| Monday, September 28, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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Targeted Delivery of Pt(IV) Anticancer Prodrugs
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| Description: |
Speaker: Shanta Dhar, MIT
Room 114, Building 56, MIT
Abstract:
Three platinum(II) complexes, cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin, have been approved by the US FDA for the treatment of cancer. Structural and mechanistic studies have elucidated four early steps that describe their action, cell entry, activation, DNA binding, and transcription inhibition while eluding repair. In spite of the clinical success of cisplatin, there are many occasions where treatment must be discontinued because drug resistance, acquired or intrinsic, arises from reduced cellular uptake, enhanced DNA repair, drug deac-tivation, or a combination of these mechanisms. One strategy to overcome resistance is to design specific functionalities at the platinum center to enhance uptake and delivery via drug targeting. Oxidation of cisplatin affords Pt(IV) species, which can serve as prodrugs and be derivatized with axial ligands for attaching the resulting complexes to carriers for targeted delivery to cancer cells. Upon entry into the cell, the platinum(IV) unit is reduced, liberating cisplatin and the axial ligands, which can potentiate the cell-killing properties of the construct. In this manner we have functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes as “longboat” carriers of Pt(IV) constructs into cells, specifically targeting the folate receptor and delivering platinum complexes with extraordinary potency against folate receptor overexpressing cancer cells.1 Dose limiting toxicities or resistance also limit application of cisplatin in many types of cancer including prostate. We devised a unique strategy to deliver cisplatin to prostate cancer cells by constructing Pt(IV)-encapsulated prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeted nanoparticles (NPs) of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-functionalized controlled release polymers. By using PLGA-b-PEG nanoparticles with PSMA targeting aptamers (Apt) on the surface as a vehicle for a platinum(IV) prodrug, a lethal dose of cisplatin was delivered specifically to prostate cancer cells.2 By appending axial ligands that destroy the mitochondrial function of the cancer cell while platinum simultaneously impedes DNA-mediated processes in the nucleus, we have designed and synthesized a novel compound mitaplatin. This new construct is currently being evaluated for anticancer activity.3
1. Dhar, S.; Liu, Z.; Thomale, J.; Dai, H. and Lippard, S. J. “Targeted Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Mediated Pt(IV) Prodrug Delivery using Folate as Homing Device”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 11467-11476.
2. Dhar, S.; Gu, F. X.; Langer, R.; Farokhzad, O. C. and Lippard, S. J. “Targeted Delivery of Cisplatin to Prostate Cancer Cells by Aptamer Functionalized Pt(IV) Prodrug-PLGA–PEG Nanoparticles”,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2008, 105, 17356-17361.
3. Dhar, S. and Lippard, S. J. unpublished results.
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| Contact: |
Betty Lou McClanahan
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| Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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11:00 AM - Noon
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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| Thursday, October 1, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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Amelioration of Immune Cell-Mediated Osteoclastogenesis by Inhibition of RANKL-Shedding
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| Description: |
Speaker: Dr. Hiroyuki Kanzaki, The Forsyth Institute
Schulze Conference Room 2, The Forsyth Institute, 140 The Fenway, Boston
Summary: It is well-known that cell-to-cell contact between osteoclast precursor and osteoclastogenesis supporting cells is essential for osteoclastogenesis in physiological condition. However, in pathological bone destruction such as periodontitis, there are some distance between alveolar bone (osteoclast) and activated lymphocytes (osteoclastogenesis supporting cells). We hypothesized that soluble RANKL cleaved from the activated lymphocytes might play as an important soluble remote bone destruction factor in periodontitis, thus inhibition of RANKL-shedding might lead to a therapeutic approach for bone resorption occurring in periodontitis. I would like to summarize our data and talk about what we discovered.
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| Contact: |
Pam Quattrocchi
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4:30 PM - 5:45 PM
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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LAM/TSC Seminar Series
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| Description: |
2009-2010 LAM/TSC Seminar Series:
Mehmet Toner, Massachusetts General Hospital
Sunitha Nagrath, Massachusetts General Hospital
Room 350, New Research Building (NRB),Harvard Medical School,
77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston
The LAM Treatment Alliance is pleased to announce the kick-off of our 2009-2010 LAM/TSC Seminar Series. Mehmet Toner, PhD, and Sunitha Nagrath, PhD, will make a presentation focused on breakthrough microchip technology to help detect and capture circulating tumor cells and work-in-progress focused on optimizing that technology for use in patients with LAM (lymphangioleiomyomatosis). Join us in person or remotely via webcast. Presentation will be followed by discussion, a light dinner and informal networking. RSVPs requested.
To RSVP or request parking: http://lamtreatmentalliance.org/seminar_form.html
To participate remotely, request the password by sending an email to LTAadmin@lamtreatmentalliance.org
For more information about the Series: http://lamtreatmentalliance.org/seminars_upcoming.html
Organizer: Amy Farber, PhD
Email: amy_farber@hms.harvard.edu
Telephone: 617-460-7339
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| Contact: |
Amy Farber
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|
| Friday, October 2, 2009
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8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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Controversies in the cognitive neuroscience of episodic memory.
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| Description: |
Howard Eichenbaum, Boston University
The Singleton Auditorium, Room 3002, Building 46, MIT
There is currently a major controversy about whether fundamental properties of episodic memory can be understood in terms of a functional organization of the medial temporal lobe memory system. This controversy centers on three key questions: (1) Is episodic recollection supported by a memory process that is distinct from a sense of familiarity, and does the hippocampus selectively support recollection? (2) Can we understand the role of the hippocampus in recollection as representing events in the context in which they occurred? (3) How do components of the medial temporal lobe interact in support of our capacity for recollection? Evidence from our studies using an animal model of episodic memory will be discussed to provide a preliminary answer to these questions
http://mit.edu/bcs/newsevents/colloquia.shtml
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| Contact: |
Kathleen Dickey
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| Saturday, October 3, 2009
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9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
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BU Bioinformatics 10th Anniversary Symposium
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| Description: |
BU Bioinformatics Program’s 10th Anniversary Symposium (October 3-4, 2009)
This fall marks the 10th anniversary of the inaugural year of the Boston University Bioinformatics Graduate Program. The Program is planning to celebrate this anniversary with a two day symposium on October 3 and 4, 2009. The symposium will be held at BU, will be open to the general public and will feature talks given primarily by alumni from the Bioinformatics Program describing their most recent work.
A local Program Committee made up of Bioinformatics Graduate Program alumni has invited speakers who represent several different research areas, as well as different employment sectors (academic, business, industry, law) and different years of entry into the Program.
For program details visit http://www.bu.edu/bioinformatics/anniversary/
Date: October 3-4, 2009
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Room B01, Life Science and Engineering Building, Boston University, 24 Cummington Street
The BU Bioinformatics 10th Anniversary Program Committee: William Blake, Adnan Derti, Farren Isaacs, Melissa Landon, Jason Laramie, Joe Mellor, Yan Meng, Esther Rheinbay, Boris Shakhnovich, Evan Snitkin, Yu Zheng
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| Contact: |
Caroline Lyman
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|
| Sunday, October 4, 2009
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10:00 AM - 2:45 PM
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BU Bioinformatics 10th Anniversary Symposium
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| Description: |
BU Bioinformatics Program’s 10th Anniversary Symposium (October 3-4, 2009)
This fall marks the 10th anniversary of the inaugural year of the Boston University Bioinformatics Graduate Program. The Program is planning to celebrate this anniversary with a two day symposium on October 3 and 4, 2009. The symposium will be held at BU, will be open to the general public and will feature talks given primarily by alumni from the Bioinformatics Program describing their most recent work.
A local Program Committee made up of Bioinformatics Graduate Program alumni has invited speakers who represent several different research areas, as well as different employment sectors (academic, business, industry, law) and different years of entry into the Program.
For program details visit http://www.bu.edu/bioinformatics/anniversary/
Date: October 3-4, 2009
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Room B01, Life Science and Engineering Building, Boston University, 24 Cummington Street
The BU Bioinformatics 10th Anniversary Program Committee: William Blake, Adnan Derti, Farren Isaacs, Melissa Landon, Jason Laramie, Joe Mellor, Yan Meng, Esther Rheinbay, Boris Shakhnovich, Evan Snitkin, Yu Zheng
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| Contact: |
Caroline Lyman
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| Monday, October 5, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Neural Control of Speech
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| Description: |
Frank H. Guenther, Boston University
LOCATION: Room 220, Sargent College, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
HOST: Dr. Jason Bohland
Refreshments will be served
http://www.cns.bu.edu/~guenther/%20%20
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| Contact: |
Danka Charland
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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Studies of the Biosynthesis of Spinosyns in Saccharopolyspora spinosa
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| Description: |
Hung-wen Liu, University of Texas at Austin
Room 114, Building 56, MIT
Spinosyns are polyketide‐derived macrolides produced by Saccharopolyspora spinosa. They exhibit excellent insecticidal activity with low mammalian toxicity and little environmental impact. Structurally, the spinosyns consist of a 22‐membered macrolactone ring fused to a perhydro‐as‐indacene core scaffold. In addition, they are glycosylated with tri‐O‐methylrhamnose and a highly deoxygenated forosamine at C‐9 and C‐17, respectively. Structure-activity studies have shown that both forosamine and 2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-L-rhamnose moieties of spinosyns are critical for their insecticidal activities. The aglycone portion of spinosyns is unusual among polyketide‐derived secondary metabolites due to the
presence of three intramolecular carbon‐carbon bonds that constitute the as‐indacene skeleton. The unusual nature of the spinosyn aglycone suggests an intriguing biosynthetic pathway. Intrigued by the complexity of the forosamine and the tetracyclic nucleus of the spinosyns, we have studied the biosynthesis of spinosyns in S. spinosa. The recent progress of this effort will be presented.
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| Contact: |
Betty Lou McClanahan
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|
| Wednesday, October 7, 2009
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9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
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2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
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|
| Thursday, October 8, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Regulation of Vascular Cell Phenotype by Notch Signaling
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| Description: |
Tufts University Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Seminar Series.
Guest Speaker: Lucy Liaw, Maine Medical Center Research Inst.
Location: Posner Auditorium, Tufts University, 200 Harrison Ave., Boston
Wine and cheese reception immediately following the seminar in the M&V Building, 136 Harrison Avenue, 5th Floor Library.
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| Contact: |
Sharon Titus
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4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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| Friday, October 9, 2009
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1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
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Calmodulin Signaling in Tumorigenesis
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| Description: |
Boston University School of Medicine Pathology Seminar Series, Fall 2009
SPEAKER: David Sacks, Harvard Medical School
LOCATION:Room #107/108, Boston University Medical Campus, 670 Albany Street, Lobby Level
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| Contact: |
Debbie Kiley
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| Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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| Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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| Thursday, October 15, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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Membrane-associated Virulence Determinants of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
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| Description: |
Speaker: Keith Mintz, University of Vermont
Location: The Forsyth Institute, Schulze Conference Room 2, 140 The Fenway, Boston
Summary: The bacterial outer membrane of bacteria serves as a platform for the expression of various determinants required for the colonization and survival of the bacterium. The periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans synthesizes an irregular outer membrane surface that supports the secretion or presentation of proteins associated with immuno-evasion and adhesion. A common theme amongst pathogens is the ability to initiate infection by adhesion to specific host macromolecules under stringent or hostile conditions. These molecules include proteins secreted by host cells that form the extracellular matrix (ECM). The A. actinomycetemcomitans gene, emaA (extracellular matrix protein adhesin A), which encodes a 202 kDa outer membrane protein is required for the adhesion of this bacterium to collagen. EmaA contains sequence and inferred structural domains which define members of a novel class of nonfimbrial adhesins. Inactivation of the gene results in the loss of surface appendages which are composed of three monomers of EmaA and of adhesion of the bacterium to collagen fibers in a rabbit heart valve model. Absence of the appendages results in a diminished ability of the bacterium to initiate infection in an infective endocarditis animal model. In-frame deletion and substitution mutagenesis studies have defined the biologically active domain of the adhesin and an initial 3D structure has been generated by electron tomography. The expression of emaA is independent of the irregular membrane morphology. This morphology is associated with the expression of a novel gene, morc (morphogenesis protein C). MorC is a 141 kDa inner membrane protein that is conserved in gram-negative bacteria. Inactivation of the gene not only results in loss of the membrane convolutions but also affects the sensitivity of the bacterium to salts and abolishes the secretion of leukotoxin.
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| Contact: |
Pam Quattrocchi
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Translational Control of Synaptic Plasticity and Learning and Memory
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| Description: |
Tufts University Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Seminar Series
Joel Richter, UMass Medical School
Tufts University, Posner Auditorium, 200 Harrison Ave., Boston
Wine and cheese reception immediately following the seminar in the M&V building, 5th floor library, 136 Harrison Avenue.
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| Contact: |
Sharon Titus
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4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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|
| Friday, October 16, 2009
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8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
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| Monday, October 19, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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| Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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8:45 AM - 5:30 PM
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Third Annual Symposium on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Systems Biology in Lupus
|
| Description: |
Morning Session:
9:05-9:45 AM
Peter Sorger, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School-
“Measuring and Modeling Cell Death and Inflammatory Pathways”
9:45-10:25 AM
Nir Hacohen, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital-
“Unbiased reconstruction of pathogen-sensing networks”
10:25-10:40 PM
Terry K. Means, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital-“Using RNAi to identify genes that mediate the response to TLR7 ligands”
10:40-11:00 AM Break
11:00 -11:40 AM
Cox Terhorst, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-
“SLAM family cell surface receptors and SLE”
11:40-11:55 AM
Kunihiro Ichinose, Ph.D., M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-
“The role of Calcium/ Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type IV(CaMKIV) in the pathogenesis of lupus in MRL/lpr mice”
11:55-12:10 Noon
Therese Ostberg, Ph.D., Karolinska Institute-“Systemic autoimmunity in Ro52/TRIM21 deficient mice”
12:10 -12:25 PM
Cintia Detre, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center- “The SLAM family and SAP: diversified players in germinal center formation”
12:25-1:15 PM Lunch
Afternoon Session:
1:15-1:55 PM
M. Virginia Pascual, M.D., Baylor Institute-“Modular analysis framework for blood genomic studies in SLE”
1:55-2:35 PM
Kun Ping Lu, PhD, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center- “The Isomerase Pin1, a Novel Regulator of Toll-like Receptor Signaling”
2:35-3:15 PM
Clare M. Baecher-Allen Ph.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital-
“Functional heterogeneity of distinct subsets of human regulatory T cells and their activity in patients with MS”
3:15-3:35 PM Break
3:35-3:50 PM
Elizabeth M. Bradshaw, Ph.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital-
“The innate immune system in type 1 diabetes”
3:50-4:25 PM
Robert M. Plenge, M.D, Ph.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital-
“Genetic basis of rheumatoid arthritis: from genotype to patient care”
4:25-5:00 PM
To-Ha Thai, Ph.D., Immune Disease Institute/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-“The Regulation of Lymphocyte Effector Functions by miR-155”
5:00-520 PM Discussion
5:20 PM Closing Remarks
LOCATION:
Joseph B. Martin Conference Center, Harvard Institutes of Medicine,
77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston
ATTENDANCE IS FREE
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
To register:
please e-mail your
• Name________________
• e-mail________________
• institution_____________
to Ms. Betty Chase: echase@bidmc.harvard.edu by October 20th, 2009
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| Contact: |
Betty Chase
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12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
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Title TBD
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| Description: |
Speaker: Angela Belcher, MIT
Location: Room 341, Warren Alpert Building, Harvard Medical School
Host: Dr. Max Nibert
Coffee and snacks served at 12:15 PM outside the room
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| Contact: |
Shannon Humphreys
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| Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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Nanoemulsion Delivery of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals : In vitro and In vivo Testing Systems including Animals and Humans
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| Description: |
Speaker: Robert J. Nicolosi, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Location: The Forsyth Institute, Schulze Conference Room 2, 140 The Fenway, Boston
Summary: One of the major problems in increasing the efficacy of both pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals is their poor bioavailability, thereby demanding higher dosage requirements which can often lead to adverse side effects. There are many factors which can influence bioavailability such as, but not limited to poor water solubility, formulation particle sizes in the 1000s of nanometers or micron range and increased zeta potential (high anionic charge in an electrical field. This presentation will discuss the production and evaluation of nanoemulsions by high energy (microfluidization) and low energy (self assembling nanoemulsions [SANE] systems which (a) convert lipid soluble to stable water dispersions (b) reduce particle sizes of the various formulations to less than 100 nm and (c) decrease zeta potential thereby moving from an anionic to a more cationic state. These systems have been used to encapsulate pharmaceuticals such as Dacarbazine, with anti-melanoma indications, Tamoxifen and Taxol, with anti-breast cancer indications, 5 Fluoruracil with anti-colon cancer indications, Lovastatin with cholesterol-lowering indications and Aspirin and Celebrex with anti-inflammatory indications. In addition, we tested nutraceuticals such as the anti-oxidants Alpha and Gamma Tocopherol, and Lutein, the latter also for anti-Age-Related Macular Degeneration indications, Curcumin, reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer indications and Quercetin reported to enhance both athletic and mental performance. These nanoemulsion formulations were tested in various normal and cancer cell lines, rodents such as hamsters and xenograft mouse models of several of the various cancer types and, more recently in humans.
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| Contact: |
Pam Quattrocchi
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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5:30 PM - 6:45 PM
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| Thursday, October 22, 2009
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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School of Science Dean's Colloquium--The Power of Basic Science Applied to Medical Progress: Past Examples and the Hope for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Illness
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| Description: |
School of Science Dean’s Colloquium
Edward Scolnick, Broad Institute
Room 100, Building 26, MIT
4:00 p.m. Come early for refreshments
Marc Kastner, Dean of the School of Science has invited Edward Scolnick to be the first speaker in his annual Dean's Colloquium.
"The Power of Basic Science Applied to Medical Progress: Past Examples and the Hope for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Illness"
by Edward Scolnick, Professor of the Practice, Department of Biology Director of the Psychiatric Disease Program and the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute
with an introduction by Eric Lander, Founding Director, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Professor, Department of Biology
The Dean’s Colloquium is a new series of special lectures designed to recognize scientists with unusual career paths.
For more information please contact Amanda Berlin at aberlin@mit.edu or 617-253-8055.
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| Contact: |
Amanda Berlin
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4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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| Friday, October 23, 2009
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8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
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Trick or treat? Why do bacteria oxidize Mn(II)?
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| Description: |
MSI Chalktalk: Deric Learman, PostDoc Fellow in Hansel Lab, Harvard University
Room 102, Haller Hall, Harvard University Center for the Environment Geological Museum, 24 Oxford Street
http://www.msi.harvard.edu/fridays.html
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| Contact: |
Andrea Lenco
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1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
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1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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CELLULAR RESPONSES TO MOLECULAR DAMAGE: IN GENETIC STABILITY, RADIORESISTANCE, AND AGING
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| Description: |
October 23th and 24th, 2009
Snyder Auditorium (Kresge-G1), Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston
October 23th (1:00pm-5:30pm):
Opening Lecture:
“How does ionizing radiation kill cells: early clues from bystander effects”
Matthew Meselson, Ph.D, Harvard University
Session I:
Michael J. Daly, Ph.D., Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Ursula Jakob, Ph.D., Univeristy of Michigan
Anindya Dutta, M.D., Ph.D., University of Virginia
Steve Bell, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
October 24th, 2009 (9:00am-5:00pm):
Session II:
Junjie Chen, Ph.D., University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Penny Jeggo, Ph.D., University of Sussex
Lee Zou, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital
Wade Harper, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
Session III:
Toren Finkel, M.D., Ph.D., National Institutes of Health
Marcia Haigis, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
Laura Niedernhofer, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Registration required by October 16th
For more information or to Register online go to
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/jbl-center/jbl-symposium/
Contact: Ron Spalletta tel. (617) 432-3763, gcddept@hsph.harvard.edu
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| Contact: |
Ron Spalleta
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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Initiation and progression of Alzheimer’s disease: does homocysteine play a role?
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| Description: |
A. David Smith, Optima, University of Oxford
Singleton Auditorium, Room 3002, Building 46, MIT
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a slowly-developing disease, characterised by the spread of pathological markers, and the associated neurodegeneration, from the allocortex to parts of the neocortex. The extension of neurodegeneration to the neocortex can be tracked by neuroimaging and is associated with cognitive decline from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to frank dementia. Central questions are: what initiates the pathological process and how does it spread throughout the brain?
AD does not have a single cause but is a multifactorial disease. I will discuss evidence that one of the factors involved in initiating AD is the amino acid homocysteine, present in blood as a marker of intracellular sulfur amino acid metabolism. In epidemiological studies, raised blood levels of homocysteine have been found to be associated with an increased risk of developing AD more than 30 years later. Raised levels are associated with conversion from normal aging to MCI, with conversion from MCI to AD, with cognitive decline in AD, and with more rapid atrophy of the brain. I will try to relate these epidemiological findings to the central questions above, i.e. the initiation of pathology and the loss of synapses and spread of neurodegeneration from the medial temporal lobe to different parts of the neocortex. Homocysteine is a modifiable risk factor, since its levels can be lowered by B vitamins, so providing one possible way to prevent cognitive decline and AD.
Imaging the progression of Alzheimer pathology through the brain. Smith, A. D. PNAS, 2002: 99, 4135-4137.
The worldwide challenge of the dementias: A role for B vitamins and homocysteine? Smith, A. D. Food Nutr Bull, 2008: 29, S143-172.
Homocysteine as a predictor of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. Oulhaj, A., Refsum, H., Beaumont, H., Williams, J., King, E., Jacoby, R. and Smith, A. D. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 2009: DOI: 10.1002/gps.2303
http://mit.edu/bcs/newsevents/colloquia.shtml
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| Contact: |
Kathleen Dickey
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|
| Saturday, October 24, 2009
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9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
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The MIT BLOSSOMS Initiative
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| Description: |
The vision of BLOSSOMS is to begin to develop a large, free repository of video modules for high school math and science classes created by gifted volunteer teachers from around the world, seeded initially by MIT faculty members and by partnering educators in Jordan and Pakistan. The BLOSSOMS video modules are not intended to replace an existing curriculum but rather to enhance the teaching of certain lessons by the lively video presence of a gifted “guest lecturer’. Each video is designed for viewing in brief segments, allowing the in-class teacher between segments to engage the class in an active, goal-oriented exercise.
For more information visit http://blossoms.mit.edu/
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| Contact: |
Elizabeth Murray
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|
| Monday, October 26, 2009
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10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
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Noon - 2:00 PM
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HNRCA Seminar Series Fall '09: Nutrition, Aging, and Age Related Diseases
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| Description: |
The Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) will hold its next Seminar Speaker Series on Monday, October 26th
Mezzanine Conference Room at the HNRCA, 711 Washington St., Boston campus.
Should attendance increase beyond capacity, we will move to the main Auditorium. Immediately afterward from 1:00-2:00, there will be a question and answer informational period with the speaker in the Mezzanine Conference Room. We are encouraging graduate students and post doctorates to participate in this second session as well to get to know the scientists we have asked to speak regarding their research, career advice, and other questions you may have.
This fall, the theme will be Nutrition, Aging, and Age Related Diseases. We have invited several world-renowned guests to speak on this topic. For our seminar on Oct. 26th, our speaker will be:
“Caloric Restriction and Aging: Studies in Mice and Monkeys.”
Richard Weindruch, PhD, University of Wisconsin
Please contact Martin Obin (martin.obin@tufts.edu), Chair of the Seminar Series committee, or myself (Tristan.mangindin@tufts.edu) if you have any questions. Thank you. http://www.hnrc.tufts.edu
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| Contact: |
Tristan Mangindin
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
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6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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| Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
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3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Population Genetics
|
| Description: |
David Reich, Harvard Medical School
Isselbacher Auditorium, 7th Floor, Building 149, Charlestown Navy Yard, Massachusetts General Hospital - East
|
| Contact: |
Kathleen Williams
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|
| Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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|
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2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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De novo lipogenesis and metabolic stress
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| Description: |
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute
CARDIOVASCULAR, DIABETES, AND METABOLISM RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES
CLAY F. SEMENKOVICH, Washington University
Jimmy Fund Auditorium, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston
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| Contact: |
Ruzena Tupy
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| Thursday, October 29, 2009
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Noon - 1:00 PM
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12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
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2:00 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Herding Cats, Understanding Serotonin
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| Description: |
Tufts University Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Seminar Series
Guest Speaker: Kathryn Commons, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Location: Posner Auditorium, Tufts University Medical School, 200 Harrison Avenue, Boston
Wine and cheese reception immediately following the seminar in the M&V Building 5th floor library, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston.
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| Contact: |
Sharon Titus
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4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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| Friday, October 30, 2009
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(All Day)
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19th Annual Irwin M. Arias Symposium--Bridging Basic Science and Liver Disease
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| Description: |
Location: Joseph P. Martin Conference Center, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston
Fees: $100 Physicians, nurses and allied health professionals; $25 Fellows, residents and students
Scheduel, Topics and Speakers:
8:50 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Chairperson: Irwin M. Arias, National Institutes of Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, (Emeritus)
9:00 a.m. HOW EPITHELIAL CELLS, INCLUDING HEPATOCYTES, POLARIZE
Enrique Rodriguez-Boulan, Weill Cornell Medical College
9:40 a.m. ADVANCES IN CELL IMAGING DEFINE CELLULAR FUNCTION
Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
10:20 a.m. Morning Break
Session Chairperson: Wolfram Goessling, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
10:50 a.m. THE CIRCADIAN CLOCK REGULATES LIVER FUNCTION
Steve Kay, University of California, San Diego
11:30 a.m. ZEBRAFISH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LIVER
Didier Stainier, University of California, San Francisco
Session Chairperson: Sangeeta Bhatia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1:15 p.m. THE ORIGIN OF HCV, HIV AND OTHER RETROVIRUSES
John Coffin, National Cancer Institute, Tufts School of Medicine
1:55 p.m. GENOMICS, DRUG METABOLISM AND HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING
David Altschuler, Massachusetts General Hospital
2:35 p.m. MICRO RNAS IN LIVER FUNCTION AND DISEASE
Charles Rogler, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
3:15 p.m. HEPATOCYTE LIPID DROPLETS AND NASH
David Silver, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
4:00 p.m. Concluding Comments
Irwin M. Arias, MD
For more information visit http://www.liverfoundation.org/chapters/newengland/events/525/%20
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| Contact: |
Samuel K. Scott
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8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
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1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
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4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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Production and comprehension of nominals in second language acquisition.
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| Description: |
Speaker: Tania Ionin, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Location: Room 3002, Building 46, MIT
Among the learning tasks faced by second language (L2) learners is to map linguistic form to its corresponding meaning. Recent investigations into L2-acquisition at the syntax/semantics interface have shown that learners face particular difficulties when the
form-meaning mappings in the learners? first language (L1) are different from those in the L2; at the same time, these difficulties are not insurmountable, and L2-learners have been found to exhibit sensitivity to subtle syntax-semantics mappings that are not present in their L1 and not subject to explicit instruction (see Slabakova 2008 for an
overview). The domain of nominal interpretation is one area in which L2-learners have to acquire subtle form-meaning mappings. For example, L2-English learners coming from an article-less L1 (such as Russian or Korean) have to acquire the contrasts between
definite, indefinite, and bare (article-less) noun phrases; and L2-English learners coming
from an L1 which has articles (such as Spanish) have to reconfigure some aspects of article semantics, for example in the area of generic reference. This talk will report on several experiments probing how L2-English learners from different L1s use and interpret ... Reference: Slabakova, R. 2008. Meaning in the Second Language. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter
http://bcs.mit.edu/newsevents/colloquia.html
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| Contact: |
Kathleen Dickey
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