Date/Time
Date(s) - 30/04/2026
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
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!
LCSB BT2 building (6 Avenue du Swing) on the Belval Campus, in the 1st floor kitchenette.
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 an open discussion round after each scientific presentation (2-3 students per event), followed by informal and fun chatting with some pizzas around!
Shilauni Dadwal (LCSB)
Short description of the article: Microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation drives blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption during peripheral inflammation via a gasdermin D-dependent, IL-1β-independent mechanism. Activated microglia secrete GDF-15, which induces CXCL chemokine production at the BBB, recruiting CXCR2-expressing neutrophils that degrade barrier integrity through matrix metalloproteinases. Targeting this NLRP3–GSDMD–neutrophil axis represents a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammatory disease.
Personal description: I am Shilauni Dadwal, a doctoral student in the Neuroinflammation group at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB). My research focuses on the role of the inflammasome in driving neuroinflammation in the context of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. ____________________________________________
Vivian S. Baker (LCSB)
Intercellular communication in the brain through a dendritic nanotubular network
Short description of the article: Chang et al. (2025) report the discovery of dendrite-to-dendrite nanotubes (DNTs), a non-synaptic communication network formed by long dendritic filopodia that establish direct membrane-to-membrane contacts between cortical neurons in both mice and humans. Using super-resolution microscopy (dSRRF) and volumetric electron microscopy, the authors confirmed that DNTs are structurally distinct from synaptic spines, characterized by an actin-rich composition and lengths extending several microns. Functionally, DNTs mediate long-range calcium ion propagation and active, motor-driven transport of molecules, including human amyloid-β (Aβ₁₋₄₂), between neurons, with both processes abolished by the actin-polymerization inhibitor Cytochalasin-D. In the APP/PS1 Alzheimer’s disease mouse model, DNT density was significantly elevated in the medial prefrontal cortex before the appearance of extracellular plaques, while neurons already harbored intraneuronal Aβ accumulation, implicating DNTs in early disease pathology. Neurons with the highest intracellular Aβ burden showed the fewest DNTs, and Aβ exposure produced a biphasic effect on DNT formation in culture, suggesting a pathological feedback dynamic. Computational modelling further predicted that overactivation of the DNT network drives selective intracellular Aβ accumulation in specific neurons, providing a mechanistic link to early amyloidosis. These findings establish DNTs as a previously uncharacterized layer of neuronal connectivity and a potential conduit for the prion-like spread of pathology in neurodegeneration.
Personal description: I am 4th year PhD student in the Neuroinflammation (NIM) team. I work on the topic of tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs), investigating TNT formation and TNT-mediated transfers in the brain, especially between neurons and astrocytes when neurons are exposed to neurotoxic aggregates indicative of AD and PD. Outside of work, I like cooking, trying new recipes, and fermenting different foods.
Moreover, each presentation of peer-reviewed papers will be rewarded by 0.5 ECTS!
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!