April 19, 2024

Webinars&Podcasts

Join us on Science&Technology Nights with Prof. Okeanis Vaou on “Deep Brain Stimulation” The event is not intended to focus only on the topic, but participants can discuss and ask the Guest Speaker anything that would be of their interest, from scientific issues to career advices and beyond.

Βραδιές Επιστήμης & Τεχνολογίας have been designed for the sake of young Scientists of any background – everyone can participate, no matter if you are an Engineer, an IT or a Biologist, but also other Academics and Industry Experts are welcome to join. The discussion is open and participants may join us on stage to debate and ask their questions to the Guest Speaker(s). Working language: both Ελληνικά & English

Dr. Vaou completed her undergraduate and medical school training at the Semmelweis University of Medicine in Budapest, Hungary. She completed her neurological residency at New York Medical College and did a Fellowship in Movement Disorders and Sleep at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Vaou is board-certified in Neurology and is fellowship trained in Movement Disorders and Sleep. She specializes in the management of Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders. Dr. Vaou follows patients who have undergone Deep Brain Stimulation. Dr. Vaou participates in clinical research evaluating novel pharmacological agents in Parkinson’s Disease.

Professor Vassiliou Group from the University of Cambridge and PI at Wellcome – MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute seeks to understand the cell-autonomous and cell-non-autonomous processes involved in the transformation of normal to leukaemic haemopoietic stem cells and to identify genetic vulnerabilities of myeloid malignancies that can be exploited as targets of novel anti-leukaemic therapies.  To achieve these aims the group uses three main approaches:  Application of genetic screens to identify and investigate genetic vulnerabilities of acute myeloid leukaemia and related cancers in order to develop new therapeutic approaches Generation and study of bespoke mouse models of somatic mutation drivers of myeloid malignancies, in order to define their molecular, genomic and phenotypic effects on haemopoietic stem and progenitor cells Detection and tracking of the evolution of clonal haematopoiesis in healthy individuals, in order to understand the factors involved in leukaemic progression and develop new approaches for early detection.

Synthetic biology is revolutionizing how we conceptualize and approach the engineering of biological systems. Recent advances in the field are allowing us to expand beyond the construction and analysis of small gene networks towards the implementation of complex multicellular systems with a variety of applications.
 
In this talk, Prof. Weiss will describe our integrated computational / experimental approach to engineering complex behavior in a variety of cells, with a focus on mammalian cells. In his research apply appropriate design principles from electrical engineering and other established fields.
 
These principles include abstraction, standardization, modularity, and computer-aided design. But there is also spend considerable effort towards understanding what makes synthetic biology different from all other existing engineering disciplines and discovering new design and construction rules that are effective for this unique discipline.
 
Prof. Weiss will briefly describe the implementation of genetic circuits and modules with finely-tuned digital and analog behavior and the use of artificial cell-cell communication to coordinate the behavior of cell populations. The first system to be presented is a multi-input genetic circuit that can detect and destroy specific cancer cells based on the presence or absence of specific biomarkers in the cell. Prof. Weiss will also discuss preliminary experimental results for obtaining precise spatiotemporal control over stem cell differentiation for tissue engineering applications. He presents a novel approach for generating and then co-differentiating hiPSC-derived progenitors with a genetically engineered pulse of GATA-binding protein 6 (GATA6) expression. He initiated a rapid emergence of all three germ layers as a combined function of GATA6 expression levels and tissue context. Ultimately obtained a complex tissue that recapitulates early developmental processes and exhibits a liver bud-like phenotype that includes haematopoietic and stromal cells, as well as a neuronal niche. This complex organoid can be used for drug development and potentially for tissue transplantation.