Date/Time
Date(s) - 30/05/2024
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Location
BT2 Détente / Kitchenette 1st Floor room 101
Categories
Do you like scientific discussion? And how about Pizza?
If we gained your attention with ‘scientific’, or at least with ‘Pizza’, then you are already looking forward to the right event!
Pizza Club is a regularly held Journal Club event co-organized by The Representatives of the Doctoral Programme in Systems and Molecular Biomedicine, part of the Doctoral School in Science and Engineering (DSSE); and the Uni.lu student association ISCB RSG Luxembourg.
In short, Students (PhD candidates) present a scientific paper (+- 20 mins) they find interesting or that inspired the development of their individual PhD project (doesn’t need to be authored by the speaker).
There will be a open discussion round after each scientific presentation (2-3 students per event), followed by informal and fun chatting with some pizzas around!
Moreover, each presentation of peer-reviewed papers will be rewarded by 0.5 ECTS!
Victoria Stopa (https://lu.linkedin.com/in/victoria-stopa-81a99617b)
Bio: Victoria is a 2nd year PhD student at the Luxembourg Institute of Health, working in the Cardiovascular Research Unit. She is working on RNA modification in cardiac arrest to predict neurological outcomes occurring after cardiac arrest. She is also PhD representative of the DSMB, and vice-chair of the DSSE PhD representatives.
Title: The paper she chose is entitled : “Regulation of N6-Methyladenosine after Myocardial Infarction”, Vausort et al., 2022, Cells.
Description: The epitranscriptomic RNA modification N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been linked with Heart Failure, but it remains unknown how m6A affects the risk of developing HF after Myocardial infarction. In this paper they are addressing the regulation of m6A and its demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) after MI and their association with HF, by using LC-MS method. They observed that M6A content was higher in females and also that m6A measured in blood is associated with HF development after MI. It motivates further investigation of the potential role of m6A as a novel epitranscriptomics biomarker and therapeutic target of HF
Alexandros Pailas (https://lu.linkedin.com/in/alexandros-pailas-8a83461b2)
Bio: Alexandros has a background in biology with a master’s in cell and developmental biology. Currently, in his 3rd year PhD student in LIH in the group of DNA Repair and Chemoresistance. He is studying molecular mechanisms of replication stress and DNA damage that lead to chemoresistance in glioblastoma and how can we target these mechanisms
Title: “Cancer Cells Use self-inflicted DNA Breaks to Evade Growth Limits Imposed by Genotoxic Stress”, Larsen et al., 2022, Science.
Description: In the paper, the authors demonstrate a very fascinating mechanism by which cancer cells resist radiation by inducing reversible genome-wide DNA breaks. This is dependent on the caspase-activated DNase (CAD) but the mechanism is not associated with the activation of the apoptotic pathway. This genome-wide breaks are not random but they are created near CTCF sites, which are important for epigenetic markers in cells. Loss of CAD function impairs cancer cells and makes them vulnerable to radiation-induced DNA damage. These novel function of CAD nuclease in cancer biology reveals a cancer specific weakness that could be potentially explored to enhance radiosensitivity of cancer cells.
If we attracted your interest by now, feel free to join the monthly Pizza Club, either as part of Audience or as a registered Speaker. For the latter, please kindly use this form to sign up as an upcoming Speaker, by choosing your category of paper and desired month to present. Looking forward to seeing you at the next Pizza Club!
