KOSEN 한인과학기술자네트워크

The Trans-NIH GeroScience Interest Group (GSIG) cordially invites you to its fall seminar, featuring Dr. Charlotte Peterson. Dr. Charlotte Peterson is a Professor and Associate Dean of Research at the University of Kentucky, College of Health Sciences.She serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Institute on Aging and on external advisory committees for academic institutions nationally and internationally. She is Associate Editor of the Journals of Gerontology and Aging Cell.Dr. Peterson？？？s research focuses on elucidation of cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling skeletal muscle structure and function. She is currently funded by the NIH to study the role of adult stem cells in muscle maintenance and adaptation; the influence of obesity and inflammation on muscle function; and strategies to improve exercise outcomes in the elderly. Her work emphasizes changes that occur with age with the long term goal of preventing frailty and loss of functional independence. The GeroScience Interest Group (GSIG) was formed to enhance opportunities for discussion of the intersection between the biology of aging and the biology of disease and conditions that are of interest across ICs. It is focused on basic biology, but with a longer view towards translation.

If you are interested in learning more, please visit the GSIG web site (http://sigs.nih.gov/geroscience/Pages/default.aspx).

NIH Frontiers in Data Science Series

Innovation in a digital world presupposes that the data will be there when you need it, but will it? Without sufficient data infrastructure and attention to the stewardship and preservation of digital data, data may become inaccessible or lost. This is particularly problematic for data generated by sponsored research projects where the focus is on innovation rather than infrastructure, and support for stewardship and preservation may be short-term. In this presentation, Dr. Fran Berman discusses sustainability, infrastructure, and data, and explores the opportunities and challenges of creating a viable ecosystem for the data on which current and future research and innovation increasingly depend.

For more information go to https://datascience.nih.gov/community/datascience-at-nih/frontiers

Immunology Interest Group

The evolutionary ancient complement system is critical in the protection against infection via direct destruction of pathogens and mobilization and activation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Our current understanding of the complement system is rooted in two key paradigms: Complement operates as a serum (fluid phase) effector system and activation of complement is commonly connected with only a pro-inflammatory outcome ？？？ thus, increased or unwanted complement activation is thought to be also the cause of many autoimmune diseases. Recent work, however, indicates that complement activation, either occurring in the intra- or extracellular space, also regulates fundamental processes of the cell, such as nutrient influx and metabolic activity. Further, this novel complement-metabolism axis is emerging as vital regulator for CD4+ T cell effector differentiation, function, control and homeostasis and serves a nexus for the interaction with other intracellular effector systems such as inflammasomes. This seminar will give an overview over the emerging new key roles of autocrine complement activity in the regulation oh Th1 responses and their implications for the design of next generation therapeutics targeting complement in human disease.

NIH Director`s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series 

Dr. Zarate`s current research focus is on developing novel medications for treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder. His areas of expertise include biological and pharmacological aspects of mood disorders in adults. Dr. Zarate`s group conducts proof-of-concept studies utilizing novel compounds and biomarkers (magnetoencephalography [MEG] and polysomnography [PSG], positron emission tomography, functional MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS]) to identify potentially relevant drug targets and biosignatures of treatment response. A multidisciplinary translational research team conducts the research in the ETPB. In addition, the Branch provides training to develop the next generation of clinical translational researchers. 

The Astute Clinician Lecture Series:The Astute Clinician Lecture was established through a gift from the late Dr. Robert W. Miller and his wife, Haruko. It honors a US clinician-scientist who has observed an unusual clinical occurrence, and by investigating it, has opened an important new avenue of research. 

For more information go to https://oir.nih.gov/wals/2015-2016/relief-severe-depression-suicidal-ideation-within-hours-synapses-symptoms

NIH Workshop: Multiple Approaches to Understanding and Preventing Elder Abuse

As part of a national priority to promote elder justice, a key focus of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging, NIH is hosting a one-day workshop on understanding and preventing elder abuse and mistreatment. Elder abuse and mistreatment is a growing public health problem, and it has a devastating impact on the mental and physical health and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Despite growing awareness, the research field is still relatively new and there remain significant research gaps in detecting, preventing and intervening in elder abuse. Increased understanding of the origins of abuse, risk profiles and effective interventions may resonate across contexts of family violence, including elder abuse, child abuse and intimate partner violence. The purpose of this meeting is to focus on the application of lessons learned across fields, and common challenges and opportunities in elder abuse, child abuse, intimate partner violence and other related fields. - See more at: https://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2015/nih-workshop-multiple-approaches-understanding-and-preventing-elder-abuse#sthash.2wzkw4SR.dpuf

Immunology Interest Group

Dr. Campbell received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and completed his graduate studies in Nilabh Shastri`s laboratory at the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California at Berkeley. He then went on to be a postdoctoral fellow in Eugene Butcher`s laboratory in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University. He joined the Benaroya Research Institute in Seattle in 2003 as an Assistant Member and was promoted to Full Member in 2015. Dan has made a number of major contributions to our understanding of effector and regulatory T cell functions including the demonstration that effector T cell migration is programed during activation in different secondary lymphoid organs, that regulatory T cell migration to specific non-lymphoid tissues is required for their function, and that regulatory T cells undergo functional differentiation associated with expression of specific T helper cell transcription factors. Lastly, his group has recently characterized the factors and signals that control regulatory T cell abundance and function in different tissue sites. Upon antigen stimulation, T cells integrate signals from the T cell receptor, co-stimulatory molecules, and cytokines that control their clonal expansion and differentiation into short-lived effector cells or long-lived memory cells that help provide protection from re-infection. Correct interpretation of these signals is controlled by various signaling networks, and among these phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling has a key function in reprogramming cellular metabolism and driving cell proliferation, redirecting cell migration, and controlling the differentiation of effector and memory cells. However, despite the central role of PI3K in normal and pathogenic T cell responses, molecular control of PI3K activation during T cell stimulation remains poorly understood. We have shown that the adaptor protein B Cell Adaptor for PI3K (BCAP) has a critical role in T cell activation, proliferation and differentiation. Although not expressed in na？？ve T cells, BCAP (encoded by the Pik3ap1 gene) is rapidly upregulated on T cell activation, and our in vitro and in vivo experiments show that BCAP-deficient T cells have defects in antigen-receptor-induced proliferation, signaling and differentiation. These exciting new results support a model in which BCAP acts as an important adaptor protein that modulates PI3K activity in activated CD8+ T cells, thereby controlling their clonal expansion and effector/memory differentiation.

NIH Neuroscience Seminar Series

Dr. Shi lab？？？s main research goal is to understand the development of highly-specific neuronal circuits in the mammalian neocortex. Proper formation of neuronal circuit critically depends on the production, positioning, and differentiation of various types of neurons, which largely occur during early developmental stages. They thus hypothesize that neuronal circuit development is tightly linked to the early developmental processes of neurogenesis, neuronal migration and differentiation. To test this, a major focus of their research program is to bridge the gap between early development of the embryonic and neonatal neocortex and the emergence of highly-specific neuronal circuits in the postnatal neocortex. Specifically, they are working on the following two areas using rodents as a model with a combination of approaches including electrophysiology, two-photon/confocal laser scanning microscopy, mouse genetics/in utero manipulation.