tools that NK cells use to migrate into the central nervous system during autoimmune neuroinflammation using the animal model of Multiple Sclerosis.

SPATIAL NAVIGATION AND SOCIAL MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN A NOVEL TRANSGENIC RAT MODEL OF ALZHEIMER ‘S DISEASE. Stephanie L. Proskauer-Peña MD, PhD Candidate, Konstantinos Maulloppas MD, Petr Flosman , Michael Mareš and Karel Ježek MD, PhD. Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University. Pilsen, Czech Republic. Background . We studied a recently introduced transgenic rat model TgF-344-19 for Alzheimer‘s disease (AD) carrying human genes for Amyloid precursor protein and Presenilin-1, connected with the early familial version of AD. A previous study reported rather late occurrence of spatial memory impairment in Barnes maze in the age group of 15 months and older. Spatial behavior and memory is a complex phenomenon combining different components of navigation – mainly allocentric and egocentric navigation. It has been previously shown that selective testing of the allocentric processing yields higher sensitivity for hippocampal damage than conventional spatial memory tests. Our goal was to detect the onset of hippocampal impairment for subsequent experiments using electrophysiology in the hippocampi-entorhinal circuitry. Methods and Results .Two age groups at 9 and 12 months were tested in Active Allothetic Place Avoidance task (AAPA) that selectively requires avoiding a sector on the arena defined in the room (i.e. allocentric) coordinate system, whereas the local cues on the arena surface became useless by its constant slow rotation. Results. We found in both age levels marked differences between the experimental (AD) and control groups. Experimental groups were less active on the arena and made more spatial avoidance errors. For the non-cognitive symptoms, we tested whether their performance could be influenced by increased anxiety, impaired locomotion or affections of the dopaminergic system. Their behavior on the elevated plus maze did not show any signs of increased anxiety, nor did we observe any impairment in locomotor activity as tested in a ROTAROD apparatus (tested ages 9 and 12 months). Interestingly, we detected an AD-related effect in a Social Discrimination Test (SDT). The AD rats of both age groups did not discriminate between the familiar vs novel subjects as opposite to their age-matched controls (tested ages 9 and 15 months). Conclusions. The spatial navigation impairment detected in the 9 and 12 months group in AAPA procedure suggests is caused by selective spatial memory failure and comes earlier than shown originally; nevertheless we still think that the first subtle changes could be detected at an earlier stage. The results on the SDT suggest that in parallel to functions related to dorsal hippocampus, social memory functions connected to other brain systems (e.g. ventral hippocampus) are affected as well. Stephanie Lissette Proskauer Peña. MD, PhD candidate Jr. Researcher at Experimental Neurophysiology Laboratory. Biomedical Center, Medical Faculty in Pilsen, Charles University. (Biomedicínské Centrum. Lékarská Fakulta v Plzni. Univerzita Karlova) alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00 Plzeň – Severní Předměstí E-mail: stephanie.proskauer@lfp.cuni.cz

The objective of her scientific studies is to understand the mechanisms of memory processes based on a brain neural network levels in non and pathological conditions. Specifically focusing on the Hippocampus and its circuitry with other brain areas. She employs systemic approaches to explore the neural networks involved in spatial navigation and the encoding, recall and consolidation of memories applying different techniques from behavioral to in vivo electrophysiology in free moving animals recording the electric activity from neural ensembles of pyramidal cells from dorsal hippocampus decoding then this information in high temporal resolution which allows the study of the kinetics of memory processing. Most specifically her studies are directed to depict how these processes are affected in Alzheimer´s Disease in an early stage which if successful could give us a better comprehension on how this devastating illness develops over time to bring a better preventive and screening approaches. Her participation in research since 2009 first as an Assistant of Research and later on as a Research Coordinator on Pharmaceutical trials, led her to take the Coordination of a Research Program for undergraduate Medical Students at the Medical Faculty of her alma mater Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL) where she actively promoted and pursued the participation on clinical and basic research among the students. From 2015 she forms part of the staff of the Experimental Neurophysiology Laboratory as a Junior Researcher.

DISSOCIATION OF PARVALBUMIN INTERNEURON DYSFUNCTION MEDIATED BY NMDA HYPOFUNCTION OR OXIDATIVE STRESS DURING HIPPOCAMPAL MATURATION Luisa Austin Hasan Henderson, PhD candidate Institute for Neurophysiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany Background. Different genetic and early-life risk factors of schizophrenia converge on a common downstream mechanism involving NMDA receptor hypofunction and oxidative stress, in particular a decrease in the glutathione (GSH) levels. These factors perturb the development of parvalbumin positive (PV+) basket cells, leading to pathological alterations of neuronal network activity and subsequent disturbances in cognition, affective and social behavior. Even though NMDA hypofunction and oxidative stress co-exist in the schizophrenia pathology their independent contributions to PV+ basket cell dysfunction is still unclear. In hippocampal slice cultures the maturation of the PV+ basket cells occurs entirely in vitro, thereby offering a unique opportunity to manipulate these factors separately. In this study we investigated whether NMDA hypofunction and oxidative stress, during hippocampal development, would share common consequences on PV+ basket cell development and gamma oscillations. Methods and Results. Rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, electrophysiological local field recordings and patch clamp, immunohistochemistry, multiphoton microscopy and spectrophotometry were the techniques used to perform this study. The blockade of NMDA receptors and increased oxidative stress induced by GSH depletion were sufficient to alter PV expression and carbachol (Cch) induced gamma oscillations. NMDA hypofunction decreased gamma peak frequency already at day in vitro (DIV)3, whereas the ratio of PV+ interneurons slowly decreased until DIV10. On the contrary, oxidative stress resulted in immediate decrease in PV expression and increase in power of gamma oscillations, without affecting peak frequency. Despite continuous oxidative stress and ongoing cell loss, PV expression and gamma oscillation parameters recovered to control values at DIV10. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that NMDA-hypofunction and oxidative stress induced differential disturbances in PV+ basket cell expression and gamma oscillations peak frequency and power in early hippocampal development. While NMDA receptor blockade deleterious effects were sustained up the last assessment time point (DIV10), slices with induced oxidative stress recovered to control values, despite of the cell loss. We also show evidence suggesting that NMDA-hypofunction alone does not lead to the decreased function of the GSH antioxidant system observed in schizophrenia. MSc Luisa Austin Hasam Henderson PhD candidate, Institute for Neurophysiology Charité - University Medicine Berlin CCM - CharitéCrossOver Charitéplatz 1 10117 Berlin, Germany E-mail: luisa-austin.hasam-henderson@charite.de

Luisa Austin Hasam Henderson. MSc and PhD candidate. Her scientific interest focusses on the developmental neuronal changes that underlie the schizophrenia pathology. She is especially interested on the contribution of free radical dependent mechanisms and neuronal activity changes to the development of abnormal network synchronization. She combines electrophysiology and microscopy techniques to understand the developmental changes in neuronal networks.

OBESITY & DIABETES ASSOCIATIONS OF THE CAT RS1049982, RS1001179 AND RS769217 POLYMORPHISMS WITH BODY COMPOSITION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN Esther Ramírez-Villarreal LN, Stud MS Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública, UANL, Monterrey, México Background. The oxidative stress (OS) has been described as a key factor involved in the development of different disease associated to obesity. Catalase is an antioxidant enzyme that plays an important role in the primary defense against OS. Genetic variations in CAT, gene that codes for the antioxidant enzyme catalase, have been related to an alteration of the antioxidant activity. the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the possible association between CAT polymorphisms (rs1049982, rs1001179 and rs769217) and body composition in postmenopausal women. Methods and Results. A cross-sectional study involved 200 apparently healthy postmenopausal women from Monterrey, México. Body composition was determined using DXA (lean mass, fat mass, fat android percentage, fat gynoid percentage, etc.). Genetic analysis was performed using qPCR and Taqman probes. Statistical analysis included χ2 to determine the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and simple linear regression (by the inheritance models). The mean age of participants was 57 ± 6.8 years. Genotypic distributions for CAT polymorphisms (rs1049982, rs1001179 and rs769217) fit predictions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p=0.24, 0.33 and 0.61, respectively). Statistically significant associations were found under the dominant inheritance model, between rs1049982 and weight (p = 0.028) and between rs769217 and waist-hip ratio (p = 0.048), and percentage of fat tissue android region (p = 0.031) in the recessive model. For the rs1001179 no association was found. Conclusions. The polymorphisms rs1049982 and rs769217 of the CAT gene are associated with variations in the body composition of postmenopausal women. This study suggests the possibility of using these polymorphisms as genetic markers of body composition in this population. LN. Esther Ramírez-Villarreal Student of Master of Science in Nutrition, Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Dr. Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño 64460, Monterrey, México

E-mail: esther.ramirezvl@uanl.edu.mx

Esther Ramírez-Villarreal, student of Master of Science in Nutrition, nutritionist. Her scientific interest focuses on the body composition and its relation with the gene-nutrient interaction. She is currently studying the relationship of polymorphisms antioxidant enzyme genes, antioxidant intake and their influence in body composition. The study of the gene-nutrient interaction will provide a better nutritional advice to the public generally, genetic subgroups and individuals.

ASSOCIATION OF POLYMORPHISMS IN GENES THAT CODE FOR ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES WITH BODY COMPOSITION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN Celeste Alejandrina Alcaraz-Reza1, Esther Eloisa Ramírez-Villarreal1, Angélica Deniss Escamilla-Méndez1, Rafael Velázquez-Cruz2, Erik Ramírez-López1, Zacarias Jiménez-Salas1 1

Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición - UANL Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN)

Background. Oxidative stress has been associated with obesity, which is considered as a state of chronic inflammation. Among the mechanisms of antioxidant defense are the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, GSR, GPX, among others. Polymorphisms in these enzymes decrease their antioxidant capacity. Objective: determine the association between body composition variables and the rs4880 polymorphisms of the SOD2 gene and rs2978663 of the GSRint3 gene in postmenopausal women. Methods and Results. A cross-sectional study involved 200 apparently healthy postmenopausal women from Nuevo Leon. Previous informed consent, the body composition variables were determined using DXA. For genotyping, the samples were processed by qPCR with TaqMan probes. Statistical analysis included Chi 2 and simple linear regression using inheritance models. Results: the average age was 56.82 ± 6.8 years. The genotypic frequencies of polymorphisms rs4880 and rs2978663 met the Hardy Weinberg (HWE) equilibrium. With linear regression analysis adjusted for age and BMI, a significant association was found between the polymorphism rs4880 and the abdominal skin fold (p= 0.045) in the recessive inheritance model, there were also found two trends between the aforementioned polymorphism and (a) the abdominal skin fold in the additive mode (p= 0.063), and (b) the suprailiac skin fold (p = 0.084) in the recessive model. Nevertheless, there was no significant association or trend with the polymorphism rs2978663 Conclusions. It is suggested that the polymorphism rs4880 may be a genetic marker associated to the variation in the abdominal and suprailiac skin folds in this population.

LN. Celeste Alejandrina Alcaraz Reza Student of Master of Science in Nutrition Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública (CINSP) Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Dr. Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño 64460, Monterrey, México. E-mail: celesteaalcarazr@gmail.com Celeste Alejandrina Alcaraz Reza, nutritionist, student of Master of Science in Nutrition her scientific interest focuses on the field of nutrigenetics. She currently focuses on the relationship of polymorphisms in genes encoding antioxidant enzymes, antioxidant intake and their influence on body composition and bone mineral density. The knowledge generated from these investigations will allow providing a better nutritional advice to the patient.

SIRT1/FOXO1 IN THE ARC UNDERLIE MCH-INDUCED HYPERPHAGIA, ADIPOSITY AND GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE René Javier Hernández Bautista,2., O Al-Massadi, 1,2, C Dieguez, 1,2, R Noguieras, ,2. 1

Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain 2 CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15706, Spain Background. Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) is an important regulator of food intake, glucose metabolism and adiposity. However, the mechanisms mediating these actions remain largely unknown. Methods and Results. We used pharmacological and genetic approaches to show that the SIRT1/FoxO1 (sirtuin 1 / forkhead box O1) signalling pathway in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus mediates MCH-induced feeding, adiposity and glucose intolerance. The MCH/SIRT1/FoxO1 pathway inhibits POMC expression and central injection of alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (POMC product: pro-opiomelanocortin) or a melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) agonist is sufficient to blunt MCH-induced food intake. Of note, the actions of MCH are independent of AgRP (Agouti related peptide) neurons because the inhibition of GABAR (gamma aminobutyric acid receptor) in the ARC (nucleous arcuate) did not prevent the orexigenic action of MCH; and the hypophagic effect of MCH antisense oligonucleotide was maintained after the chemogenetic stimulation of AgRP neurons. Central SIRT1 is required for MCH-induced weight gain through its actions on the sympathetic nervous system. The central MCH knockdown causes hypophagia and weight loss in diet-induced obese wild type mice, however, this effect was abolished in mice over-expressing SIRT1 fed a high fat diet. Conclusions. Our data highlight the relevance of the MCH system as a drug target and provide new conceptual framework on the mechanisms by which MCH modulates food intake, adipocyte lipid storage and glucose intolerance via a SIRT1/FoxO1 mechanism located in the hypothalamic ARC that requires POMC but not AgRP neurons. Noteworthy, this mechanism is essential for the activity of MCH inhibitors in obese states. Dr. René Javier Hernández Bautista Postdoctoral Research Molecular Metabolism Group. Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS) Universidad de Santiago de Compostela Barcelona Ave. CIMUS Building, Floor 0, Door 3 15708, Santiago de Compostela, Spain E-mail: renejavier.hernandez@usc.es

René Hernández, PhD, Biopharmaceutical Chemistry (Mexico). His scientific interest is focused in know more about obesity and to describe the problem at molecular levels, search a possible mechanism involved in develop since early stages to describe and propose a probable and potential therapeutic target for counter obesity. So, He is focus on know how the obesity impacts on the organism through life, He evaluates inflammatory markers, biochemical parameters, glucose and insulin homeostasis, and how promotes the damage a cross the reactive oxygen species. By another hand his postdoctoral training is focused on understand how is the hypothalamic control of energy balance and the relationship with energy metabolism in several tissues and results demonstrates the importance of some proteins in the energetic balance. Prof. Rubén Nogueiras Pozo Associate Professor, Department of Physiology Principal Investigator, Molecular Metabolism Group. Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS) Universidad de Santiago de Compostela Barcelona Ave. CIMUS Building, Floor 0, Door 3 15708, Santiago de Compostela, Spain E-mail: ruben.nogueiras@usc.es

Ruben Nogueiras, PhD, Biologist (Spain). His scientific interest is focused in the study of molecular mechanisms involved in obesity and metabolism. In the challenge to decipher the complex and multiple pathways causing obesity, His Lab use different approaches such as genetically engineered mice, pharmacological tools and in vitro assays. He has also a close collaboration with several clinical groups in order to understand the translational potential of our preclinical data. He has research stays at German Institute of Human Nutrition (Berlin), Rowett Research Institute (Aberdeen, UK), University of Geneva (Ginebra, Suiza), University of Cincinnati (USA).

EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM CALORIC RESTRICTION ON PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AND ADHESION MOLECULES IN OBESE ADULTS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH PHASE ANGLE ESTIMATION Carolina Marín-Aragón, Nicté Figueroa-Vega, Lorena Ibarra, Itzel López-Aguilar, Juan M Malacara. Department of Medical Sciences, University of Guanajuato Background. Obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation and impaired immune response. Inflammation has an effect on energy metabolism in physiological and pathological conditions. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in energy regulation, stimulating energy expenditure and facilitating adipose tissue remodeling. After caloric restriction, inflammatory status and vascular dysfunction decrease by low energy intake that results in energy loss. Phase angle (PhA) is a ratio of whole body reactance and resistance obtained from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). It indicates cellular health and integrity and is considered as prognostic tool in medical disorders. It is influenced by various factors like age, gender, race, and body composition. To evaluate PhA in healthy and obese individuals to study its interaction with pro-inflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules and metabolic factors. In addition, we explored effects of caloric restriction over cardiovascular risk. Methods and Results. In this study we evaluated the impact of a 6-week calorie restriction on cardiometabolic and vascular risk profiles in 65 obese subjects 20-50 years old (46 females and 19 males; with body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2) from León Gto, México. Body composition was assessed by SECA equipment model mBCA514. Fasting glucose, lipid profile insulin levels were measured. Serum IL-6, TNF-α, sICAM, and sVCAM concentrations were quantified by CBA employing a flow cytometer. Time- and frequency domain measures of HRV were recorded for 4-hours with the POLAR RS800CX watch. Measurements were carried out before (baseline data) and 6 weeks after diet restriction. The control group included 60 healthy volunteers (44 females and 16 males) with a mean age of 32.4±7.0 years and BMI values of ≤24.9 kg/m2. Individuals within the high tertile of PhA (>5.9º) had higher anthropometric measures and higher serum concentrations of sICAM-1. By multivariate analysis, we found a positive association of PhA with BMI, HOMA-IR and tryglicerides. After caloric restriction IL-6, TNF-α, and sICAM1 levels diminished. Finally, by multiple regression we found a relationship between ΔPhA with ΔTNF-α and ΔpNN50, but inversely with Δglucose. Conclusions. These findings suggest that PhA may indicate deregulation not only metabolic, but also in inflammatory and endothelial damage. These data support previous basis for phase angle evaluations in the clinical setting. Juan M. Malacara MD, PhD Department of Medical Sciences Coordinator of Medical Sciences PhD Programm University of Guanajuato Av. 20 de Enero #929 37320 León, Guanajuato, México E-mail: jmmalacara@hotmail.com

Juan M. Malacara, MD, PhD, Endocrinologist. Graduated from the Medical School at the University of Guanajuato, completed his post-graduate studies in the National Institute of Nutrition and did his post-doctoral stay at the Connecticut University. He has written 126 works, 97 of which are the publications with impact factor and he has also edited seven books. He has directed 20 doctoral, 37 Master's and 22 Bachelor's theses. He is a member of the National System of Researchers Level III and among the recognitions he has are the awards "Alfonso Rivera" and "Salvador Zubiran" from the Mexican Society of Nutrition and Endocrinology, "Alfredo Duges" from the Congress of the State of Guanajuato and the prize CONCYTEG – Elsevier. He was a President of the Academy for Research in Reproductive Biology and the Mexican Society of Nutrition and Endocrinology. His scientific interest focuses on the field of obesity, diabetes and menopause. Specifically, he focuses on metabolic and genetic alterations in several physiological components that modulate obesity development. In translational approaches, his team utilizes novel applied basic science observations to develop novel strategies for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of obesity and cardiovascular disease

OTHER TOPICS OPTIMIZATION OF INTRACELLULAR FAT QUANTIFICATION IN AN IN VITRO HEPATOCYTE CELL LINE Azalia Mariel Carranza-Trejo, MD; Ing. Lucie Vištejnová PhD. Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague. Background. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) presents an excess lipid accumulation in entire hepatocytes. This excessive lipid accumulation can progress to worsen the disease and impaired hepatocyte and liver functions. In vitro treatment of hepatocytes with palmitic acid induces similar steatotic phenotype of hepatocytes as can be observed in real tissues. Oil Red O staining (ORO) is a fat-soluble dye which stains neutral lipid but not the membranes. ORO has been found to be the most used and precise method for evaluation of steatosis in hepatocytes. Methods and Results. Human hepatocyte cell line HepG2 was cultured in complete media containing 10% of fetal bovine serum, 1% non-essential amino acids mixture, 1.5mg/ml sodium bicarbonate, 0.11mg/ml sodium pyruvate and 0.292 mg/ml L-glutamine. As antibiotics, the mixture of penicillin and streptomycin at concentrations 100 U/ml and 100µg/ml, respectively, was used. HepG2 cells were treated with several concentrations of palmitic acid (100, 200, 500, 1000μM) within the time points 24, 48 and 72h. Intracellular fat accumulation was determined with Oil Red Staining, observed at the microscope and measured by spectrophotometer at 510nm wavelength. After 3 repetitions and measurements of palmitic acid treatment, the observations showed intracellular lipid droplet accumulation after the 24h time point, with barely any observation of lipid droplets in the 100 and 200um concentration and more notable in the 500uM; being the 1000uM the most abundant. 48h time point showed a similar behavior, in the 100 and 200uM showing almost no lipid droplets and the 500 and the 1000uM concentration the most notable one, being thus the 72h with the 1000uM time point, the most abundant of all. Conclusions. For in vitro modeling of steatotic phenotype in hepatocytes the concentration of palmitic acid 500 or 1000 μM is the most suitable. Further optimization is required to assess the method of lipid droplet determination, not only by microscopic observation but also by a concise quantitative method

Azalia Mariel Carranza-Trejo, MD PhD Candidate, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology Cellular Regenerative Medicine Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen alej Svobody, 76 323 00 Plzeň, Czech Republic E-mail: carranza@lfp.cuni.cz

Azalia Mariel Carranza-Trejo, MD. Her scientific interest focuses on regenerative medicine and the stem cells field in general, specially in the potential of stem cells in liver regeneration; how the extrahepatical stem cells work in liver regeneration, how they are attracted to site of injury and which mechanisms are used - hepatodiferentiation and paracrine effect.

NUCLEAR MIRNA/EXOSOME-MEDIATED TRANSCRIPTIONAL SILENCING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF TGFB1 SIGNALING AND IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS Karla Rubio1, Indrabahadur Singh1, Julio Cordero1, Stephanie Dobersch1, Stephan Günther1, Pouya Sarvari1, Soni Pullamsetti1, Andreas Günther2, Markus Krüger3, Klaus Preissner4, Werner Seeger1, Gergana Dobreva1, Thomas Braun1 and Guillermo Barreto1 1

Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research. - Bad Nauheim (Germany), 2Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University. – Giessen (Germany), 3Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases (CECAD), University Cologne. - Cologne (Germany), 4Biochemistry Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University. - Giessen (Germany) Background. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are important regulators of different biological processes in the nucleus of the cell as part of the machinery controlling the chromatin structure at specific loci. However, the full extent of the function of ncRNAs in the nucleus has remained elusive, since the involvement of nuclear microRNAs (miRNAs) has not been investigated. This work aimed to decipher the function of a specific miRNA during transcriptional regulation. Methods and Results. We show that the mature miRNA directly binds to nuclear ncRNAs and the RNA exosome complex to induce heterochromatin through histone methyl transferases, SUV39H1 and EZH2, thereby silencing transcription. The mechanism of miRNA/exosome-mediated transcriptional silencing is biologically relevant within the context of transforming growth factor (TGFB1) signaling. Furthermore, we confirmed the mechanism of transcriptional regulation presented here using primary cells from control donors and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Conclusions. Our work opens new possibilities for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against IPF.

Karla Rubio. MSc. PhD candidate, Lung Cancer Epigenetics Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research Parkstraße 1 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany E-mail: karla.rubio@mpi-bn.mpg.de

Karla Rubio, PhD candidate. She studied Biomedicine and Physiological Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and the Physiology Institute at the Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico (BUAP). Her scientific focus includes the analysis of epigenetic mechanisms that modulate the onset and persistence of pulmonary diseases such as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. The approach proposed at the Lung Cancer Epigenetics group, headed by Dr. Guillermo Barreto, is the integration of transcriptomics, proteomics and non-coding RNAs databases to analyse the role of small RNAs (microRNAs) as regulators of transcription and chromatin structure. In 2015 she obtained her certification in two doctoral programs, Molecular Biology and Medicine of the Lung (MBML, Excellence Cluster, JLU Giessen) and International Research School MPI (IMPRS-HLR).

CHITOSANS AS A SUSTAINABLE TREATMENT TO CONTROL PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODES Naivy Nava. MSc

The full use of natural resources is a prerequisite for the successful transformation to a bioeconomy, benefiting both the environment and the population. In agriculture, sustainable solutions for plant protection and plant nutrition need to be developed. One urgent problem is caused by plant parasitic nematodes in many crops of global importance, such as Meloidogyne incognita in tomato plants. One possible solution might be found in plant strengthening chitosans, a family of functional biopolymers that can be derived from shrimp shell wastes. Chitosans are among the most promising natural compounds that can protect plants from disease, partly because they exhibit a variety of antimicrobial activities (Khalil et al., 2012; Bogner et al., 2016). Chitosan is a partially deacetylated form of chitin, which is the second most abundant polymer in the world after cellulose, and is present in many organisms such as insectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exoskeletons, nematode egg shells, and most fungal cell walls. It is environmentally safe and non-toxic to higher organisms (Kumar, 2000; Cohen, 1987). Chitosan has been reported as one of the promising compounds against plant pathogens as it exhibits a variety of antimicrobial activities (Hadrami et al., 2010). However, commercial exploitation of chitosans is still not well developed because of inconsistent results attributed to their biological properties, and due to the lack of detailed understanding of chitosans structure/function relationships at the molecular level (El Gueddari and Moerschbacher, 2004). In the specific case of using chitosan against plant-parasitic nematodes, all study results coincide that chitosan serves as a natural nematicide, however the effect on plant-parasitic nematodes is variable depending on the chitosan molecular weight, nematode species, and plant species. Some studies reveal that low molecular weight chitosan (227 kDa) was highly effective reducing eggs and juveniles of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) under in vitro and greenhouse conditions (Khalil and Badawy, 2012), while others showed that high and low molecular weight chitosan were able to reduce egg hatching and cause juvenile mortality of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) on tomato plants under in vitro and greenhouse conditions (EI-Sayer and Mahdy, 2014). Preliminary studies at MĂźnster University have shown that tomato seeds treated with 0.2% chitosan significantly reduced M. incognita infestation on tomato (unpublished data). Seed treatment has been demonstrated to be effective in nematode reduction. Soaking tomato seeds or dipping the roots in a solution of 1.5 mg/ml of chitosan for 20 minutes was effective reducing M. javanica (Aboud et al., 2002). Naivy Nava MSc PhD student in Institute of Biology and Biotechnology of Plants (IBBP) University of Muenster (WWU), Germany E-mail: naivy.nava@uni-muenster.de

Naivy Nava is a PhD student in the IBBP of the WWU. Her research is focused in the control of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes affecting important crops such as tomato and maiz; this research is conducted using Chitooligosacchaarides as seed treatment. The work is being supervised in the group of Prof. Dr. Bruno Moerschbacher in the WWU.

PET/CT GROUND TRUTH DATASET GENERATION FOR K-MEANS CLUSTERING Gilberto Gonzalez, MSc. student Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany Background. In order to compare the segmentation approaches of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images and to evaluate them, a ground truth is necessary. This may correspond to known external data or simulated data (e.g. a volume with well-defined regions) obtained from real patient PET/CT images. Recent approaches to automatize the segmentation of PET data using biokinetic information and K-means clustering have been proposed. Using an automated segmentation in brain PET images (as the ones used in this work) based on k-means makes possible to differentiate between tumor tissue and healthy brain tissue. In a further extent, it can also be used to distinguish heterogeneous regions inside either tumor tissue or normal brain tissue and even identify sub-tissues in each of them (e.g. necrosis in tumor). In this work, PET image reconstructions are obtained from a real patient using a Matlab program called DPETSTEP that simulates physical parameters of the PET system; afterwards the images are passed through a clustering algorithm, thus to be compared with the original image.

Methods. The dynamic brain study of a single patient with 56 slices, each in 21 time-frames, served as input for DPETSTEP. The physical parameters in the simulation’s set-up were selected as the information stored in the patient’s DICOM data, which correspond to the set-up for a Siemens Biograph mCT system. First, a collection of original patient images was done for all slices and subsequently passed through the k-means algorithm to generate clustered images which were nominated as pristine images which served as “Ground Truth” in the present study. Afterwards, these pristine images were passed through DPETSTEP to obtain three types of reconstructions: filtered back (FBP), ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM), and OSEM with point spread function correction. The reconstructions are also processed by the clustering program in order to determine if the number of suggested clusters was the same as the pristine images according to the validity indices used in this study. The physical factors influencing most of the reconstructions (and thus the final clustered images) are the system’s sensitivity, the scale for number of counts and the FWHM resolution. The main observations are the differences in the number of clusters between original images (5 clusters) and the reconstructions; also the Time-activity curve differences were noted for each unique cluster inside the images.

Current Results. The dynamic reconstructed images proved to be concurrent with 3 slice images of the original patient and showed well-defined cluster regions after being run with a previous clustering program in the research group. Simulations for FBP and OSEM reconstruction methods were also obtained. In overall, DPETSTEP showed to be easy to implement and the creation of a pristine image and the reconstructions take few seconds to create for each of the patient’s slices. Further research on the limitations of DPETSTEP would include clustering analysis by adjusting the simulation parameters in different scenarios and observation of suggested number of clusters and time-activity curves for all slices in the patient.

Gilberto Gonzalez MSc. Student in Medical physics at the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany E-mail: g.gonzalez@stud.uni-heidelberg.de

Gilberto Gonzalez, biomedical engineer and aspiring medical physicist. His main interests are among the radiotherapy field, treatment planning and delivery, and image processing; particularly, his Lab experience consists in beam plan delivery and measurement and as well with image analysis with Matlab. His current research group works with several approaches on automated image segmentation and kinetic modelling for PET studies. He has also had previous hands-on experience on several different biomedical engineering fields such as: modelling of objects in Solidworks with basic mechanical testing in ANSYS, also electronic circuit simulation and design with Multisim, PSPICE and Kicad. One of his main goals is to increase the interest for biomedical sciences in his homeland state.

COEXPRESSION OF THE TWO N-TRUNCATED PEPTIDES Aβ3(pe)-42 and Aβ4-42 AGGRAVATES THE BEHAVIORAL PHENOTYPE IN TRANSGENIC AMYLOID MOUSE MODELS FOR ALZHEIMER DISEASE José Sócrates López Noguerola1, Julius N. Meißner, Yvonne Bouter1, Thomas A. Bayer1. 1

Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Goettingen, University Medicine Goettingen, von-Siebold –Strasse 5. 37075 Goettingen, Germany. Background.N-terminally truncated and pyroglutamate modified Aβ peptide starting at position 3 and ending with amino acid 42 (Aβ3(pE)-42) has been previously shown to represent a major species in the brain of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) patients. In addition, N-truncated Aβ4-42 is another highly abundant Aβ peptide in AD brain. Our recent observations revealed that Aβ4-42 is as toxic as Aβ3(pE)-42 and also shows high aggregation propensity. The aim of the present project is to study the direct effect of the combination of Aβ3(pE)-42 and Aβ4-42 on ongoing AD pathology in transgenic mice. Methods and Results. Bigenic mice were generated by crossing the established TBA42 and Tg4-42 mouse models expressing the N-truncated Aβ peptides Aβ3(pE)-42 and Aβ4-42 respectively. After generation of the bigenic mice, detailed phenotypical characterization was performed. In order to evaluate motor deficits, the inverted grid, the balance beam and the string suspension tasks were performed. The elevated plus maze was used to study anxiety levels. Immunostaininings were performed to evaluate the amyloid pathology. In the elevated plus maze and all motor tests, bigenic mice showed an aggravated phenotype compared to mice expressing only Aβ3(pE)-42 or Aβ4-42. Also, bigenic mice showed higher accumulation of Aβ in the motor neurons of the spinal cord and plaque load. Conclusion. We show that Aβ3(pE)-42 and Aβ4-42, when combined, aggravate the behavioral phenotype in an age dependent manner and provide in vivo evidence that both peptides together are likely playing an important role in AD pathology.

J.Socrates Lopez-Noguerola PhD-student Dept. of Molecular Psychiatry University Medical Center (UMG) Goettingen Von-Siebold-Str. 5 37075 Goettingen Germany Phone: +49-551-39-12905 http://alzheimer-bayer.de/ E-mail: j.lopeznoguerola@stud.uni-goettingen.de I have a bachelor’s degree in Experimental Biology from the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (UAM) and a Master of Science in Neurobiology from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). Currently, I am a PhD student in the laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry at the University Medical Center (UMG) Goettingen, Germany. My scientific interest focuses in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and the molecular mechanisms involved in the neuronal cell death and its consequences on learning and memory in animals models. All this, in order to develop better therapeutic targets to fight against the disease.

Art and Biomedicine

Art and Biomedicine It is an exhibition organized in its second edition by Dr. Ana Luisa Piña and the visual artist Bianca Monroy with the aim of linking art and science in a transversal way, as well as inspiring the artistic creation with biomedicine. Creating bridges between different disciplines, as well as promoting spaces in which Mexican professionals can interact and share the results of their work in a professional way, is one of the main objectives of the Global Mx Network, as well as one of the engines of the chapter Germany Es una exposición organizada en su segunda edición por la Dra. Ana Luisa Piña y la artista visual Bianca Monroy con el objetivo de vincular el arte y la ciencia de una manera transversal, así como inspirar con la biomedicina la creación artística. Crear puentes entre diferentes disciplinas, así como fomentar espacios en los que los profesionales mexicanos puedan interactuar y compartir los resultados de su trabajo de manera profesional, es uno de los objetivos principales de la Red Global Mx, así como uno de los motores del capítulo Alemania.

Almendra López Neuroscience | and interneurons, were the detonating words for the creation of the present work. Starting from the presumption of "language between neurons"; The reception and transmission of stimuli, the artist questions and fantasizes with the idea that these can be inhibited unexpectedly, thus changing the focus, the course and the time that was planned. Therefore, the artist, relates the interneurological disorders with their current emotional condition, creating a juxtaposition between forms, colors and materials, as well as their past experiences and current experiences. Neurociencias | e interneuronas, fueron las palabras detonadoras para la creación de la presente obra. Partiendo de la presunción del “lenguaje entre las neuronas”; la recepción y transmisión de estímulos, la artista se cuestiona y fantasea con la idea de que estos pueden ser inhibidos inesperadamente, cambiando así, el enfoque, el rumbo y el tiempo que se tenía previsto. Por lo que, la artista, relaciona los elementos interneurológicos con su actual condición emocional, creando una yuxtaposición entre las formas, colores y materiales, así como de sus experiencias pasadas y vivencias actuales. 75

Bianca Monroy Infectology | The microscopic universe represented by viruses and bacteria is present and latent in the life of every human being even when they are not aware of it. It is a world that expands beyond our eyes and perpetuates life in different dimensions; Is to understand life as a complex system that goes beyond the limits of our body and everyday perception. But, however, it flies freely in a perfectly organized system creating parallel worlds so diverse and complex that make a very special trip to live. Of their past experiences and current experiences. Infectología | El universo microscópico que representan los virus y las bacterias está presente y latente en la vida de todo ser humano aun cuando no se esté consciente de ello. Es un mundo que se expande más allá de nuestros ojos y perpetua la vida en diferentes dimensiones; es comprender a la vida como un sistema complejo que va más allá de los límites de nuestro cuerpo y percepción cotidiana. Pero que, sin embargo, vuela con libertad en un sistema perfectamente organizado creando mundos paralelos tan diversos y complejos que hacen de vivir un viaje muy especial. de sus experiencias pasadas y vivencias actuales.

Daniel Bravo Neuroscience | Explore, find out what is beyond the horizon that we know, everything part of the dreams, one day goes out and a light germinates in silence, a new lit star that catches perhaps the memory of this day, where you are physically and I am Present showing the map of the dreams that brought us here, the origin of our cosmos that I painted with in the pigment of your eyes and the ink of our invisible ties and the colors of my memories. To Oscar Sánchez, the scientist who gave light and color to my Universe ... Happy Anniversary! Neurociencias | Explorar, averiguar qué hay más allá del horizonte que conocemos, todo parte de los sueños, un día se apaga y una luz germina en silencio, una nueva estrella encendida que atrape quizás el recuerdo de éste día, en el que estás físicamente y yo estoy presente mostrando el mapa de los sueños que nos trajeron hasta aquí, el origen de nuestro cosmos que pinté con en el pigmento de tus ojos y la tinta de nuestros lazos invisibles y los colores de mis recuerdos. A Oscar Sánchez, el cientíﬁco que le dio luz y color a mi Universo…Feliz aniversario!

Esthela Jaime Obesity | In this work I wanted to simulate the shape of the brain, but in a human body. The Ego is something that our brain creates and that handles us with the images and signals of what it should be, what it believes to be the right and best for one, therefore, we are manipulated by our ego and our brain, for I wanted to express it this way, we are constantly thinking about how to be better instead of feeling that we are great. Therefore, my Obesity is depressed and cries constantly for its unhappiness.

Obesidad | En ésta obra quise simular la forma del cerebro, pero en un cuerpo humano. El Ego es algo que nuestro cerebro crea y que nos maneja con las imágenes y señales de lo que debería ser, lo que él cree que es lo correcto y lo mejor para uno, por tanto, somos manipulados por nuestro ego y nuestro cerebro, por eso quise expresarlo de ésta manera, estamos pensando constantemente como ser mejores en vez de sentir que somos geniales. Por tanto, mi Obesidad está deprimida y llora constantemente por su infelicidad.

Rosaana Velasco Cardiology | The heart representing in its reality and in its abstraction. The heart of the collective imaginary and the cells of the "real" heart under a microscope represent a reality seen with different shades and lenses

Cardiología | El corazón representando en su realidad y en su abstracción. El corazón del imaginario colectivo y las células del corazón “real” a microscopio representan una realidad vista con diferentes matices y lentes.

Silvia Juárez Infectology | I paint water in my paintings and think of contaminated water where different transmitters of infections and diseases accumulate, such as: bacteria, viruses and parasites that develop and multiply rapidly; Inspired me to carry out my work on the subject: Infectology

Infectología | Pinto agua en mis pinturas y pensar en el agua contaminada donde se acumulan diferentes transmisores de infecciones y enfermedades como: bacterias, virus y parásitos que se desarrollan y multiplican rápidamente; me inspiró a realizar mi obra sobre el tema: Infectología

Victor Mora Cardiology | The piece is made from the heart of a city, that cardiology is not only the blood or the heart of a body, if it is not that line of life what happens, in us where we come and live. And how we see ourselves in the family in old age where you spend your life, your house, your car, your tastes, what drives your heart.

Cardiología | La pieza está realizada a partir del corazón de una ciudad, que la cardiología no sólo es la sangre o el corazón de un cuerpo, si no es esa línea de vida qué pasa, en nosotros de donde venimos y vivimos. Y cómo nos vamos viendo en la familia en la vejez en donde pasas la vida, tu casa, tú auto, tus gustos, lo que impulsa tu corazón.

Yanira Masisch Neuroscience | In the background appears The Universe and its movement as part of its intrinsic nature; Without the movement of the Universe Earth would not exist. As a window into the Universe, the Earth appears, represented by the four seasons; Without the movement of the Earth the seasons would not exist. In Black ink as trees inserted in every movement of the Earth the neurons Purkinje, responsible of the movement represent the Human Being, that connects through Earth to the movement of the Universe. Without Movement There is no Life.

Neurociencias | En el Fondo aparece El Universo y su movimiento como parte de su naturaleza intrínseca; sin el movimiento del Universo La Tierra no existiría. Como una ventana dentro del Universo surge La Tierra, representada por las cuatro estaciones; sin el movimiento de La Tierra las estaciones no existirían. En Tinta negra como árboles insertados en cada movimiento de La Tierra las neuronas Purkinje, responsables del movimiento representan al Ser Humano, quien se conecta a través de La Tierra al movimiento del Universo. Sin Movimiento No hay Vida.

Willi BĂźsing Obesidad |

Jennifer Jennsel CadiologĂa |

SURVEY

1. Type of Participation.

2. How did you hear about this event?

3. How useful was the information about the Symposium in the different channels of communication ( webpage, mailing, Facebook, Twitter) was?

4. Overall rate of the event. Please select a number in a scale from 1-5 (1 as bad and 5 as excellent)

5. Overall rate of the content of the conferences. Please select a number in a scale from 1-5 (1 as non relevant and 5 as highly relevant)

6. Please give your opiniรณn about the poster sesiรณn. In a scale from 1 to 5 (5 as is most satisfactory)

7. In case you were audience, tell us in which way you would like to participate in the next edition.

8. Please rate the level of the presentations in this first edition of the Symposium.

9. How accesible did you find the scientific dialogue with colleagues from other รกreas of research?

10. In your opiniรณn, which were the different scientific contributions of the 2 working days.

11.

Did the symposium meet your expectations?

12. The contact with the academic and institutional personalities seemed to you:

13. For you, in terms of relevance, how are the conclusions that came up from the Symposium?

14. Would you be willing to be part of a Project in order to contribute to improve the conditions of Health in Mexico?

Positive unanimous response (100 %)

GALLERY

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125