THE
MMD
INTERNATIONAL

COURSE

Sponsored By

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Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets

ISSN (Print): 1871-5303

ISSN (Online): 2212-3873

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About Course


Introductory Session

International (multi-university) Postgraduate Course

Title
Mechanisms of Metabolic Disorders (MMD)

Coordinators
Dr. Luis Sobrevia, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.
Dr. Harry van Goor, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands.

Date
April – June 2022

Modality
Online-webinar, Zoom (live)

Registration
Free registration

Credits
5 credits
Direct lectures = 16 h (clock hours) (webinars)
Indirect = 48 h (clock hours) (individual study)

Description
Metabolic disorders are a cluster of conditions that disrupt the normal metabolism, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and other diseases. The prevalence of metabolic disorders is increasing worldwide, and when it occurs in pregnant women, programming of young and adult metabolic disorders occurs. Mechanisms behind metabolic disorders are nowadays better described in the literature. These mechanisms are defined at a cell and molecular level, in clinical studies with interventions in patients, and broader information in a public health approach. The MMD course will cover most metabolic disorders with different view levels, including clinical research (translational), basic science (mechanisms), and social aspects (including economics). MMD course will be part of the postgraduate's curricula in MSc and PhD in biomedicine, medicine, or similar areas (pre-confirmation from Universities in Chile, Uruguay, Netherlands, Australia, UK, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Austria, Spain, NZ).

Sponsored By

Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (JCR IF:2.387):

Bentham Science is a science, technology, and medical publisher, providing academic researchers and industrial professionals with the latest information in diverse fields of science and technology. Our peer-reviewed scholarly journals and books have an ever-increasing readership of millions of researchers worldwide.

Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (EMIDDT), from Bentham Science, is devoted to publishing full-length / mini reviews and original articles of experimental and clinical studies in the field of endocrine, metabolic, and immune disorders. Specific emphasis is placed on humoral and cellular targets for natural, synthetic, and genetically engineered drugs that enhance or impair endocrine, metabolic, and immune parameters and functions. Moreover, the topics related to the effects of food components and/or nutraceuticals on the endocrine-metabolic-immune axis and on microbioma composition are welcome. Dr. Emilio Jirillo from University of Bari, Italy, serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal, with an Editorial Board comprising senior researchers from around the world. EMIDDT is indexed in major indexes and directories including Science Citation Index Expanded™ (Web of Science), Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed/Index Medicus etc. Learn more about the journal here: https://www.eurekaselect.com/journal/59

Researchers can submit a manuscript to the journal through the online manuscript submission system here: https://bentham.manuscriptpoint.com/journals/EMIDDT

Sponsors

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (IUPS)

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THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY (TPS)

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LATIN-AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (ALACF)

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SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DE CIENCIAS FISIOLOGICAS (SECF)

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CHILEAN SOCIETY OF PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (SCHCF)

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BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS (BSP)

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About The Presenters


Session : 1
Theme : Inaugural lecture
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. L Sobrevia
Coordinator Chile

Dr. H van Goor
Coordinator Netherlands

Dr. C Wijmenga
Rector RUG, Netherlands

Dr. I Sánchez†
Rector PUC, Chile

Dr. C Gonsalves
Ambassador Netherlands to Chile

Dr. T Mercer†
Ambassador Australia to Chile

Dr. B Fredholm
Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Keynote Guests

Dr. P Barretti
Rector UNESP, Brazil

Dr. D Paterson
Director UQCCR UQ, Australia

Dr. G Torre
Rector TecSalud/ViceRector Res TecMont, Mexico

Dr. C Vargas†
Vicerector Internationalization, U Sevilla, Spain

Dr. L Ferrer
Vicerector Internationalization, PUC, Chile

Dr. MA Castro*
Rector U Sevilla, Spain

Dr. H Salinas
Ambassador Chile to Netherlands

Session Date : APRIL 04

Session : 2
Theme : DOHaD & programming
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. A Sferruzzi-Perri
U Cambridge, UK

Dr. P Casanello
PUC, Chile

Dr. M Hanson
U Southampton, UK

Session Date : APRIL 08

Session : 3
Theme : Obesity & inflammation
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. J Cleal
U Southampton, UK

Dr. C Escande
Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Uruguay

Dr. L Myatt
Oregon Health & Science University, USA

Session Date : APRIL 14

Session : 4
Theme : Preeclampsia
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. R Marín
IVIC, Venezuela

Dr. E Terán
U San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador

Dr. C Vázquez
U Sevilla, Spain

Session Date : APRIL 19

Session : 5
Theme : IUGR & hipoxia
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. P Murthy
Monash Univ, Australia

Dr. D Giussiani
U Cambridge, UK

Dr. H van Goor
U Groningen, Netherlands

Session Date : APRIL 22

Session : 6
Theme : Diabetes 1
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. A Jawerbaum
U Buenos Aires, Argentina

Dr. M Rudge
UNESP, Brazil

Dr. G Desoye
Graz Medical University, Austria

Session Date : APRIL 29

Session : 7
Theme : Diabetes 2
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. J Kroll
U Heidelberg, Germany

Dr. L Sobrevia
PUC, Chile

Dr. D Hill
LHRI, Western Univ, Canada

Session Date : MAY 06

Session : 8
Theme : Cardiovascular disease 1
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. A Loria
U Kentucky, USA

Dr. A Mattiazzi
U de La Plata, Argentina

Dr. SA Deuchars
U Leeds, UK

Session Date : MAY 10

Session : 9
Theme : Cardiovascular disease 2
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. C Torrens
U Medical and Health Sciences, Ireland

Dr. P Contreras
U de La República, Uruguay

Dr. J-L Hillebrands
U Groningen, Netherlands

Session Date : MAY 13

Session : 10
Theme : Mitochondria & Metabolism
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. G García-Rivas
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico

Dr. D Westenbrink
U Groningen, Netherlands

Dr. J Chan
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan

Session Date : MAY 20

Session : 11
Theme : Cancer, membrane transport
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. G Ferreira
U de La República, Uruguay

Dr. C Salomon
U Queensland, Australia

Dr. M Pastor-Anglada
U Barcelona, Spain

Session Date : MAY 27

Session : 12
Theme : Lung diseases
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. P Rocco
U Sao Paulo, Brazil

Dr. A Al-Jumaily
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Dr. M Hylkema
U Groningen, Netherlands

Session Date : JUNE 03

Session : 13
Theme : Meet the Editor
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. D Mikhailidis
University College London, UK

Dr. A Al-Jumaily
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Dr. P Murphy
U Kentucky, USA

Dr. A Azzi
Tufts Univ, USA

Session Date : JUNE 07

Session : 14
Theme : Immunity
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. D Ortuño
U Guadalajara, Mexico

Dr. A Zenclussen
U Leipzig, Germany

Dr. G Torre
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico

Session Date : JUNE 10

Session : 15
Theme : Nutrition & exercise
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. M Van Poppel
U Graz, Austria

Dr. A Mate
U Sevilla, Spain

Dr. A Azzi
Tufts Univ, USA

Session Date : JUNE 17

Session : 16
Theme : Liver
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. H Moshage
U Groningen (Netherlands)

Dr. J Carvajal
PUC (Chile)

Dr. D Mikahilidis
University College London, UK

Session Date : JUNE 24

Session : 17
Theme : Child development & metabolic disorders
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. PP Silveira
McGill Univ, Canada

Dr. P Murphy
U Kentucky, USA

Dr. E van der Beek
U Groningen, Netherlands

Session Date : JULY 01

Session : 18
Theme : Final Symposium 1
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. Registered students

Dr. L Sobrevia

Dr. H van Goor

Session Date : JULY 08

Session : 19
Theme : Final Symposium 2
Speaker
Affiliation

Dr. Registered students

Dr. L Sobrevia

Dr. H van Goor

Session Date : JULY 08

Lecture titles


  1. Early adiposity and immune programming by maternal obesity
    Paola Casanello (PUC), Chile
  2. Some thoughts after many years in medical science and as a student advisor
    Bertil Fredholm (KI), Sweden
  3. ATPase activities and oxidative stress during preeclampsia
    Reinaldo Marín (IVIC), Venezuela
  4. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
    Dimitri Mikhailidis (UCL), UK
  5. Alliin, a garlic compound that improves meta-inflammation parameters in mice with diet-induced obesity
    Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún (U Guadalajara), Mexico
  6. A three-dimensional in vitro human placental organoid culture model to identify molecular pathways unifying placental phenotypes of pregnancies affected with severe growth restriction and stillbirth.
    Padma Murthi (Monash U), Australia
  7. Foetal programming in maternal diabetes – Effects of diets enriched in unsaturated fatty acids
    Alicia Jawerbaum (UBA), Argentina
  8. Plasticity of the endocrine pancreas throughout life
    David Hill (Western University), Canada
  9. The role of the placenta and the IGF system in the developmental programming of offspring metabolic disease risk
    Amanda Sferruzzi-Perry (Cambridge U), UK
  10. Metabolic disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia
    Paul Murphy (U Kentucky), USA
  11. Sex-specific effects of behavioural stress on cardiovascular and metabolic function
    Analia Loria (U Kentucky), USA
  12. Metabolic alterations as a cause for diabetes and its vascular alterations
    Jens Kroll (U Heidelberg), Germany
  13. Liver metabolic diseases
    Han Moshage (RUG), Netherlands
  14. Effect and consequence of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes on placental energy metabolism and function: sexual dimorphism in response
    Leslie Myatt (OHSU), USA
  15. Gene network-environment interactions, child development and risk for adult co-morbidity between psychopathology and metabolic disease
    Patricia P Silveira (McGill), Canada
  16. Effects of obesity on lung inflammation in different respiratory diseases
    Patricia Rocco (UFRJ), Brazil
  17. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and different aspects of lung ageing
    Machteld Hylkema (UMCG), Netherlands
  18. Mitochondria in developmental programming of cardiometabolic disorders
    Julie Chan (IUPS), Taiwan
  19. Fetal-maternal communication via extracellular vesicles – implications for complications of pregnancies
    Carlos Salomón (UQ), Australia
  20. Post-translational modifications in the mitochondrial associated with cardiac diseases
    Gerardo García-Rivas (Tec Monterrey), Mexico
  21. Role of ion channels, transporters and calcium signalling in Type II diabetes
    Gonzalo Ferreira (U de la República), Uruguay
  22. Heart disease link to foetal hypoxia
    Dino A Giussani (U Cambridge), UK
  23. Animal models for studying metabolic disorders
    Paola Contreras (U de la República), Uruguay
  1. Epigenetics as a mechanism linking fetal/placental exposures to metabolic disease risk
    Jane Cleal (U Southampton), UK
  2. Early life exposures and later metabolic health
    Eline van der Beek (RUG), Netherlands
  3. Ketone bodies: a metabolic lifeline for the failing heart?
    Daan Westenbrink (RUG), Netherlands
  4. Cardiovascular insights for metabolic diseases
    Christopher Torrens (UMHS RCSI), Ireland
  5. Nucleoside transporters in cancer
    Marçal Pastor-Anglada (UB), Spain
  6. Screening, design and preclinical evaluation of small molecules for the treatment of obesity and attendant metabolic disorders
    Carlos Escande (Institut Pasteur Montevideo), Uruguay
  7. Introduction to developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
    Mark Hanson (U Southampton), UK
  8. Preeclampsia and impact in vascular function
    Enrique Terán (USFQ), Ecuador
  9. How the placenta contributes to neonatal overgrowth in diabetes and obesity
    Gernot Desoye (MUG), Austria
  10. Lungs and lung diseases therapy: engineering approach
    Ahmed Al-Jumaily (AUT), NZ
  11. Physical activity in pregnancy and maternal metabolism
    Mireille Van Poppel (UG), Austria
  12. Immune response in diseases of pregnancy
    Ana C Zenclussen (UL, H-Z Center Environ. Res. GmbH - UFZ), Germany
  13. Nutritional biofactors and metabolic disorders
    Angelo Azzi (TU), USA
  14. Incidence of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related cardiotoxicity: from meta-analysis to immune mechanisms
    Guillermo Torre (Tec Monterrey), Mexico
  15. Lessons learned from the intriguing intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
    Jorge Carvajal (PUC), Chile
  16. Use of circulating antiangiogenic factors to deepen into the pathogenic mechanisms of preeclampsia
    Carmen Vázquez (US), Spain
  17. Nutraceuticals and hypertensive eye disease
    Alfonso Mate (US), Spain
  18. Vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for cardiometabolic conditions
    Susan A Deuchars (UL), UK
  19. Diabetes and glucose intolerance in pregnancy
    Marilza Rudge (UNESP), Brazil
  20. CaMKII and cardiac arrhythmias
    Alicia Mattiazzi (U de La Plata), Argentina
  21. Angiogenesis (to confirm)
    Jan-Luuk Hillebrands (RUG), Netherlands
  22. Redox state and metabolic disorders
    Harry van Goor (RUG), Netherlands
  23. Gestational diabesity and foetoplacental vascular dysfunction
    Luis Sobrevia (PUC), Chile

Lecturers' Biosketches


Paola Casanello
Dr. Paola Casanello (PUC), Chile

Paola Casanello is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and the Department of Neonatology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in Santiago, Chile. A graduate Midwife (1996), trained in Perinatology (2000), MSc in Biological Sciences/Physiology (2003) at the Universidad de Concepción in Chile and PhD in Physiological Sciences (2007) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC). She directs the Lab of Perinatal Programming and Epigenetics at the School of Medicine, at the PUC since 2010. Her team is centered in studying perinatal nutrition, placental function, neonatal adiposity and growth, neonatal immunity and epigenetic mechanisms leading to chronic disease in the offspring of women with obesity. To date she has supervised 14 postgraduate students (4 MSc and 10 PhD) from diverse PhD programs at PUC, University of Chile, and University of Valparaiso, all in Chile. She has developed interdisciplinary research in early metabolic, vascular, endocrine, and epigenetic programming of chronic disease. She actively collaborates with groups in Canada, Germany, India, and the UK. She has published 73 full papers, has led 3 associative national grants (FONDEF & Anillo), 4 national FONDECYT grants and co-researcher in 10 FONDECYT grants. She is a reviewing editor for Current Vascular Pharmacology, Frontiers Physiology and Editor in Ars Medica (PUC, Chile).

Bertil Fredholm
Dr. Bertil Fredholm (KI), Sweden

Bertil Fredholm is an emeritus professor of Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet. I got my PhD in 1970 and after a short post doc in San Diego I was lucky to get a position as professor in 1977. My main research has been related to the actions of adenosine and by implication in the effects of caffeine. It resulted in some 700 scientific papers several of which have fortunately been widely read and cited. I am a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, The Royal Society of Medicine in Belgium, The Royal Society of Pharmacology in Spain and the Academia Europea. For close to 20 years, I was a member of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, and its chair for two years. After retirement I wrote a textbook of Pharmacology and a popular science book on Coffee.

Reinaldo Marín
Dr. Reinaldo Marín (IVIC), Venezuela

Emeritus Titular Researcher at IVIC. During his career at the IVIC he worked on the study of plasma membrane ATPasic activities and their role in health and disease. In the last 30 years, he has studied oxidative stress in the human placenta, particularly in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia. It has unraveled the molecular role of magnesium sulfate as an antioxidant and stabilizer of the plasma membrane.

Dimitri P. Mikhailidis
Dr. Dimitri P. Mikhailidis (UCL), UK

Dimitri P. Mikhailidis graduated from the University of London (BSc, MSc, MB,BS and MD) and is Academic Head, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Free Hospital campus, University College London Medical School. He is also a Visiting Professor, University of Belgrade, Serbia and at two universities in Saudi Arabia. His research interests are dyslipidaemias and thrombosis. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath), Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FFPM) and American College of Clinical Pharmacology (FCP).

Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún
Dr. Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún (U Guadalajara), Mexico

Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún, Mexican, is Researcher Professor in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Guadalajara and visiting professor with the Masters in Neuroscience and Drug Development, University of Barcelona. Awarded a PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the Cajal Institute (Spanish Research Council), he has taught under- and postgraduate levels for 31 years including periods in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Alicante), and Germany (Leipzig). Member of the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias, and member of the Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, in Level 3 (the highest). Having published over 60 articles in scientific journals with more than 1,700 citations, and 33 book chapters, he has also been co-editor of 5 books. He is an Associate Editor for Molecular Medicine (Springuer-Nature), Frontiers in Aging Neurosciences (Frontiers), and Current Nutraceuticals (Bentham). Also, Lead Guest Editor for Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience (Frontiers), Journal of Immunology Research (Hindawi) and for International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI). Expert reviewer for 57 international journals. Currently, President of the Sociedad Mexicana de Ciencias Fisiológicas and President of the Sociedad Mexicana de Biología del Desarrollo. His main research interests lie in elucidating the molecular mechanisms that regulate neuroimmunomodulation in Multiple Sclerosis, alongside building knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in aging and neurodegenerative pathologies. He also studies the immunomodulatory effects of organosulfur compounds from garlic, and the development of vaccines through genetic engineering.

Padma Murthi
Dr. Padma Murthi (Monash U), Australia

Dr Padma Murthi is an internationally recognised placental biologist with research expertise in studying molecular regulation of placental development in human idiopathic fetal growth restriction (FGR). She has published >130 research articles/reviews in this field. Many stillbirths show evidence of FGR, specifically unexplained stillbirth accounts for >50% perinatal deaths and remains a significant problem. Padma’s projects focus on identifying placental phenotypes of different fetal growth patterns to resolve the complexities of FGR/stillbirth and develop targeted therapies to improve feto-placental growth. Her laboratory currently investigates the effect of exacerbated placental inflammation as a unifying and causal mechanism underlying placental phenotypes of FGR using trophoblast organoid model systems. Her studies would significantly improve the ability of clinicians to recognise FGR phenotypes, target interventions to improve survival rates of FGR and ameliorate the long-term adverse effects of FGR.

Alicia Jawerbaum
Dr. Alicia Jawerbaum (UBA), Argentina

Alicia Jawerbaum, PhD, is the Director of the Laboratory of Reproduction and Metabolism at CEFYBO-School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires. She is a Principal Investigator of the Council for Scientific and Technical Research in Argentina (CONICET). Alicia Jawerbaum is past president of SLIMP (Latin American Society for Placenta and Maternal-Fetal interaction), is a board member of IADPSG (International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups), ex-secretary and board member of the Diabetes and pregnancy study group of the Argentine Society of Diabetes (SAD), and past board member of IFPA (International Federation of Placental Associations) and the Argentine Society of Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology Society (SAEGRE). She chaired IFPA 2019, IADPSG 2016 and SLIMP 2015 Scientific Meetings. She is a recipient of the Joseph Hoet Research Award (Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups 2010), Eliseo Cantón Award (National Academy of Sciences, 2019) and Argentine Society of Diabetes Award (2020). She has published more than 110 research papers and served on many review panels for national and international grant giving bodies. Her research activities focus on embryo, fetal, placental and postnatal impact of maternal diabetes and nutritional strategies to prevent impaired feto-placental development and fetal programming.

David Hill
Dr. David Hill (Western University), Canada

David J Hill (D.Phil., FCAHS) is Scientific Director of the Lawson Health Research Institute and Integrated Vice President Research at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Ontario, Canada. He holds the Lawson Professorship in Diabetes Research, and is a Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Physiology and Pharmacology, and Pediatrics at Western University, Canada. Educated at the Universities of Nottingham and Oxford, Professor Hill is a past Chair of the National Board of the Canadian Diabetes Association and is presently a Board Member for Research Canada and of Health Care Canada. He is a recipient of the Canadian Diabetes Association Frederick G. Banting Award, the Medal of the Society for Endocrinology from the UK and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Dr. Hill’s has published some 250 research papers and has most recently focused on the targeted generation of new insulin producing ß-cells in the pancreas, the fetal programming of type 2 diabetes, and strategies to prevent gestational diabetes.

Amanda Sferruzzi-Perry
Dr. Amanda Sferruzzi-Perry (Cambridge U), UK

Dr. Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri is a Lecturer in Reproductive Physiology in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, at the University of Cambridge. Her research is focused on unravelling the environmental and genetic regulation of the placenta and, closely related to this, the in utero programming of adult diseases. Amanda became particularly fascinated by this research area during her PhD at the University of Adelaide, during which she assessed the role of insulinlike growth factors (IGFs) in regulating feto-placental growth. Through an NHMRC Overseas Biomedical Research Fellowship, Amanda then moved to Cambridge, UK to explore interactions of the IGF system with the maternal environment (nutrition, oxygen availability and stress). Facilitated by the award of two consecutive research fellowships (Centre for Trophoblast Research and Royal Society), Amanda went on to examine the role of the IGF/insulin signalling system in maternal-placental-fetal interactions governing pregnancy and lifelong metabolic health of the mother and offspring. These studies continue to feed into her lab’s current research programmes in Cambridge and combine novel genetic tools and environmental manipulations, with in vivo functional assays and cellular, metabolic, histological and molecular techniques in vitro. Over the years, Amanda has received several Honours for her work, including the Hans Sigrist Research Prize in 2020, Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine Research Prize in 2018, and the Society for Reproduction and Fertility Young Investigator Award and Andrée Gruslin award from the International Federation of Placenta Associations in 2017. Amanda is regularly invited to speak at conferences and has published 70 scientific papers. She is passionate about mentoring and fostering the development of others and is heavily involved in scientific communication and outreach, in part facilitated by her involvement in societies like SRF (Society for Reproduction and Fertility).

Paul Murphy
Dr. Paul Murphy (U Kentucky), USA

Dr Murphy’s lab focuses on the study of the production of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), how this process is regulated, and how the peptide ultimately forms pathologic structures in the brain and other tissues, such as skeletal muscle. Dr Murphy’s main interest is in models of disease, mainly genetically modified mice, but also in higher mammals, humans, and in cell culture systems. In recent years, his lab has moved towards a more directed investigation of how common processes operate at the interface of aging and neurologic disease to influence the development of AD-related neuropathology. This includes examining complex physiological processes such as sleep and metabolism, and how these impact the pathogenesis of amyloid and tau pathology in genetically modified mice. Dr Murphy has authored or co-authored many peer reviewed manuscripts, with notable publications in Science, Nature, Nature Medicine, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Annals of Neurology, Journal of Neuroscience, and the American Journal of Pathology. His lab has received funding from the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Association, the Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust (CART) Foundation, the Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation (KSEF), the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), the Bright Focus Foundation, and six different NIH Institutes (NIA, NINDS, NIGMS, NIDDK, NIEHS, and NHLBI).

Analia S Loria
Dr. Analia S Loria (U Kentucky), USA

Analia S Loria, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Kentucky. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and her PhD at the University of Murcia (Spain), completing her postdoctoral training at the Medical College of Georgia (USA). Dr. Loria has a strong background in cardiovascular physiology, biochemistry, and vascular biology of vasoactive peptides. Using mouse and rat models, she investigates the effects of early life stress on cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. Her postdoctoral work was supported by an American Heart Association Fellowship early on. She was subsequently awarded a K99 from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute focused on the influence of early life stress on renal and vascular function. Since joining the University of Kentucky, Dr. Loria has established a laboratory highly focused on the study of the cardiovascular function in obesity settings, including the measurement of acute and chronic blood pressure, assessment of vascular function ex vivo, and the adipose tissue biology. Dr. Loria’s active research program is investigating the sex-specific mechanisms underlying the increased cardiometabolic risk associated with early life stress.

Jens Kroll
Dr. Jens Kroll (U Heidelberg), Germany

Jens Kroll is at the Department of Vascular Biology & Tumor Angiogenesis at the European Center for Angioscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University. He studied Biochemistry at the Martin-Luther-University HalleWittenberg, Halle. He is Principal Investigator and has been involved in Education and Academic Positions. He has been Adjunct Professor of Heidelberg University, Venia legendi for Vascular Biology and Physiology and since 2007 is an Independent Research Group Leader/Principal Investigator at Heidelberg University/Medical Faculty Mannheim. He has also been Group Leader at the Tumor Biology Center Freiburg, Postdoc at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, USA, and at the University Ulm where he did his PhD. at the University of Ulm. His awards, honors and fellowships include Oskar Lapp Prize of German Cardiac Society (DGK), PhD Award of Ulm University, EmmyNoether Stipend of DFG. His fields of specialisation include vascular biology, diabetic complications, metabolism, Zebrafish.

Han Moshage
Dr. Han Moshage (RUG), Netherlands

Professor of Experimental Hepatology and Gastroenterology, University Medical Center Groningen. Han Moshage (1959) studied chemistry at the Radboud University of Nijmegen and graduated in 1983 with specialization Biochemistry. After receiving his PhD degree at the Radboud University of Nijmegen in 1987, he was post-doctoral fellow at the Alcohol Research and Treatment Center of the VA Medical Center/Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, USA. From 1990-1993 he was staff-scientist at the Dept. of Hepatology, University Hospital Leuven in Belgium. Since 1993 he has been at the Dept. of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the University of Groningen. In 2005, he was appointed full professor of Experimental Hepatology and Gastroenterology. Moshage’s research focuses on mechanisms and manipulation of cell death, inflammation and fibrogenesis in (chronic) inflammatory liver diseases, with a special emphasis on non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) and lipotoxicity. His research focusses on the elucidation of signal transduction mechanisms and the role of mitochondria in the pathogenesis of inflammatory liver diseases and interventions in these disorders using natural products obtained from (medicinal) plants. Moshage also served as secretary of the Dutch Society of Hepatology (1997-2003), member of the Scientific Council of the Dutch Digestive Diseases Foundation (1998-2005), director of the master program Medical and Pharmaceutical Drug Innovation (2005-2013), director of the Research Institute GUIDE (2005-2012), director of the Graduate School of Medical Sciences (2009-2012) and is currently responsible for International Relations within the Graduate School of Medical Sciences.

Leslie Myatt
Dr. Leslie Myatt (OHSU), USA

Leslie Myatt is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director of Perinatal Research and Endowed Professor in the Bob and Charlee Moore Institute of Nutrition and Wellness at the Oregon Health & Science University, Portland. He was previously a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati, where he was Director of the NIH-funded Physician Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) and the Women’s Reproductive Health Research Scholars Program, and at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Dr Myatt has served as North American Editor of the journal Placenta, President of the Perinatal Research Society, President of the International Federation of Placenta Associations and President of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. His primary research interests are 1. The effects of maternal obesity, gestational diabetes and sexual dimorphism on mitochondrial respiration in the placenta and their relationship to epigenetic regulation of placental function and fetal programming and 2. Autocrine/paracrine mechanisms in fetal membranes involved in parturition. He has published over 290 papers and 375 abstracts and has served on many review panels and study sections for NIH, CIHR and other international grant giving bodies. He was presented with the Naftolin Award for Mentorship in 2014 and the Distinguished Scientist Award in 2017 by the Society for Reproductive Investigation.

Patricia P Silveira
Dr. Patricia P Silveira (McGill), Canada

Dr Silveira is the scientific director of the Genomics and Epigenetics Pillar of the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, based at the Douglas Research Centre, and associate professor at the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. A pediatrician and neuroscientist, Dr Silveira’s research focuses on how perinatal and early-childhood environments interact with individual differences in biological processes, shaping and modulating both health and disease risk across the lifespan, into old age. Her aim is to identify how gene networks interact with environmental adversities early in life, modifying endophenotypes (impulsivity, sensitivity to reward, executive function, food choices) that ultimately affect healthy growth and neurodevelopment, increasing an individual’s risk for developing chronic metabolic diseases and psychopathologies across their lifespan.

Patricia Rocco
Dr. Patricia Rocco (UFRJ), Brazil

Patricia Rocco, MD, PhD, Full Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where she heads the Laboratory of Pulmonary Investigation. Elected Member of the National Academy of Medicine in Brazil and Brazilian Academy of Science. Prof. Rocco has authored and co-authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and 125 book chapters. Her publications have been frequently highlighted in editorials published in Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care and Anesthesiology. She is the President of the Brazilian Society of Physiology (2021- 2022). Her research activities focus mainly on the development of new therapies for lung diseases.

Machteld N Hylkema
Dr. Machteld N Hylkema (UMCG), Netherlands

Dr. Machteld N. Hylkema - 105 publications, h-index score 35 is Associate Professor of Immunology and Experimental Pathology at the department of Pathology and Medical Biology of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands. She obtained a Master in Biology at the University of Leiden in 1991 and completed her PhD thesis entitled: “Autoimmunity against nucleosomes in lupus nephritis”at the University of Amsterdam in 1995. In the same year she moved to Groningen for a post-doc position at the department of Cell Biology and Histology at the University of Groningen. In 1998 she worked as a post-doc at Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA. After her return to Groningen she started as a post-doc at the department of Pathology and Medical Biology of the UMCG and was appointed Assistant Professor in 2003. In 2014 she was appointed Associate Professor. She received >2.5M euro in research grants from national and European agencies as well as from pharmaceutical companies. She has ample experience as a coordinator, teacher and mentor at numerous BSc, MSc and PhD courses on immunology and translational research. Since March 2018, she is the Academic Coordinator of the Erasmus+ International Master in Innovative Medicine (IMIM). She is a Member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Physiology – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Member of the Scientific and Business Committee for EIT Health Ageing PhD School and Chair of the patient advisory board UMCG to support patient participation in lung research. Currently her group investigates the aberrant lung progenitor/stem cell behavior that leads to emphysema progression and impaired lung tissue repair in COPD. Contact: m.n.hylkema@umcg.nl

Julie Chan
Dr. Julie Chan (IUPS), Taiwan

Julie Chan from Taiwan received her BSc degree in Life Sciences from the National Taiwan Normal University, MSc degree in Physiology from the Indiana State University (USA) and a PhD degree in Physiology and Neuroscience, with postdoctoral training in Neurophysiology from Washington State University (USA). Julie received a life-time achievement award in physiology in 2019 from the Federations of Asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies (FAOPS) for her distinguished research achievement in the autonomic physiology and the service to the regional physiological community. Julie has 218 publications in reputed journals (Google h-index = 45, i10 index = 156), tutored 72 graduate theses and mentored 24 postdoctoral fellows, including the physician scientists. She is currently a Distinguished Chair Professor in the Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. Julie serves as Associate Editor and member of the editorial board of several scientific journals, including Journal of Physiology and American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulatory Physiology. She is the President of the International Union of Physiological Science (IUPS) (2017-2022), immediate past-Vice-President of the IUPS (2013-2017) and past-President of the FAOPS (2011-2015). Julie’s laboratory has a long-standing research interest in neural regulation of the cardiovascular functions, with special focus on brain oxidative stress/nitrosative stress in pathophysiology of hypertension, developmental programming of adult hypertension to maternal malnutrition, and oxidative stress in aging-associated cardiovascular disorders. Contact: julieyhchan@gmail.com or jchan@cgmh.org.tw

Carlos Salomón
Dr. Carlos Salomón (UQ), Australia

Associate Professor Carlos Salomon (BSc (Hons I), MPhil, DMedSc, Ph.D.) is a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Fellow, group leader and Lab Head (Exosome Biology Laboratory) at UQ Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR). He has obtained an undergraduate degree, Bachelor in Biochemistry with Honours in Immunology in 2005 and a MPhil in Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology in 2008 at Universidad de Concepcion (Chile), and a PhD in Medical Sciences at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in 2013. He is a leading authority on extracellular vesicles (EV) and pregnancy, recognised as top 1% worldwide for productivity on “Pregnancy and exosomes” between 2009-2021, and ranked 1st in the world for the SciVal topic of “MicroRNAs; Pre-Eclampsia; Trophoblast cell” (Web of Science, Nov 2019). A/Professor Salomon is an expert in Quality Management system in research lab, and he held a leadership role in establishing the Centre for Clinical Diagnostics (CCD) at UQCCR, a centre created to develop, evaluate, and deliver In Vitro Diagnostics within a National Association of Testing Authorities accredited research and development environment (ISO17025). He has a total of 140 publications with an H index = 42, cited in 81 countries and 24 fields, 36% of the publications are in the top 10% by citations with >6000 citations and the acquisition of competitive funding (> $9 million) in Australia, USA, UK, and Chile as Principal Investigator. A/Professor Salomon´s research program has investigated the release of EV by the placenta and tumour cells during gestation and cancer progression, respectively, and their utility as a biomarker for a wide range of pregnancy complications and ovarian cancer.

Gerardo García-Rivas
Dr. Gerardo García-Rivas (Tec Monterrey), Mexico

Gerardo García-Rivas obtained his Doctoral degree with Honors in the National University of Mexico (UNAM) at Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”. He was a Research Associate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After working as a Postdoctoral Fellow, he returned to Mexico as a Research Professor of the Cardiovascular Research Group at Tec de Monterrey. He currently leads the Cardiovascular Medicine Research Group at Hospital Zambrano-Hellion. Additionally, he is Director for Translational Research at TecSalud. García-Rivas lab interests lie in the field of Cardiovascular Metabolism. The long-term goal of his laboratory is to contribute to elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control heart metabolism in normal and pathological settings. Moreover, GarcíaRivas lab uses murine models to explore their potential translation in heart failure. Recently, their group supported the generation of nanostructures and nanovectors with theranostic purposes. In addition, he is a Co-Founder of Nano4Heart a spin-off company to uses novel therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular diseases. Dr. García-Rivas has published more than 80 scientific peerreview articles, four chapters and has been granted with 3 patents. He is a member of the Mexican Researchers Council, currently as, Member of the Mexican Science Academy and the National Academy of Medicine.

Gonzalo Ferreira
Dr. Gonzalo Ferreira (U de la República), Uruguay

Gonzalo Ferreira is a MD, MSc, and PhD, who currently is the chairman of the Department of Biophysics, Facultad de Medicina, Montevideo, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. To obtain his degrees he studied calcium channels gating, gating currents and intracellular calcium in muscle and heterologous expression systems in Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA, performing later his postdoctoral studies in Potassium channels in Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA. After returning to Uruguay, he created the Laboratory of Ion channels, Biological Membranes and Cell signaling at the Dept. of Biophysics, Facultad de Medicina. He started studies in different preparations applying the basic knowledge from his laboratory topics to diverse pathological situations and therapeutics. He has collaborations with several universities in Mexico (UNAM), Chile (CINV, Valparaíso and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), and the US (Columbia University and The University of Virginia). He is also a close collaborator with the Institute of Molecular Medicine, directed by Prof. Emeritus Dr. Garth Nicolson, Huntington Beach, CA, USA.

Dino A Giussani
Dr. Dino A Giussani (U Cambridge), UK

Dino A Giussani is Professor of Developmental Cardiovascular Physiology & Medicine at the University of Cambridge. He also holds a Professorial Fellowship at Gonville & Caius College in Cambridge, where he is Director of Studies in Medicine. Professor Giussani graduated with a first-class BSc (Hons) Physiology at Royal Holloway of the University of London and Doctor of Philosophy at University College London under the mentorship of Professor Mark Hanson. He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Universidad de Chile with Professor Anibal Llanos and at Cornell University with Professor Peter Nathanielsz, before taking up a tenured Lectureship at the University of Cambridge in 1996, where he has been since. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2004 and to full Professor in 2011. In 2016, he received the ScD degree from the University of Cambridge. Professor Giussani is the current President of The Fetal & Neonatal Physiological Society. He has secured over £17M in grant funding, published over 220 full papers and his research has won 35 international prizes including: The Lister Institute Prize, The Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award, The Netherlands Wim Schellekens 2007 Prize, The 2015 David Barker Memorial Lecture at Oregon Health Sciences University, USA, The 2015 Sir Peter Tizard Lecture from The Neonatal Society and the 2017 Nick Hales Award from the International DoHAD Society. He has been Reviewing Editor for The Journal of Physiology, Section Editor for Pediatric Research and for the American Journal of Physiology. Dino serves on the DOHAD Council and the DOHAD Scientific Programme Committee. His current programmes of research use an integrative approach at the whole animal, isolated organ, cellular, mitochondrial and molecular levels to determine the role of fetal oxygenation and reactive oxygen species in cardiovascular development, and in setting an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in later life and across generations. In 2017, he was awarded an honorary Fellowship by distinction from the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (FRCOG) and in 2018 he was admitted to the Latin American Academy of Sciences (ACAL) in recognition of the contribution of his research to the wellbeing of women and their children.

Paola Contreras
Dr. Paola Contreras (U de la República), Uruguay

Paola Contreras is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de la República, in Uruguay. She holds a BSc in Biology and MSc and PhD in Physiological Sciences from the Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Her main interest is the study of heart rate variability as a tool to understand changes in the regulation of heart rate under different physiological and pathophysiological conditions. However, her aim also focuses on cooperation in studies with multidisciplinary approaches. Since 2014 she has been associated with Dr. Escande´s Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases and Aging at the Institut Pasteur Montevideo. She is a PEDECIBA researcher and part of the Latin-American Association of Physiological Societies council (ALACF). Contact: contreras@fmed.edu.uy

Jane Cleal
Dr. Jane Cleal (U Southampton), UK

Dr Jane Cleal is a Lecturer in Epigenetics at the Institute of Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton UK and co-leads the Southampton Placental Research Group, which is internationally recognised for work on fundamental mechanisms of placental function, promoting the University of Southampton’s strengths in Human Development, Epidemiology and Lifelong Health. Her research focus is on understanding how the fetal environment mediates the risk of adulthood diseases, including cardio-metabolic disease. Placental function is a key determinant of fetal growth and lifelong health and is implicated in the fetal programming of adult disease. Dr Cleal’s current work investigates the maternal environmental factors and molecular mechanisms that regulate placental epigenetics, gene expression and function, plus the clinical implications. She uses trophoblast cell culture, epigenetic analysis and placental tissues from well-characterised Southampton Pregnancy Cohorts. Dr Cleal’s research also investigates the cross talk between the placenta and maternal tissues during pregnancy, in particular how the lining of the womb influences embryo implantation and the interaction with the placenta, with the aim being to translate this work into interventions to improve pregnancy outcome and fetal growth. Her extensive work on the human placenta has led to significant advances in understanding placental biology and in recognition of the value of this work, she has won six young investigators awards at national and international meetings and published 46 research papers and three book chapters.

Eline van der Beek
Dr. Eline van der Beek (RUG), Netherlands

Eline M van der Beek obtained her doctoral degree at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. She did a postdoc at Wageningen University, after which she stayed as an Assistant Professor before moving to the food industry. She is currently appointed as Professor in Nutritional Programming at the Pediatric Department of the University Medical Centre in Groningen, the Netherlands, next to her role as Head of the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences in Lausanne, Switzerland. Her research focuses on the contribution of maternal health and nutrition status in offspring growth and development.

Daan Westenbrink
Dr. Daan Westenbrink (RUG), Netherlands

Dr. Westenbrink is a cardiologist and a translational scientist who, previous to his current appointment, completed a PhD program at the University of Groningen and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California San Diego, USA. He is registered as a clinical pharmacologist and subspecializes in heart failure and cardiac MRI. His research group consists of (clinical) research fellows, MD/PhD students and master students from different nationalities and backgrounds working on new ways to recharge the failing heart. His research focus is translational in nature and includes fundamental studies to unravel the root cause of myocardial energy deficiency in heart failure as well as clinical trials testing new strategies to improve energy delivery to the heart. Dr. Westenbrink has received several research grants from the Netherlands Heart Foundation (junior and senior clinical scientist), the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (AGIKO and VENI) and the European Society of Cardiology and his work has received several international awards. He has served as Associate Editor for the European Journal of Heart Failure and as chair of Young@Heart, the talent development council of the Dutch Cardiovascular Alliance (DCVA).

Christopher Torrens
Dr. Christopher Torrens (UMHS RCSI), Ireland

Christopher Torrens is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Medical Physics at the University of Medical and Health Sciences (RCSI) in Dublin. He completed his BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2000 and then moved to the University of Southampton to do his PhD with Prof. Mark Hanson. His thesis looked at the impact of an adverse environment during development on cardiovascular function in the offspring and subsequent generations. After post-doctoral work in Southampton and at the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland he took up a lectureship in 2006 at the School of Medicine, University of Southampton. Prof. Torrens’ research is on vascular smooth muscle in health and disease.

Marçal Pastor-Anglada
Dr. Marçal Pastor-Anglada (UB), Spain

Prof Marçal Pastor-Anglada graduated in Biology in 1980 and obtained his PhD in Biochemistry in 1985 from the University of Barcelona. From 1984 to 1986 he was an INSERM researcher at the CNRS Recherches sur l'Endocrinologie Moléculaire et le Developpement in Meudon-Bellevue (France). From 1989 to 1990 he was a Research Associate at the Department of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) (USA) and later (1997) Visiting Associate Professor at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA). In 2007, he was Visiting Professor at the Molecular and Cellular Physiology Laboratory, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago (Chile). Since 2003 he has been Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Barcelona. He is Principal Investigator of the Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapies group, also a member of the Cell Plasticity and Metabolism Program of the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) and of the Program of Hepatic and Digestive Oncology of the CIBER EHD. In addition to his research work, Dr. Pastor-Anglada has solid experience in R&D management, currently being Director of IBUB.

Carlos Escande
Dr. Carlos Escande (Institute Pasteur Montevideo), Uruguay

Carlos Escande is a Principal Investigator at Institut Pasteur Montevideo since 2014. He was trained in metabolic disorders, with focus in obesity and type II diabetes, at Mayo Clinic, USA, where he worked under the supervision of Dr. Eduardo Chini, one of the pioneers in the concept that NAD+ is a key regulator of metabolic disorders and aging. Since he started his independent career, Dr. Escande continued to work on basic aspects of obesity and type II diabetes, as well as the development, patenting and valorisation of novel drugs for treating these diseases. In association with other investigators from Institut Pasteur, he founded Eolo Pharma, a startup company based in Uruguay and USA, that is currently finishing all the preclinical study of a leading compound, named MVD1, which will be tested in humans in 2022.

Mark Hanson
Dr. Mark Hanson (U Southampton), UK

Mark Hanson is a founder and past-President of the International DOHaD Society. He co-Chaired the FIGO Pregnancy and NCDs Committee and the Science and Evidence Working Group for the WHO Ending Childhood Obesity Commission. He chairs the Knowledge and Evidence Working Group of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (hosted by WHO). He researches how nutrition and the developmental environment affects health across the life-course, starting before conception. His interdisciplinary work crosses developmental and evolutionary biology and the social sciences. Mark pioneered LifeLab to promote health literacy in adolescents. He advocates developmental science to inform public health policy.

Enrique Terán
Dr. Enrique Terán (USFQ), Ecuador

Enrique Teran, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor at School of Medicine in the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ). He received his MD from Central University of Ecuador and his PhD from University College London in the UK. Although he is a pharmacologist, he has been working for more than 20 years on different aspects related to the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, study of infectious diseases; he is the pioneer in the pharmacogenetic research in Ecuador. He has published more than 45 peer review papers (h index 15 Google Scholar) and currently he is corresponding member both at the Ecuadorian Academy of Science and the Academy of Medicine.

Gernot Desoye
Dr. Gernot Desoye (GMU), Austria

Gernot Desoye, Ph.D., is biochemist by training working at the Dept Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz. Over the past 35 years his research has focused on effects of maternal nutrition, obesity and diabetes on placental development and function and how this affects the fetus. Currently, he is visiting professor at the University of Copenhagen funded by the Danish Diabetes Academy and hosted by Peter Damm. He coordinated the FP7-project DALI (Vitamin D and Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent GDM Development) and was involved in several other European projects. He is member in many international societies and served on several executive boards. He is recipient of the Jorgen Pedersen Award 2008 of Diabetic Pregnancy Study Groups of EASD (DPSG), of the Giorgio Pardi Award 2011 of the Society of Gynecologic Investigation (USA) and of the 2017 Norbert Freinkel Award of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). He acted as editor-in-chief of Placenta (2002-2008) and editorial board member of Trophoblast Research (1997-2010), was associate editor of Diabetologia and now member of its advisory board; he has served as ad-hoc reviewer for > 30 international journals and multiple international granting bodies. He has been evaluator and auditor for the EC (FP5-FP7, HORIZON2020) and served as ad-hoc expert on diabetes in pregnancy for the European Parliament.

Ahmed Al-Jumaily
Dr. Ahmed Al-Jumaily (AUT), NZ

Professor Ahmed Al-Jumaily puts his role of educator first but throughout his 45- year career he has fused teaching with industrial experience to ensure that theoretical ideas explored in the classroom have found their way into medical equipment used around the world. Professor Al-Jumaily, who is the founder and Director of AUT’s Institute of Biomedical Technologies, is driven to turn ideas into real outcomes and is always looking for a challenge. It’s a characteristic he fosters among IBTec researchers and bioengineering students at AUT’s School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences in general. He is always looking at new ideas and ways of developing them; an approach that has seen his postgraduate students develop lifesaving and life-enhancing respiratory and diagnostic equipment for the medical industry in New Zealand and the United States. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy, the Editor for the ASME monograph series-Biomedical and Nanomedical Technologies and has been on the editorial and refereeing boards for several international journals. He has published more than 360 papers in international journals and conference proceedings including two ASME books on Vibration and Acoustics in Biomedical Applications and a third one on CPAP devices. Professor Al-Jumaily has supervised more than 100 successful postgraduate students (masters and PhD's) from 35 countries in biomedical applications, vibrations, ultrasound, biomechanics, and electroactive polymers and counts this as one of his greatest achievements. During his academic career, he has forged strong alliances between academia and industries; in particular, in the medical devices area, which has resulted in many successful grants and contracts with companies and research organizations. Al-Jumaily’s current research focuses on biomedical applications, particular interest in the application of vibration and acoustics to airways constriction therapies and artery non-invasive diagnostics. As well as AUT, he has taught at two American and four Middle Eastern universities and is a fellow member of numerous professional organizations including the American Society of Mechanical Engineering and the Acoustical Society of America.

Mireille Van Poppel
Dr. Mireille Van Poppel (UG), Austria

Mireille van Poppel, PhD, is professor at the Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, Austria, where she leads the research group Physical Activity and Public Health. Her work mostly concerns the relationship of physical activity in pregnancy with maternal and offspring health. She was involved in large intervention studies for the prevention of excessive weight gain, or of gestational diabetes mellitus. She has co-authored about 200 peer-reviewed papers and supervised more than 20 PhD students. She acted as evaluator for the EC (FP7) and was in the editorial board of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, and Current Issues in Sport Science. She is presently board member of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group.

Ana C Zenclussen
Dr. Ana C Zenclussen (UL, H-Z Center Environ. Res. GmbH - UFZ), Germany

Prof. Ana C. Zenclussen studied Biochemistry in Santa Fe, Argentina (1996) and obtained her PhD in Immunology at the University of Buenos Aires (2001). From 2001-2003 she was an Alexander-von-Humboldt fellow at the Charité in Berlin. Funded by a Rahel-Hirsch Habilitation fellowship she established her own research group at the Charité in Berlin where she also obtained her Venia Legendi in Immunology (2006). From 2007 to 2020 she was W2 Professor at the Medical Faculty of the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg and Head of the Experimental Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2020, she accepted a joint appointment from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ in Leipzig and the University of Leipzig. In this context, she holds a W3 Professorship for Pediatric Environmental Immunology and is the Head of the Department of Environmental Immunology. Prof. Ana C. Zenclussen’s research interest is the understanding of immunological mechanisms that underlie maternal tolerance towards paternally derived fetal antigens during pregnancy. She particularly cares about perinatal events associated with pregnancy success and pathologies associated with their dysregulation. Her group first reported antigen specific regulatory T cells (Treg) as main regulators of pregnancy and described the relevance of the fetal hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in modulating immune cells towards tolerance. In the last years, she has focused on unveiling how environmental chemicals and in particular endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with these mechanisms. Using models of perinatal exposure, her group seeks to unveil long-term effects in the progeny and the underlying mechanisms. Their research relies on the use of complex state-of-the-art in vitro approaches and the use of organoids as well as the validation of the results in mouse models and samples obtained in the context of human mother-child cohorts.

Angelo Azzi
Dr. Angelo Azzi (TU), USA

Angelo Azzi is responsible for a project on the molecular and in vivo effects of tocopherols. He received his MD training and two PhDs in biochemistry and pathophysiology at Padua University (Italy). First a Professor in Padua, later in Bern (Switzerland) he subsequently moved to Tufts University in Boston where he is presently active in research and teaching. His present general interests are on the molecular mechanism of micronutrient action. At present he is Faculty Member, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Pharmacology and Drug Development Program, and Strategic Initiatives Advisor, Office of the Vice Provost for Research, Tufts University. Azzi is Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Aspects of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of BioFactors.

Guillermo Torre
Dr. Guillermo Torre (Tec Monterrey), Mexico

Guillermo Torre Amione received his medical degree from Tecnológico de Monterrey, in 1985 and earned a PhD in Immunology from the University of Chicago in 1990. He subsequently completed his training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology with subspecialty training in Cardiac Transplantation and Interventional Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Tx. He is certified and recertified by the Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation. He was the Chief of the Section of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation at the Methodist Hospital in Houston from 1995 to 2010. He became a full professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, at The Methodist Hospital in Houston Tx in 2008. During his tenure at The Methodist Hospital he was a member of the board of the Heart and Vascular Center, and established the Cardiac Transplantation research endowment. After 26 years in the United States, he returned to Mexico to become President of TecSalud and Vicepresident for research at the Tecnológico de Monterrey. He also maintains an academic appointment at the Methodist Hospital in Houston. He has having carried out more than 100 clinical research projects, holds several patents in the field of heart failure and has published over 1800 peer-reviewed professional articles and has participated in the writing of five books.

Jorge Carvajal
Dr. Jorge Carvajal (PUC), Chile

Dr Jorge Carvajal is a Titular Professor ate the Facultad de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) where he works as an attending physician, basic sciences principal investigator, undergraduate and postgraduate teacher and currently is the Chair of the Obstetric Department and the Director of the PhD Program in Medical Sciences. After completing his medical studies, Dr Carvajal complete his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology (at PUC) and latter in Maternal Fetal Medicine with a post-doctoral research fellow at University of Maryland at Baltimore, USA. Dr Jorge Carvajal completed in 2002 a post-doctoral title as a Clinical Teacher including a short training in problem-based learning at the University of New México, USA. This academic career allows Dr Carvajal to be elected by the student as the best teacher of the level every year since 2008 and awarded as the Excellence in Teaching by the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in 2014.He worked in research in obstetrics and gynecology for the past 20 years, mainly in myometrial physiology and premature delivery. During these years he have worked as a coinvestigator or leading a successful work team that has worked with the financial support of the NIH, the Catholic University of Chile and the government of Chile through its Science and Technology Commission. His main area of interest is premature delivery and disorders of deep placentation, as a mechanism to explain exaggerated myometrial contractility in early stages of pregnancy, eventually leading to premature delivery.

Carmen Vázquez
Dr. Carmen Vázquez (US), Spain

I hold a permanent position as a Full Professor at the University of Seville (Department of Physiology). I have been teaching Human Physiology-related subjects since 1980, including both undergraduate (Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy; Bachelor’s Degree in Optics) and graduate (MS in Physiology and Neuroscience; MS in Biomedical Research;) students. I graduated and earned my PhD (being an FPI research fellow from the Ministry of Universities and Research) at the University of Seville in 1980 and 1983, respectively. In 1989, I completed a 9-month research stay in Prof. Maloney’s laboratory in the Department of Physiology at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland). During this time, my research interest focused on the study of membrane transporters and their reconstitution in proteoliposomes. In 1994, together with Prof. Ruiz-Gutiérrez (CSIC), I started a research line on arterial hypertension, its effect on membrane transporters, and the effect of a diet enriched with different oils. This opened collaborations with different laboratories, including different research stays at University of Barcelona and Technische Universität München (Munich, Germany). I have also been Head Researcher of the consolidated group CTS584 “Cardiovascular Physiopathology” (Andalusian Research Plan, PAIDI) since 2007. My research group began to study the mechanisms involved in the organic damage produced by arterial hypertension and by the treatment with antineoplastic agent sunitinib, as well as the protective effect of L-carnitine. In 2009, we began to study the beneficial effects of wild olive (acebuchina) oil, highlighting its benefit in cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, we started a new line of research focused on gestational diseases, specifically pre-eclampsia, thanks to three research projects funded by AECID and developed together with Prof. Sobrevía (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile). Currently, we are interested in a new line of research based on the protective action of acebuchina oil (versus standard extra virgin olive oils) against ocular pathologies caused by arterial hypertension, with special emphasis on the analysis of the ocular choroidopathies, retinopathies, and vascular disease. The latter is a 3-year project funded in 2020 by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Call 2019, R+D+i Projects 2019, PID2019-109002RB-I00). To carry out these studies, we collaborate with Dr. Helder André (Head of the Cell and Molecular Research Center of the St Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden) and have already published 5 scientific papers. Recently, I completed a 1-month research stay in his laboratory thanks to a mobility grant from the Research and Transfer Plan of the University of Seville. Therefore, this stay will allow us to reinforce our collaboration in the study of visual function and learn new techniques to be used in our laboratory. So far, I have participated in 41 competitive research projects (19 of which as Principal Investigator). I am also fully committed with the recruitment of human resources, being responsible for 20 predoctoral training contracts and I am a regular evaluator of research projects (ANEP) and member of different evaluation committees (ANECA, ACSUG, AQUIB, AGAUR, AVAP, ACSUCYL and UNIBASQ).

Alfonso Mate
Dr. Alfonso Mate (US), Spain

Alfonso Mate (Ph.D., Pharmacy) is an Associate Professor at the University of Seville, Spain. He has been teaching Human Physiology-related subjects since 1999, including both undergraduate (Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy; Bachelor’s Degree in Optics) and graduate (MS in Physiology and Neuroscience; MS in Biomedical Research; MS in Pharmaceutical Science & Rational Use of Medicines) students. Excellence in Teaching Award (University of Seville), he was also visiting professor at the University of Catania within the framework of Erasmus Teaching Mobility Program. His research interest topics include cardiovascular, renal, and eye physiology, pathophysiology and end organ damage in arterial hypertension, dietary supplementation with functional foods in cardiovascular and ocular disease, and pregnancy-related hypertension. A visiting researcher at different universities (University of Barcelona, University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland), Queen’s University Belfast (UK), Pontifical Catholic University of Chile), he has also been a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (USA). Prof. Mate held Membership of the Executive Committee of the Spanish Physiological Society (2014-2018). He has also been Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs (School of Pharmacy) since 2017. Contact: mate@us.es

Susan A Deuchars
Dr. Susan A Deuchars (UL), UK

Susan Deuchars is a full professor at the University of Leeds and a neuroscientist with a passion for spinal cord circuitry, autonomic control of the cardiovascular system and teaching of students. She graduated from Cardiff University with a BSc in Physiology and then studied for a PhD with Professors Gilbey and Spyer, at The Royal Free Hospital in London. Her first son was born in 1996 and for 19 years, she worked part-time, moving to the University of Leeds in 1997, having been awarded funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Her second son was born in 1999 and she continued to work part-time, still securing her own funding to study how local circuits influence autonomic outflow in the spinal cord. In 2005, she was successful in securing an RCUK fellowship and in 2008, I was promoted to Reader in Neuroscience, all still while part-time. She has been awarded grants from BHF, BBSRC, Wellcome Trust and other charities to understand how spinal circuits can be manipulated to control motor and autonomic output in specific conditions. She also became interested in how non-invasive neuromodulatory techniques can be harnessed to modulate the balance of the two branches of the autonomic nervous system in both animal models and humans of all ages, with a recent focus on the ageing population. She is Director of Research for the School of Biomedical Sciences, a Trustee of The Physiological Society, Chair of the Conferences Committee and their Equality and Diversity Champion.

Marilza Rudge
Dr. Marilza Rudge (UNESP), Brazil

Marilza Rudge is a medic and PhD in Sciences. She is full professor of obstetrics at the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu- Unesp. Implanted the HC-Botucatu Maternity Hospital in 1973, created the postgraduate program in obstetrics and was member of the first board of directors of the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology Est SPSOGESP. She has been head of department, deputy superintendent and superintendent of HC-Botucatu, director of the Faculty of Medicine of BotucatuUnesp, dean of postgraduate studies at UNESP, vice-Dean and acting Dean and Rector UNESP. She presided over the Council of Rectors of the Univ. São Paulo State Governments – CRUESP. She received the 2009 FIGO Awards in Recognition of Women Obstetricians / Gynecologists and the Sogesp-Obstetrics Award (2018). She was a member of the Monitoring Committee of the PDI-Unesp (2013-2016) Created the Unesp School of Leadership and Management at Unesp(2013) to train university managers in strategic management. She has experience in clinical, experimental and translational research in Women's Health (diabetes and pregnancy, urinary incontinence and gestational diabetes, persistent toxic substances in the mother-fetus and health economics). President of the National Forum of Post-Rector Deans Graduation and Research - FOPROP (2011) and FOPRO representative at the CTC-Capes and at the Superior Council- CAPES (2011). Member of the Capes Committee for the preparation of the PNPG and monitoring of the PNPG 2011-2020. Member of the Board of Fundação Padre Anchieta-TV Cultura (2013-2016). Member of the National Commission on Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy -Febrasgo (2016-2020) . Member of the Superior Council of FAPESP (2014-2019) representing FAPESP at CO-USP (2017-2018-2019). Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu-Unesp. Main researcher of the thematic project - FAPESP (2017-2022) with cooperation between researchers from Unesp, Brazilian and international Univ. Researcher responsible for the Cooperation Agreement / SPRINT - São Paulo Researchers in International Collaboration / SPRINT - Research Project - Mobility / Edition 2018/03 - Imperial College London.

Alicia Mattiazzi
Dr. Alicia Mattiazzi (U de La Plata), Argentina

Alicia Mattiazzi, (MD., PhD, FAHA, FISHR), is an Emeritus Superior Researcher of the Council for Scientific and Technical Research in Argentina (CONICET), consultant professor and Director of the Master in Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Plata, Argentina and Director of the PhD Career in Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Inter-American Open University, Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has received several honors, like the Guggenheim Fellowship, Bernardo Houssay award, Medal of Merit, International Society for Heart Research (ISHR), ISHR Distinguished Leader Award, ISHR Latin America Women in Science Leadership Award. She is Editor in chief of Physiological Mini-Reviews, Associate Editor of Circulation Research and member of the Editorial board of several scientific publications. Her laboratory has had a long-standing interest in the area of protein phosphorylation and has made great efforts in the last 30 years to gain understanding on the role of the phosphorylation of calcium handling proteins in different physiological and pathological processes in the myocardium. In the last years she was involved in studying the interplay between SR calcium uptake and release in ischemia-reperfusion triggered arrhythmias and cardiac damage and more recently in the mechanisms of calcium release refractoriness and calcium alternans.

Jan-Luuk Hillebrands
Dr. Jan-Luuk Hillebrands (RUG), Netherlands

Jan-Luuk Hillebrands is Professor of Experimental Vascular Pathology at the Department of Pathology & Medical Biology, Division of Pathology of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). He studied Medical Biology at the University of Groningen, with PhD training at the Department of Cell Biology - Immunology section of the UMCG. He then moved to the Rossini lab (Diabetes Division, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA) and worked on the phenotypic and functional characterization of regulatory T cell subsets in a rat model of autoimmune diabetes. He has received NWO-VENI grant from the Dutch Kidney Foundation, Career Development Grant from the Dutch Diabetes Foundation, and NWO-Medium Investment Subsidy for an advanced microscopy system (TissueGnostics TissueFAXS). His main current research interest is the development of cardiovascular disease (in particular atherosclerosis and calcification) in the setting of chronic kidney disease and diabetes, with special emphasis on phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells. He was workpackage leader within the NIGRAM consortium (Dutch Kidney Foundation FGF-23 - Klotho - vitamin D axis) in which his focus was on the expression and (functional) characterization of renal and vascular Klotho in health and vascular disease. His expertise is on basic translational research including animal models of renal and vascular disease. Currently, he teaches basic histology to medicine and involved in the development and implementation of histology and pathology e-learing/virtual microscopy modules. He co-edited the Dutch histology textbook “Functionele histologie” (14th and 16th editions) and is Coordinator Research (membership Management Team) at the division of Pathology and UMCG co-coordinator of the International Research Training Group “Diabetic Microvascular Complications” (w/U Mannheim/Heidelberg (Germany) and the U Groningen/UMCG). He was member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Dutch Kidney Foundation.

Harry van Goor
Dr. Harry van Goor (RUG), Netherlands

Harry van Goor is Professor in Experimental Renal Pathology with a PhD in Medical Sciences. His current research focusses the systemic Redox status as moveable biomarker in various disease conditions. He also works on gasotransmitters like hydrogen sulfide with the aim to use these as therapeutical options in experimental and clinical conditions.

Luis Sobrevia
Dr. Luis Sobrevia (PUC), Chile

Luis Sobrevia, Chilean, holds a BSc in Biology and Natural Sciences from the Universidad del Bío-Bío, MSc in Physiological Sciences from the Universidad de Concepción (Chile) and a PhD in Physiology and Medical Sciences, with postdoctoral training in vascular physiology at King’s College London from University of London (UK). He is Fellow of The Physiological Society (UK) (FTPS), Professor of Molecular Physiology and Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, (PUC), Honorary Professor at University of Queensland (Australia), Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), and São Paulo State University (UNESP, Brazil), Distinguished Research Professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), and Visiting Professor at the University of Groningen (Netherlands). He is the Director of the Cellular and Molecular Physiology Laboratory (CMPL) at PUC, Executive Editor and member of the editorial board of several scientific/medical journals, member of the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Council Commission of the International Union of Physiological Science (IUPS), and immediate pastPresident of the Chilean Society of Physiological Sciences (2021-2023) and President of the LatinAmerican Association of Physiological Societies (ALACF) (until 2023). His research focus is altered foetoplacental vascular function in diseases of pregnancy, including gestational diabesity, gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, and maternal obesity. Contact: lsobrevia@uc.cl

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