Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
Temple F. Smith
Boston University, USA
Keynote: How far back can biology’s Big Data take us? “Can we model biology’s beginnings?â€
Time : 10:30-10:35
Biography:
Dr. Temple Smith graduated with a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from the University of Colorado in 1969. Then did a National Institutes of Health (USA) postdoctoral fellowship under the direction of the mathematician, Stanislaw Ulam, and the molecular biologist, John Sadler. There he carried out a detailed analysis of the E. coli Lac operator mutations. In 1979, Dr. Smith was one of the founders of GenBank, initially at Los Alamos National Laboratory. There, he with Walter Goad developed a statistical mechanical model of the Lac operon system similar to those now being developed in system biology. Dr. Smith is a co-developer with Michael Waterman of the Smith-Waterman sequence alignment algorithm, underlying most DNA and protein sequence comparison methods today.
Dr. Smith spent a sabbatical year working with Harold Morowitz at Yale resulting in a seminal paper on the relationship between biology, physics and history. In 1988 he moved to the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, there organizing a computational biology research center and initiating a series of international meetings, “Genes and Machines” on the application of computers in modern biology. In 1991 the center moved to Boston University, becoming director of the BioMolecular Engineering Research Center in the College of Engineering. Working there with Richard Lathrop and others, he helped develop new protein threading and Discrete State software. Dr. Smith has continued his research in many areas, including the time calibration of HIV viral evolution, and with Harvard’s Eva Neer the modeling of the WD-repeat protein family. As a member of Fly Base, he helped carry out a full-genome comparative evolutionary analysis of the Drosophila clade. More recently he has investigated the origin of the eukaryotic cell and the evolutionary of the cellular translation system.
Dr. Smith was inducted into AIMBE “for extraordinary contributions in defining and advancing the field of bioinformatics, with emphasis on novel engineering methods to predict protein structure and function” and made a follow of the ISCB. He has over 200 reviewed publications and has been the primary advisor for over 20 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. As of 2010 Dr. Smith became Professor Emeritus in BioMedical Engineering at Boston University.
Dr. Smith is an avid skier, ice climber, sailor, hockey coach and family man with four sons. He is also the co-founder of a small gene engineering company, Modular Genetics, Inc. in Woburn, Massachusetts.
Abstract:
Modern Biology now claims to be a “big data” science. Unfortunately the term Big Data has a lot of associated hype these days. Clearly the science at the Large Hardon Collider at CERN involves big data, as does the astronomy, with Hubble’s deep field images. It is confluence of ever expanding genomic, structural and image data that supports such claims for modern biosciences. In the medical area there is a wealth of potential data in medical records and tissue samples, all have the potential for Big Data, but with many unresolved challenges. What lessons can be learned from our current attempts to exploit these data to provide insight into the fundamental questions of the earliest evolutionary events, we will review these issue.
There have been, successfully reconstructs of the Phylogeny of major animal taxonomic divisions. For example, the phylogeny of the entire class Aves or Birds (8), has just recently been published, pushing the origins of birds back. This success has rested on two things: The fact that modern biology is a “big data” science with tens of thousands of full genome DNA sequences, and on the concept that what is widely common has been conserved over long time periods. Yet even more important is our ability to extract information from those data, allowing for errors, legacy annotation, and missing data.
Keynote Forum
Ana Colette Mauricio
University of Porto, Portugal
Keynote: Mesenchymal stem cells from the Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) and from dental pulp (DPSCs) used for neuro-muscular regeneration – A longitudinal study from in vitro characterization to animal experimentation.
Time : 10:35-11:00
Biography:
Ana Colette Mauricio has a degree on Veterinary Medicine since 1995, a PhD on Veterinary Sciences since 1999 from Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMV) - Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (UTL) and Habilitation in Veterinary Sciences (ICBAS-UP) since 2011. At the present, she is an Associated Professor with Ana Colette Mauricio has a degree on Veterinary Medicine since 1995, a PhD on Veterinary Sciences since 1999 from Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMV) - Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (UTL) and Habilitation in Veterinary Sciences (ICBAS-UP) since 2011. At the present, she is an Associated Professor with Habilitation, from the Veterinary Clinics of ICBAS – UP. She also belongs to the Scientific Council of ICBAS-UP and to the Ethic Comission for Health Sciences from University of Porto (UP). She belongs to the Scientific Committee of the Veterinary Sciences Doctoral Program at ICBAS–UP. She is the Scientific Coordinator of Regenerative Medicine and Experimental Surgery sub-unit from CECA-ICETA fro UP. She is one of the founding shareholders of Biosckin, Molecular and Cell Therapies, S.A since 2007 for development of new cell therapies and medical devices. For the past 12 years she coordinates a multidisciplinary research group of Experimental Surgery and Regenerative Medicine, working with several biomaterials and cellular therapies. She coordinates a multidisciplinary team, including Veterinaries, Engineers, Medical Doctors that through Experimental Surgery have a crucial role in the development of biomaterials and cellular therapies, allowing a close share of knowledge between biomaterials design, development of cellular systems, and surgeons needs when related to specific clinical cases.
Abstract:
Recent advances in Tissue Engineering considering the peripheral nerve system have greatly promoted the generation of nerve conduits, which may be implanted filled with growth factors and/or cellular systems. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) comprise a rare population of multipotent progenitors with a great therapeutic potential, support hematopoiesis and enhance the engraftment after co-transplantation. Currently, bone marrow (BM) represents the main source of MSCs. However the number of BM-MSCs significantly decreases with age and the HLA compatible donors are very difficult to find. The MSCs obtained from the umbilical cord tissue (UCT) are a promising alternative: i) the number of cells per volume is higher, ii) because of the low expression of HLA-ABC antigens and the absence of HLA-DR expression, a complete or high HLA profile match for allogenic use is not necessary, which permits to greatly enlarge the number of available donors, and the use in xenografts iii) are easier to obtain, cryopreserve, and the collection is ethically approved by national and international laws, iv) the number of high quality samples cryopreserved is increasing in public and private cord blood banks in Portugal and Europe. More recently, also the MSCs isolated from the dental pulp have been intensively studied. Our multidisciplinary team has a crucial role in the development of new biomaterials, cells therapies, and in pre-clinical trials considering appropriate animal models and welfare where the main objective of the Regenerative Medicine research sub-unit from CECA-ICETA is to evaluate the therapeutic effect (by morphological and functional analysis) of biomaterial nerve conduits used as a scaffolds for UC MSCs and DPSCs, on neuro-muscular regeneration after axonotmesis and neurotmesis injuries. It is a transversal and integrated study considering the development and characterization of new biomaterials, the isolation and expansion of MSCs under GMP conditions and pre-clinical studies [1-5]. The in vivo trials include 2 animal models, the rat for initial validation of the scaffold and the ovine which allows studying critical defects. The therapeutic effect of UC-MSCs and DPSCs does not simply reside on their capacity to replace the original cells of damaged tissues, but also by secreting growth factors and cytokines that modify the microenvironment and induce activity of endogenous progenitor cells and by modulation of the inflammatory process. Due to this fact, the UC-MSCs and DPSCs secretome and metabolic profile and the therapeutic effect of conditioned medium (CM) has been studied in detail [1-5]. The team has a very strong experience working with extra-fetal stem cells and 2 elements (ACM, JDS) are founders shareholders of a private cord blood bank (www.criovida.pt; www.biosckin.com) approved by Direcção Geral de Saúde (DGS). Also several international publications in the field and close collaborations with some of the strongest groups working in Regenerative Medicine are the outputs for the past 10 years [1-5]. The biodegradable biomaterials filled with both MSCs or CM and different vehicles are being nowadays tested in the rat sciatic nerve across 10 mm-gap (neurotmesis) or in 3 mm axonotmesis lesion for an initial scaffold in vivo validation. Afterwards, the same scaffold will be tested in critical nerve injuries, using the peroneal nerve in sheep, which reproduces more closely, the neurosurgery clinical cases [1-5]. The regenerated nerves are usually processed for light, confocal and electronic microscope analysis, imunohistochemistry, and stereological studies after 20 and 12 weeks, for neurotmesis and axonotmesis injuries, respectively. The functional recovery is always assessed serially using video recording of the gait for biomechanical analysis, by measuring extensor postural thrust (EPT), sciatic functional index (SFI) and static sciatic functional index (SSI), and the withdrawal reflex latency (WRL) [1-5]. Also, the muscular regeneration after neurogenic atrophy has been evaluated by morphometric analysis and functional assessment. The axonotmesis and neurotmesis injury models are also widely used in the evaluation of muscle regeneration via the denervation/reinnervation process, since this phenomena is caused by blockage of the nerve impulse, with consequent loss of stimulation at the level of the neuromuscular junction. The rapid restoration of the motor function unit is crucial for successful reversal of muscular atrophy and this factor has been intensively studied by our research group [1-5]. Our research projects allow to adequate GMP isolation, and expansion protocols of UC MSCs and DPSCs to clinical use, through in vitro studies including cytocompatibility, multi-lineage differentiation capacity, imunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, secretome, metabolic profile, and RT-PCR. The in vivo trials allow evaluation of neuro-muscular functional and morphologic recovery, including the ovine model to study critical defects. Also, the importance of a longitudinal and complete study concerning tissue engineering of the peripheral nerve, which includes a multidisciplinary team able to develop biomaterials, to prepare cellular cultures for cell therapies, and to elaborate in vitro analysis and pre-clinical trials concerning animal welfare and the most appropriate animal model is enhanced by the Regenerative Medicine sub-unit from CECA.
- Track 1: Human cancer biobank
Track 4: Cryopreservation
Track 8: Biobanking in microbiology
Track 10: Neuro Biobank
Session Introduction
Domenico Amato
AL.CHI.MI.A. S.r.l, Italy
Title: AL.CHI.MI.A. S.r.l. – Human tissue processing specialists.
Time : 11:20-12:00
Biography:
Domenico Amato is a sales manager in the AL.CHI.MI.A. S.r.l. company. Since 2011 the main task of Domenico Amato was the management of the markets in EMEA territories. He graduated in biology science at “La Sapienza” university of Rome in 2006. Also provides technical & scientific support to the sales.
Abstract:
AL.CHI.MI.A. S.r.l. is made up of experts from pharmaceutical and medical device industries. It was established in 1993 and it is based in Padova, Italy. Since then AL.CHI.MI.A. S.r.l. is dedicating all research efforts to medical devices. Currently, we carry three product lines: Eye Banking, Ophthalmic Surgery and Tissue Banking. However, in recent years our expertise has grown especially for the field of human tissue banks. The result has been a thriving scientific production; on average a new paper per year and participation to major European congresses related to human tissue banking. All this is then materialized in the design of new medical devices exclusive for processing human tissue as decontamination (BASE 128) and microbiological analysis (RESEP Syringe, ready for sale). At cooperates with several banks of human tissue in Europe, all this for garatire to products especially for high standards required necessities; providing products CE marked and designed for use with human tissue.
Koichi Kyono
Kyono ART Clinic, Japan
Title: Safety of frozen-thawed ovarian tissue (FTOT) auto-transplantation following cryopreservation in terms of minimal residual diseases for cancer patients and its accuracy of analysis
Time : 12:00-12:25
Biography:
Koichi Kyono received his MD from Fukushima Medical College in 1978 and his PhD in obstetrics and gynecology (reproductive biology) from Tohoku University in 1984. He was a member of the Tohoku University team which achieved the first IVF pregnancy and delivery in Japan in 1983. He is currently the President of Kyono ART Clinic in Sendai and Tokyo. His long-term research interests include studies on cryopreservation (oocytes, ovarian tissue and testicular spermatozoa) in vitro culture, andrology (Micro-TESE, IMSI) and endocrinology (ovarian stimulation).
Abstract:
Approximately 30 babies have been born following auto-transplantation of FTOT from cancer patients. We reported ovarian metastasis (OM) by histology of 5,571 autopsy findings of females under the age of 40 in Japan. The percentage of OM was the highest in those with gastric carcinoma (55.8%) followed by colon cancer (26.6%) breast cancer (24.2%) pulmonary carcinoma (23.4%) malignant lymphoma (13.3%) uterine carcinoma (13.1%) and leukemia (8.4%). Bittinger et al (2011) demonstrated ovarian involvement in stage III Hodgkin lymphoma. The Belgian team detected malignant cells by histologic evaluation in 2 (6%) out of 32 patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in the medulla (1/32) and in the cortex (1/32). Furthermore, the incidence of OM in breast cancer patients is common in advanced-stage. Dolman et al. (2012) evaluated the presence of residual leukemic cells in cryopreserved ovarian tissue by histology and quantitative reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Malignant cells were found in 2 of 6 CML patients and 7 of 10 ALL patients by RE-PCR though, these were not found by conventional histological evaluation. Abir et al. (2010) evaluated ovaries from 8 patients with Ewing sarcoma by histology,　immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. No ovarian involvement was found in histology but RT-PCR analysis revealed the presence of cancer cells in one patient. Therefore, FTOT auto-transplantation following cryopreservation should not be performed if malignant cells are found by histology or RE-PCR. We recommend both histology and RT-PCR before FTOT transplantation in cancer patients.
Clelia R A Bertoncini
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Title: Regeneration of brain tissue by mesenchymal stem cells in a stroke model involves both raised nitric oxide and VEGF as decreased oxidative stress and apoptosis to healthful levels
Time : 12:25-12:50
Biography:
Clélia Rejane Antonio graduate at Quimica Licenciatura from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (1986), master's at Físico-Quimica from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (1989) and ph.d. at Bioquimica from Universidade de São Paulo (1995). Has experience in Biochemistry, focusing on Biochemistry, acting on the following subjects: transgenicos, iron, dna, oxidative stress and dna damage.
Abstract:
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold tremendous potential for tissue regeneration. We hypothesized that the action of these cells is not only to repopulate the area of brain damage, but mainly to secrete neurotrophic and proliferative factors which could induce or stimulate the recovery of the damage. As we previously described, the model Stroke Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHRSP) exhibits a hippocampal damage, which can fully be recovered after transplantation of MSCs. Moreover, such cell repopulation occurred whereas apoptosis, superoxide and lipid peroxidation were reduced to normal levels, as verified in parallel with helpful Wistar Kyoto (WKY) controls (Calió et al; Free Rad Biol Med, 2014). The objective of this work is to investigate if transplanted MSCs could be involved in proliferation of neural cells by analysis of the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Methods We performed a comparison of the brains isolated from SHRSP treated or not with MSCs with those from normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) controls by using quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and biochemistry assays. MSCs were obtained from the femur and tibiae of 12-week-old WKY rats and characterized for the presence of mesenchymal surface antigens (CD90 and CD105) and the absence of hematopoietic markers (CD45, c-kit, and Sca1) by flow cytometry before the transplantation. 1x106 MSC previously labeled with CFSE were injected into cistern magna through the atlanto-occipital membrane of 48-week-old SHRSP. The expression of VEGF was assayed both by Western blot and real-time (quantitative) RT-PCR analysis. β-Actin was used as a housekeeping gene. Nitric oxide (NO) was measured to evaluate its possible role in neural proliferation or endogenous brain cells regeneration after MSCs transplantation to the brain of stroke rat models. The quantification of generated NO was based on the gas-phase chemiluminescent reaction between NO and ozone; data were detected by the Nitric Oxide Analyzer (Sievers Instruments, Boulder, USA), a high-sensitive detector (~1 pmol) of NO in liquid samples.
Results An increase of almost threefold of VEGF expression was observed in the MSC-treated SHRSP group, thereby suggesting that transplanted stem cells have a proliferative potential by inducing proliferation of neural stem cells. Similar results were obtained in terms of elevation of generated NO detected by chemiluminescence. Thus, we suggest that both Vegf and NO can contribute to the recovery of hippocampal damage associated with oxidative stress and apoptosis in the spontaneously hypertensive stroke model SHRSP.
Conclusion: Our data suggests that MSCs could secrete or induce the same types of proliferation factors, such as Vegf and NO, which could stimulate the recovery of brain damage by endogenous stem cells. Thus, stem cell transplantation is a promising therapy, which could provide trophic support, helping promote survival, migration, and differentiation of endogenous precursor cells.
Supported by Fapesp, CNPq and FAP-Unifesp
Aline Azevedo
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
Title: Human embryo cryopreservation: Missing the fear
Time : 13:35-14:00
Biography:
Biomedic from the University Center Uni FMU (2003). Master degree-Medicine Department of Nephrology-Federal University of São Paulo-UNIFESP (2006). PhD by Ginecology Department-UNIFESP and Cleveland Clinic ( 2011). Pos -doc by Department of Gynecology-UNIFESP ( in progress). Young Scientist Award in 2011 (14th World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility-Paris, France). Now, acting as embryologist and Researcher at the Federal University of São Paulo. She has experience in Biochemistry, with emphasis in Human Reproduction, mainly following themes: oxidative stress, antioxidants, superoxide, Endometriosis.
Abstract:
Background Embryo cryopreservation is now a routine procedure in assisted reproductive laboratories. Currently, is more important than ever for the cumulative pregnancy rate after In vitro Fertilization (IVF) . Recently, increases in success rates after frozenthawed embryo transfer (FET) are nearing the success rates of fresh embryo transfer (ET) and this can encouraging the use because reduces risks like low birth weight and prematurity, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), among others. Furthermore, the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation affects the endometrial maturation.
Objective To evaluate ongoing pregnancy rates after FET cycles and compare with the success of ET described at the literature.
Materials and Methods A retrospective study of 72 patients under IVF treatment that where indicated cryopreserved all embryos because of OHSS risks. The patients parameters evaluated was age, infertility factor, number of retrieved and mature oocytes, fertilization rate, embryos transferred per patient, pregnancy, implantation and abortion rate.
Results The average age was 30.5 years; male factor was indicated in 42% of cases. The number of aspirated oocytes per patient was 28,11 which 74,35% were mature. The fertilization rate was 80,53%, the average of embryos transferred was 2.78 per transfer, the average number of transfer per patient was 1,8. The pregnancy rate per transfer was 49.59% and per patient was 83.3%. The implantation rate was 35.7%. Abortion rate was 13.89%.
Conclusions Until now, there is no consensus between different groups around the world about the best protocol, day of embryo cryopreservation, freezing method, selection criteria for which embryos to freeze, method of embryo thawing and endometrial preparation for transfer of frozen-thawed embryos. However, it has been reported a greater implantation and pregnancy rates with FET when compared with ET, suggesting superior endometrial receptivity in the absence of ovarian stimulation. Ours results agrees with recently reported data and emphasizing that we can use frozen embryos without fear. High-quality randomized controlled trials should be pursued to find out which cryopreservation protocol is the best and when will be the time to completely abandon fresh embryos transfer.
Pan Jing
Biobanking Center for Chinese Preterm Clinical Research Consortium, China
Title: Genomic and epigenomic studies of spontaneous preterm birth with an pre-banked existing Chinese cohort
Time : 14:00-14:25
Biography:
Jing Pan joined the faculty in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer. Her current instruction duties include teaching Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology (BIOL3102) and RNA world (BIOL6V29). Dr Pan received a B.S. (1998) from Nankai University in Tianjin, China, and a Ph.D. (2004) in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cell Biology from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Her PhD work focused on the study of spindle checkpoint, a cell cycle surveillance mechanism, in budding yeast. After her PhD, she completed postdoc training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City (2004-2008), where she worked on meiotic recombination in budding yeast and in mice; and at University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (2009-2013), where she worked on miRNA modulation of cell polarity.
Abstract:
Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), consisting of preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM) and spontaneous preterm labor (sPTL), is the leading cause of neonatal matality and life time mobility. Genetic and genomic variations, environmental factors, and gene-environment interaction(s) are the common etiological factors involved in many physiopathological pathways of PPROM. Many studies have identified the presence of single nucleotide variations (SNVs), copy number variations (CNVs), and DNA methylations as the evidence that genetic/genomic factors and gene-environment interactions play predisposition roles in PPROM. Studies also showed that the human genome transcribed thousands of regulatory non–protein-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), are expressed during pregnancy in placentas in addition to fetal amniochorionic membranes, and are involved in sPTB. Previously, we have reported that lncRNAs and mRNAs were differentially expressed in human embryo sacs that contain chorionic villi and maternal decidua in spontaneous abortion within the first trimester, indicating that lncRNAs have played a regulatory function in the early stage of pregnancy. We hypothesized that prenatal exposure to infection and inflammation could cause epigenetic modifications in the pathogenic pathway(s) of sPTB. We therefore undertook a study to identify genome-wide differential expression profile (DEP) of lncRNAs and mRNAs and of DEP of miRNAs and methylation, in addition to exome sequencing, with an existing banked sPTB cohort. Our studies have identified numerous differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs associated with sPTB. Several pathogenic pathways constructed from the differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs showed a significant association with sPTB. We further characterized lncRNAs may regulate gene transcription of collagen-ubiquitin-proteasome (CUP) in human placentas derived from PPROM. Our studies provided evidence that epigenetic modification are involved in pathogenesis of adverse pregnancies, which help in obtaining a greater understanding of the pathogenic pathways associated with sPTB, the novel information about the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sPTB, and help improve the outcome of pregnancies.
Osman Zin AlAbdin
King Saud University Medical City, Saudi Arabia
Title: A biological bank of liver samples and related information intended for hepatocellular carcinoma research
Time : 14:25-14:50
Biography:
Osman Zin AlAbdin has completed his Msc. in Biotechnology at the age of 22 years from McGill University. He has worked as a Research Assistant for 6 years at the Research Institute of Cancerology and Immunology, University of Montreal. He is presently the biobank manager at the Liver Disease Research Center. He has been serving as a member of the Tissue Allocation committee at KKUH since 2013.
Abstract:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the top 5 cancers in Saudi Arabia. We evaluated the feasibility of establishing a longitudinal cohort of the patients with various liver diseases at increased risk for HCC, namely HCV, HBV, NAFLD, and liver adenoma. We have outlined the ethical, methodological and technical issues of the biobank establishment process. As a result, we have aligned with the Biobank Resource Center (developed by the Canadian Tissue Repository Network in partnership with the UBC office of Biobank education and research) in order to adapt standardized SOPs and eliminate the numerous variables that can emerge around the process of collecting surgical tissues for research. The aim of our biobank is to provide research groups with a platform of web-based socio-demographic information, detailed longitudinal clinical data couples with high quality biological samples to properly interpret research data and ultimately promote the advancement of liver disease research. Singe database (SOLID) commenced in early 2010 and collected a total of 949 HCV, 1904 HBV, 403 NAFLD and 7 Primary liver neoplastic. In addition to banking fresh frozen liver tissue, the bank contains blood in which it is processed into serum, plasma, buffy coat, RNA and DNA extraction along with subcutaneous fat, visceral fat and abdominal muscle specimens from NAFLD patients. The methods, in which the fresh liver tissue is harvested for biobanking and in which the liver is sampled for histological assessment, correlates with the strict policies, procedures and appropriate controls that are adapted according to the Biobank Resource Center best practices. A well-developed biobank is a critical prerequisite for high-quality research. This review provides an outline of certain critical elements that would need careful attention as a liver disease biobank is developed.
Beena Kumar
Monash Health, Australia
Title: Role of immunohistochemistry and biobanking in targeted cancer therapy
Time : 14:50-15:15
Biography:
Role of immunohistochemistry and biobanking in targeted cancer therapy Dr. Beena Kumar, Deputy Director, Anatomical Pathology, Monash Health, Victoria, Australia
Abstract:
Chemotherapy which has been the standard therapeutic regimen for cancer has the disadvantages of conforming to the “one size fits all” style. These standard drugs fail to distinguish malignant versus normal tissue, thus bringing along a range of adverse effects. Targeted treatment on the contrary show a greater selectivity for tumor cells and causes less damage to normal cells. It is to be noted that morphologically distinct tumours show variable biological characteristics and response to treatment. It is thus becoming important to identify these targets within the cancer tissue which include the tumour cells and the tumour microenvironment (ie, stromal cells, microvessels, and host’s immune cells), all of which could serve as potential treatment targets. Most of these biomarkers were earlier detected by molecular techniques. These tests are expensive and not easily accessible. Immunohistochemistry is an excellent surrogate to identify the proteins / targets in question. Though widely used, this technique comes with its share of challenges which could be at the preanalytical, analytical and post analytical levels. It is highly mandatory to establish robust methodologies within the laboratory to obtain the right answer, which would ultimately benefit patient management / response to treatment. The development of new treatments or diagnostics is facilitated through biomedical research which has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes. With the advent of personalised medicine and genomic medicine, the different arms of research such as basic research, translational research, clinical research and clinical practice have merged .
Elke Smits
Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium
Title: Tumour biobank for advancing translational research in oncology
Time : 15:15-15:40
Biography:
Elke Smits earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the Catholic University of Leuven, a Master of Science in Biotechnology and a PhD in Veterinary Sciences in 1998 from the University of Gent. Elke Smits joined Devgen Inc, a spin-off company in Gent, as manager molecular cell biology for target discovery and drug development projects. In 2004, she became senior scientist at the Flemish Science Policy Council, the advisory body for the Flemish government concerning science and innovation policy. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles, holds several patents, wrote many policy advices and recommendations and authored the study serie Technology and Innovation in Flanders: Priorities. Prof. dr. Elke Smits currently heads the Science & Innovation department of the Antwerp University Hospital and has gained extensive experience in merging translational and clinical research within clinical practice. She holds a visiting professorship position at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Antwerp and is liaison officer CRC Antwerp for the Center for Medical Innovation.
Abstract:
Prevention, treatment and care of cancer patients largely depend upon improvements in scientific research. Development and enhancement of cancer research networks was recommended in the Belgian National Cancer Plan, which was launched in 2008 by the Belgian Federal Ministry of Health. The objective is to create a virtual inter-institutional tumour biobank to promote translational research and to create a network for future academic, medical and/or industrial collaborations. The tumour biobank initiative at the Antwerp University Hospital (Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen, UZA) (tumour biobank@UZA) will attempt to integrate into the multidisciplinary cancer care with linkage to medical and clinical data. The tumour biobank at the Department of Pathology, UZA, works according to standard procedures for sample processing and storage of fresh and paraffin-embedded tissue samples. The good collaboration and communication between the operating-room and the pathology department, and the use of international acknowledged guidelines enable the preservation of high-qualitative samples. Following preservation, 1% of the collected samples will be annually subjected to a quality control, which focuses on several parameters: sample identity, location, diagnosis, sample data, RNA integrity and concentration. Consent concerning the use of residual tissue for scientific purposes is obtained prior to surgery in accordance with the rules of the local ethics committee. The tumour biobank at the Department of Pathology, UZA, collaborates with surrounding hospitals for sample collection and contributes to the development of a virtual tumour biobank of the Belgian Cancer Registry.
Patricia Casbas-Hernandez
Ponce Health Sciences University- Ponce Research Institute, USA
Title: The Puerto Rico BioBank: The First Cancer Tissue Biobank at a US Hispanic-Serving Institution
Time : 15:40-16:05
Biography:
Patricia Casbas-Hernandez is a graduate from ‘La Universidad Complutense de Madrid’ (Spain) in Biochemistry, after which, she pursued her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pathology in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC, USA). Her interest in population based sciences led her to peruse post-doctoral training and a Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology at the same institution. She is currently a junior faculty member at the Ponce Health Sciences University (Ponce, PR) and co-leads the first Puerto Rico tissue BioBank.
Abstract:
There are 580 million people worldwide considered to be of Hispanic origin. In the US, Hispanics represent 17% of the population and its largest ethnic minority. Funded by NCI, Moffitt Cancer Center (Florida) and Ponce Health Sciences University (Puerto Rico) initiated a partnership that conducts high-quality research, training, and community-outreach focusing on cancer health disparities among Hispanics. A central component to this partnership is the Puerto Rico BioBank (PRBB), the first tumor bank capable of optimal collection, processing, and distribution of biospecimens derived from the island’s population. The PRBB has recruited cancer patients since 2008 through establishment of a functional laboratory infrastructure and collaborations with local hospitals. Eligible patients provide informed consent, agree to donate blood (for DNA) and tissues (fresh-frozen, paraffin embedded), and complete a comprehensive questionnaire related to clinical and lifestyle factors. Biological material is properly banked at the PRBB lab following HIPAA and standard operating procedures to ensure patient confidentiality and tissue quality. Currently, the PRBB has over 1,100 patients (65.8% females, 34.2% males) all of Hispanic origin. The most common banked tumors are breast, prostate, and lung, although other uncommon tumors are also collected. Pathological, demographic and clinical data is entered into a biobanking-management-system (BMS), which allows for up-to-date information and reporting. In conclusion, the patient samples banked in the PRBB are a unique resource that can support molecular and population studies. This Hispanic-specific biobank fosters collaborations among local and international researchers that facilitate the application of novel techniques to solving cancer health disparities among Hispanics.
- Track 3: Fertility Preservation
Track 5: Vitrifi cation
Track 6: Tissue Screening, Preparation and Antibiotic Sterilization
Track 12: Issues to Future
Session Introduction
Elena Bravo
Istituto Superiore di Sanità , Italy
Title: International Standardisation and implementation of CoBRA guideline: contribution to the future use of samples
Time : 10:00- 10:25
Biography:
Elena Bravo, after graduation in Biochemistry at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome and postgraduate formation in Clinical Chemistry, focused her research on metabolism of cholesterol. She managed several projects contributing to knowledge on the mechanisms by which lipophilic soluble macronutrients and micronutrients carried by postprandial lipoproteins influence foam cells formation and macrophages inflammatory status. She is actually Senior Researcher at the National Health Institute, delegate of the Italian representative in European legal consortium BBMRI-ERIC; member of the BBMRI.it steering committee and of the international ISO-Technical Committee 276 on Biotechology, and co-chair of the BRIF Journal editors subgroup.
Abstract:
In the last decade intensive work and initiatives in biobanking produced great success in the awareness of the importance of sharing bioresources. However, a global recognised standard to compare biospecimens quality and appropriate knowledge on available resources are still missing. Consequently, access to the samples for research and for development of biotechnological applications is still unsatisfactory. The work carried on by the Technical Committee (TC) 276 of Organization for Standardization (ISO) responsible for development and adoption of international standardization for Biotechnology is a further step to facilitate the exchange of goods and services through the elimination of technical barriers to trade. It is expected that TC276’ outcomes in the field of “Biobanking and Bioresources” will give a major impulse to global use of samples and data. The value of sharing bioresources is scarcely recognised and their use is hardly reconducted to the efforts for establishing and maintaining a biobank. Moreover, simple tools to identify the use of biospecimens and data are still lacking. A key element for assessing the use and the research impact of bioresources is their systematic citation in journal articles. In between BRIF (BioResource Impact Factor) initiatives, the journal editors’ subgroup addressed this point and recently published CoBRA (Citation Of BioResources in journal Articles) guideline. The implementation of ISO standards and CoBRA guideline will impact on the future use of resources, improving comparability, rewording biobanking infrastructure organization and favoring the access to the appropriate knowledge of samples, with a marked effect on science reproducibility and scientific reporting.
Vimal Karani S
University of Reading, UK
Title: Title: Nutrigenetics and Metabolic diseases: Towards Personalized Nutrition
Time : 10:25- 10:50
Biography:
Dr Vimal Karani is a Lecturer in Nutrigenetics at the University of Reading, UK. He did his post-doctoral training at the MRC Epidemiology unit (Cambridge, UK) and University College London (UK). He has an interdisciplinary academic background, with qualifications from Medical Genetics, Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology and Genetic Epidemiology. His primary research interests focus on the investigation of gene-nutrient interactions on metabolic- and CVD-related outcomes using combined approaches from genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics and molecular biology. His long term goal is to use the findings from observational studies to carry out human intervention studies with a view towards developing industrial collaborations to facilitate ‘Personalized Nutrition’.
Abstract:
The concept of "Personalized" Medicine is now being extended to the field of Nutrigenetics, which investigates the impact of gene variation responses to intake of different nutrients. The ability of Nutrigenetics to determine what nutrients will produce the desired impact on metabolic balance (as influenced by individual genetic make-up) is at the core of Personalized Nutrition. Obesity is a heritable trait that arises from the interactions between multiple genes and lifestyle factors such as diet and physical inactivity. Dietary factors play an important role in the development of obesity because of the variation in the food that is being consumed in different parts of the world. Although several studies have examined the gene x nutrient interactions, the findings have been quite inconsistent and hence, unable to develop an optimum diet for each ancestral population. Some of the challenges in performing nutrigenetics research are 1) genetic heterogeneity, 2) lack of understanding of the metabolic pathways and 3) insufficient sample size. With genome-wide association study (GWAS) data now available on numerous large cohorts, it has become possible to embed candidate gene studies within GWASs, testing for association on a much larger number of candidate genes than previously possible. The talk will highlight three main aspects: 1). Why do we do gene-diet interaction analysis? – Findings from DiOGenes study, 2). Why large samples are required to conduct genetic epidemiological studies? – Findings from D-CarDia Collaboration and 3). Nutrigenetics in developing countries – Findings from GeNuIne Collaboration
Giulia Scaravelli
National Health Institute, Italy
Title: Fertility Cryopreservation for Cancer Patients among ART Centers, in Italy
Time : 10:50- 11:15
Biography:
Giulia Scaravelli, achieved her MD and her obstetric, gynaecology specialism, and her pharmacology specialism at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. In 1999 she earned her Ph.D. degree in obstetric and gynaecology science at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. Since 2000 she has been a researcher at CNESPS, Istituto Superiore di Sanita’, Rome. From 2005 she has been director of the Italian National ART Register. In 2005, she was named a member of ESHRE’s task-force European Assisted Conception Consortium (EACC).
Abstract:
To describe accessibility and utilization of fertility cryopreservation a voluntary survey was conducted (started in 2013 and ongoing) including all Italian ART centers. The survey collected information regarding the service organization, the number of patients and the number of biological cryopreserved. Of all ART centers (201), 68 (33.8%) participated and 64 (31.8%) had started FC treatments. Of those, 13 public centers provided an “integrated care” coordinating tumor treatment and reproductive medicine. Specifically, 61 centers (95.3%) cryopreserved semen, 53 (82.8%) oocytes and 23 (35.9%) ovarian tissue. Number and type of service varied depending on their geographical location, namely north (27 centers of which 63.0% were public), central (14, 42.9% public) and south (23, 34.8% public). The number of patients treated in public centers was higher than those in private centers: 1344vs.150 (oocytes); 894vs.10 (ovarian tissue), 9872vs.3433 (semen). Our analysis revealed that the number of ART centers is not equally distributed over the national territory, with north showing a greater number of centers, mostly public, as compared to central and southern areas, where the percentage of private centers was higher. In areas where private centers had a higher density, public centers treated higher number of patients, even though NHS did not cover FC treatments. This suggests that public centers either receive higher number of tumor patients and/or are more efficient in informing patients on FC strategies and with their “integrated care model”. Our goal is to promote education in FC to implement cancer treatments and improve future quality of cancer patients’ life.
Joanna Baxter
University of Cambridge, UK
Title: Prescriptive Biobanking for Future Clinical Research in Haemato-Oncology: the Cambridge Blood and Stem Cell Biobank experience
Time : 11:30-11:55
Biography:
Joanna Baxter completed her PhD in 2003 from the University of Southampton, UK, studying rare chromosomal translocations and mutations in myeloid malignancies with Prof Nick Cross. Her postdoctoral studies included the discovery of the JAK2 mutation in MPNs in the lab of Prof Tony Green in Cambridge, before moving into her current role in 2009. She is the Lead Scientist and Custodian at Cambridge Blood and Stem Cell Biobank, a resource for research into Haematological malignancies, stem cells, normal haematopoiesis and immune developement, based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus on the Addenbrookes Hospital site in Cambrdge. Alongside promoting biobanking in blood cancer research she is married with two young children.
Abstract:
The Cambridge Blood and Stem Cell Biobank was created in 2009 with the aim of providing a resource of well-defined blood and stem cell derived products primarily for the study of Haematological Malignancies. The bank consists of large existing cohorts from previous clinical trials alongside collection of fresh samples for current trials and research studies. Following consultation with researchers and clinicians we established an integrated approach of collecting detailed clinical data and a program of cell isolation and/or separation and preservation for each haematological malignancy, such that a sample of tumour and constitutional cells is stored from each patient. For some samples we use the Miltenyi AutoMACS selection platform to isolate rare tumour cell types present in samples at <5% total cells, such as CD34+ stem/progenitor cells.
Our strength lies particularly in banking from chronic myeloid disorders, and we have recently been awarded funding to support the UK Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs) Sample Bank. In collaboration with the Cancer Genome Project at the Sanger Institute, UK and researchers in the University of Cambridge Department of Haematology we have been able to characterise over 200 patient samples for exomic acquired mutations, with subsequent functional analysis on cryopreserved cells from the same samples. As haematological malignancies become more defined by molecular abnormalities than cellular properties, well-characterised samples from these patients are in higher demand. Therefore we are beginning to sustain our biobank by providing enhanced informatics with each sample through careful clinical data collection to define malignancies and molecular testing to supplement established diagnostics.
Farman Ali
Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan
Title: Freeze them but not to death: intracellular freezing of an insect-parasitic nematode, Steinernema feltiae.
Time : 11:55-12:20
Biography:
Farman Ali has completed his Masters from University of Gent and PhD from University of Otago at the age of 35 years. He is Assistant Professor at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan in the Department of Agriculture since 2013. Dr. Ali has published 10 research papers in reputed journals and has attended several national and international conferences worldwide, such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Belgium. Besides, he has paid study visits to few other countries including England, Germany, The Netherlands and France. Dr. Ali is interested to share his useful findings (published currently in PLOS ONE and some unpublished) in the upcoming Bio-banking conference.
Abstract:
Entomopathogenic nematodes in the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae are effective biological control agents. Their limited shelf-life is, however, the major impediment in their large scale commercial application. Taking advantage of their optical transparency, we clearly observed the third stage infective juveniles (IJs) of Steinernema feltiae freezing under a cryo-stage microscope. The IJs froze when the water surrounding them froze at -2 °C and below. However, they avoid inoculative freezing at -1 °C, suggesting cryoprotective dehydration. Freezing was evident as a sudden darkening and cessation of IJs’ movement. Freeze substitution and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the IJs of S. feltiae freeze intracellularly. Ice crystals were found in every compartment of the body. IJs frozen at high sub-zero temperatures (-1 and -3 °C) survived and had small ice crystals. Those frozen at -10 °C had large ice crystals and did not survive. However, the pattern of ice formation was not well-controlled and individual nematodes frozen at -3 °C had both small and large ice crystals. IJs frozen by plunging directly into liquid nitrogen had small ice crystals, but did not survive. This study thus presents the evidence that S. feltiae is only the second freeze tolerant animal, after the Antarctic nematode Panagrolaimus davidi, shown to withstand extensive intracellular freezing.
- Workshop
Chair
Ana Colette Mauricio
University of Porto, Portugal
Session Introduction
Ana Colette Mauricio
University of Porto, Portugal
Title: MSCs conditioned media and umbilical cord blood plasma metabolomics and composition: importance for MSCs scale-up expansion for clinical applications
Time : 11:20-12:05
Biography:
Ana Colette Mauricio has a degree on Veterinary Medicine since 1995, a PhD on Veterinary Sciences since 1999 from Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMV) - Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (UTL) and Habilitation in Veterinary Sciences (ICBAS-UP) since 2011. At the present, she is an Associated Professor with Habilitation, from the Veterinary Clinics of ICBAS – UP. She also belongs to the Scientific Council of ICBAS-UP and to the Ethic Comission for Health Sciences from University of Porto (UP). She belongs to the Scientific Committee of the Veterinary Sciences Doctoral Program at ICBAS–UP. She is the Scientific Coordinator of Regenerative Medicine and Experimental Surgery sub-unit from CECA-ICETA fro UP. She is one of the founding shareholders of Biosckin, Molecular and Cell Therapies, S.A since 2007 for development of new cell therapies and medical devices. For the past 12 years she coordinates a multidisciplinary research group of Experimental Surgery and Regenerative Medicine, working with several biomaterials and cellular therapies. She coordinates a multidisciplinary team, including Veterinaries, Engineers, Medical Doctors that through Experimental Surgery have a crucial role in the development of biomaterials and cellular therapies, allowing a close share of knowledge between biomaterials design, development of cellular systems, and surgeons needs when related to specific clinical cases. This group has several recent relevant publications in the research areas of nerve, bone, musculoskeletal and vascular tissue regeneration. She is the supervisor of several PhD, Post-Doctoral and Master students, she is the co-author of a large number of scientific articles (Maurício AC) and scientific book chapters. She was the principal researcher of several national and international scientific projects.
Abstract:
Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) from umbilical cord blood (UCB) and umbilical cord matrix are tested clinically for a variety of pathologies but in vitro expansion is essential to achieve appropriate cell numbers for clinical use and most applications still need culture media containing fetal bovine serum (FBS). Until today, there is no reliable serum-free medium and the animal sera have several disadvantages. Human umbilical cord blood plasma (hUCBP) can be used as a supplement for hMSCs from the umbilical cord (UC) Wharton’s jelly culture, since UCB is rich in soluble growth factors and due to worldwide increase in the number of cryopreserved UCB units in public and private banks. On the other hand, the culture media enriched in growth factors produced by these hMSCs in expansion (Conditioned medium - CM) can be an alternative to hMSCs application. The CM of the hMSCs from the UC Wharton’s jelly might be a better therapeutic option compared to cell transplantation, as it can benefit from the local tissue response to the secreted molecules without the difficulties and complications associated to the engraftment of the allo- or xeno-transplanted cells. These facts drive us to know the detailed composition of the hUCBP and CM, by 1H-NMR and Multiplexing LASER Bead Technology. hUCBP is an adequate alternative for the FBS and the CM and hUCBP are important sources of growth factors, which can be used in MSCs-based therapies. Some of the major proliferative, chemotactic and immunomodulatory soluble factors (TGF-β, G-CSF, GM-CSF, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8) were detected in high concentrations in CM and even higher in hUCBP. The results from 1H-NMR spectroscopic analysis of CM endorsed a better understanding of hMSCs metabolism during in vitro culture, and the relative composition of several metabolites present in CM and hUCBP was obtained. The data reinforces the potential use of hUCBP and CM in tissue regeneration and focus the possible use of hUCBP as a substitute for the FBS used in hMSCs cell culture and expansion.
- Track 2: Bio-repository and Biospecimen
Track 7: Role of Biobank in Genomics and Personalized Medicine
Track 9: Overcoming the Challenges – Next Generation Biobanking
Track 11: Social, Political and Ethical Aspects in Biobanking
Chair
William Ritchie
Monash Biomed, UK
Session Introduction
Mayumi Kusunose
University of Tokyo, Japan
Title: Ethical, legal, and social issues pertaining to induced pluripotent stem cell bio-banking in paediatrics in Japan
Time : 12:05-12:30
Biography:
Mayumi Kusunose is a Project Researcher at the Department of Public Policy, the Institute of Medical Science in University of Tokyo, Japan. She has been working on research dealing with the ethical, legal, and social implications relevant to the realization of regenerative medicine. She earned a Master's Degree in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, in 2010 and a Master's Degree in Humanities and Social Sciences from Kochi University, Japan in 2002. She also earned Bioethics Certificates in Clinical Ethics and Research Ethics from Union Graduate College and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA.
Abstract:
Regenerative medicinal research utilizing induced stem cells (iPSCs) is one of the cutting-edge research areas in Japan. It is an element of Japan’s New Growth Strategy and a 110-billion-Yen budget created in 2013 to strengthen and accelerate stem cell research over a ten-year period. With the Japanese government’s support, nationwide stem cell research projects have been conducting and the first human clinical trial using iPSC conducted on an age-related macular degeneration patient in 2014. Under these circumstances, iPSC banking projects have been undertaken. Notably, the iPSC stock project collects HLA homogeneous cells to create clinically applicable iPSC lines. iPSC banking is a relatively new system and now faces new ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) and its governance. ELSI on umbilical cord blood banking for clinical use and ELSI on DNA banking for research use been actively discussed. However, ELSI on iPSC banking is not been thoroughly examined yet in Japan. Without saying anything that there has not been much research on ELSI pertaining to iPSC banking targeting children and minors, such as returning results to minors and parents. Therefore, our poster examines the ELSI on iPSC banking in paediatrics based on our experience with the ethical supports in iPSC banking for basic research. In addition, we will introduce and examine the new guidelines outlined in ‘Ethical Guidelines for Human Medical Research’ that will be enacted in April 2015, as a reference as it elaborates on clinical research pertaining to minors and the relevant assent issues.
Daniel LICARI
STEM ALPHA, France
Title: Animal component free medium for freezing and thawing cells
Time : 12:30-13:10
Biography:
Daniel LICARI has completed his MSc in cellular biology from UFR Paris XIII. He is the director of STEM ALPHA, a innovative biotech company located in France. STEM ALPHA is specialized in concepting, manufacturing, and comercializing media for tissues and cells preservation.STEM ALPHA has several publications showing the benefits of its products which are animal components free.
Abstract:
Cryo.3 is an animal component free medium for freezing and thawing cells, designed and produced by STEM ALPHA, a French company. Cryo.3 has been designed for improving preservation in low temperature (-80°C to -196°C). Cryo.3 provides a safe protective environment for cells and tissues during the freezing, storage, and thawing processes.Cryo.3 is animal component free and Dextran free. It provides a high stability during storage id est 24 months in frozen storage (-30°C / -15°C) or 6 months in the fridge (+2°C / +8°C). Cryo.3 needs only 10% of DMSO for the freezing process. Cryo.3 is produced in compliance with the GMP-annexe I.In addition, STEM ALPHA quality management system is compliant with ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003.
Biography:
Maria Kahn is a Senior Research Associate in Product Development at PATH. She specializes in developing technologies for the preservation of biological specimens. Those specimens include red blood cells, yeast cells and recombinant proteins. She was influential in setting up the repository for the preserved red blood cells and continues to maintain the repository.
Abstract:
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is characterized by abnormally low levels of G6PD activity. Individuals with diminished G6PD activity are susceptible to cellular oxidative damage, and anti-malarial drugs such as those in the 8â€aminoquinolone group (e.g., primaquine, pamaquine, and tafenoquine) can cause acute hemolysis. These drugs are critical for radical cure of Plasmodium vivax. There is a need for point-of-care G6PD deficiency tests to support treatment of patients with these drugs. Using cryopreserved samples with known G6PD phenotype and genotype will help with the development and evaluation of current and new G6PD tests. We evaluated the feasibility of developing a G6PD specimen repository by cryopreservation of red blood cells. The current repository constitutes specimens from adults of known G6PD-deficient populations with diverse ethnic backgrounds. Standard operation procedures and formulations have been optimized to allow cryopreservation of red blood cells with stabilized G6PD activity within the red blood cell. Flow cytometry and kinetic assays demonstrate that specimens can be preserved for a minimum of 6 months under these optimized conditions. Critically, thawed samples demonstrate stability for seven days. We demonstrate by quantitative and qualitative G6PD enzyme activity assays the feasibility of this approach. Furthermore, we demonstrate by flow cytometry that G6PD activity distributions in red blood cells are also preserved
Olga Potapova
Cureline, Inc., USA
Title: International Biobanking of Human Biospecimens for Precision Medicine
Time : 14:10-14:35
Biography:
Olga Potapova is a life sciences executive with extensive scientific and project management expertise in translational oncology, diagnostics and laboratory medicine. She worked on development of targeted therapies (SUTENT) and human prenatal diagnostic tests (Cystic Fibrosis); coordinated major international collaboration projects with an emphasis on RTK signal transduction research, human biospecimen procurement, preclinical and early clinical development. Currently Dr. Potapova leads Cureline, a Human Biospecimen CRO providing services for drug discovery, biomarker research and companion diagnostics development. Olga received multiple AACR/AFLAC awards, NIH and NATO fellowships, and has published multiple scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals. Since 2010, Dr. Potapova has been a Principal Investigator for The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program. She has advanced degrees in Physics and in Molecular Genetics/Biochemistry.
Abstract:
Human biospecimens are the foundation for the development of the precision medicine, including effective translational medical research, discovery of new drugs and novel biomarkers and development of personalized molecular diagnostics. Modern biomedical research requires continuous supply of legally and ethically acquired high quality human biospecimens and associated clinical and molecular data. Various important topics of human tissues research will be discussed: Preservation of pre-analytical biospecimen variables, significantly confounding research of the disease biomarkers and development of modern diagnostics. Pre-analytical aspects of human biospecimen procurement: tissue collection specifications, processing materials and methods, storage and shipping procedures, and analyte preparation techniques. Collection of biospecimens using standard protocols versus custom protocols and effective use of currently available biorepositories for future studies on the indicated subject. Clinical data collection and management. HIPPA Privacy Rules for research specimens. Regulatory and legal issues on human tissue procurement for research purposes, including international disparities in regulations on use of human materials for biomedical research. The cost of biobanking, available resources, and strategies for creating a self-sustaining biorepository. Effective utilization of human biospecimens in modern biomedical research: The Cancer Genome Atlas as modern approach to genomics cancer research. A successful international project by the NCI (NIH, USA). Useful resources: ISBER, CAP, AACR, NCI, etc.
Biography:
Zdenka Prodanovic has a Bachelor of Economics, a Bachelor of Science, and a Graduate Diploma of Laboratory Medicine, specialising in haematology and blood banking. With experience in both private and public diagnostic laboratories, Zdenka first joined the Biobank as Data Manager at Southern Health. She was later appointed as a Medical Scientist, and eventually became Tissue Bank Manager in 2009. Zdenka is actively involved in advisory and steering committees, and has extensive experience in presenting to medical, surgical and research teams.
Abstract:
Monash Surgical Oncology Biobank (MSOB) was set up in large tertiary hospital to enable research of various clinical teams and academia. MSOB operates under pathology services within Monash Health and collaborates with Paediatric Oncology Biobank from Monash Children’s. Biobank activity set up, operation and integration into current translational model is faced with many stakeholders. Donor recruitment, multilingual environment we are operating in, level of understanding of our activities, decision making on participation would be one part of challenges we have. Sample collection, processing, storage and supply for research; updates on research outcomes and its effects on patient care on the other side. Going beyond the above activities, biobank like ours offers additional support to research helping with digital pathology image analysis, dealing with “difficult” antibodies for researchers, creating tissue micro arrays (TMA) to speed up research outcomes, would be some of them. As a result of its hard work MSOB is operating successfully within research environments it is directly or indirectly linked to. It has managed to integrate its activity across various clinical groups and is directly supported by them. There is proportion of funding allocated to biobank activity on behalf of each group. In return these groups receive quality support for their own research projects. Key to creation of sustainable environment is integrating all of the above activities, understanding your role as biobank and willingness to work tirelessly.
Britt Gustaffson & Christian Pou
Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden
Title: Virome characterization from Guthrie Cards in Children Who Later Developed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Time : 15:00-15:30
Biography:
Professor Britt Gustafsson:
Dr Britt Gustafsson works as a paediatrician at Karolinska University Hospital, specialized into stem cell transplantation in children. Since 2001 she has been a senior consultant into paediatric haematology, an associate professor since 2004 and a professor since 2013. She has been the main tutor for three PhD students, who graduated 2010, 2011 and 2014 and she has three more PhD students, where one of the students will work with backtracking leukemic clones back to the Guthrie cards.
She has published more than 65 articles, where many of the articles are focused on searching for virus infections in neonatal blood spots (Guthrie cards).
Since 2015 she is an associate editor for Paediatric Transplantation, and she is also a member of several scientific committees and since 2010 the regional ethic committee in Stockholm.
Her scientific work is supported by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Society. During the last 5 years she has also worked as a volunteer doctor in Zambia and Kenya
Christian Pou, PhD:
Christian Pou received his PhD in 2013 in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine at the Institute for AIDS Research and at the University Autonoma of Barcelona. During his PhD, he was involved in the design, optimization and implementation of next sequencing strategies tailored to characterize the clinical value ultrasensitive HIV-1 genotyping to determine antiretroviral resistance and viral tropism. He is currently working as a postdoc developing next generation protocols for viral discovery, virome characterization and viral recombination at Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory and Karolinska University Hospital.
Abstract:
The etiology of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is unclear in 95% of all cases. Some authors postulate that an in utero event that causes a cytogenetic aberration could be “the first step” that leads to the development of the leukemic clone. The aim of this study is to identify prevalent in utero DNA virus infections from children who later developed ALL as potential etiological agents of leukemogenesis. To do that, the virome of children who later developed ALL was characterized from dried blood spots (DBS) taken at birth and was compared to the virome of the control group by unbiased next-generation sequencing (NGS). Guthrie cards from 95 children diagnosed with ALL at 1-15 years of age at time of diagnosis and from 95 healthy controls, matched for age and birthplace, were analyzed. Whole blood was dissolved from the Guthrie cards and DNA was extracted using the MEM method. Two pools of extracted DNA from patient and control samples were prepared, randomly amplified and sequenced by illustra GenomiPhi and Illumina sequencing, generating approximately 7,4 million paired-end reads from each group. About 25% of the reads from each group were kept after quality filtering and 99.5% of remaining reads mapped to the human genome. No relevant viruses were found in the control group, whereas virome characterization of patients revealed the presence of human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6) and parvovirus B19, which may play a role in leukemogenesis. However, the association between these viruses and the disease needs to be further investigated.
Asma Althani
Qatar University, Qatar
Title: Qatar Biobank and Qatar Genome Programs Road Map to Success
Time : 16:10-16:35
Biography:
Dr Asma Al-Thani is an Associate Professor of Virology at the Biomedical Program - Department of Health Sciences- College of Arts and Sciences. Dr Al-Thani obtained her Ph.D degree in (2005) from the University of London in the United Kingdom. Dr Al-Thani also fulfills roles as Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar since 2011, as Vice Chairperson of the Qatar Biobank Board since 2010 at Qatar foundation, nominate to be Chair of National Genome Qatar Committee since December 2013 and Director of Biomedical Research Center at Qatar University from Fall 2014. She also has numerous published articles in her field of expertise including, fifteen published papers in peer-reviewed international journals. She has also obtained several research grants, including 7 Qatar university grants, 13 UREP grants and 4 NPRP grants.
Abstract:
Qatar Biobank “QBB” is a large-scale, long term medical research initiative for the population of Qatar, which will serve as a platform and driver of biomedical research to achieve benefits for Qatar’s communities. Following on from the announcement of the Qatar Genome Project in 2013 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation “QF”, a National Genome Committee “NGC” is tasked with the role of driving and advising the development of the Genome Project in Qatar. To ensure the successful implementation and completion of a project of this complexity, it was important to consider carefully the organizational structure of Genome Qatar to enable success, so the decision was to establish QG project within the existing framework of the government of QBB. A road map constitutes of seven key building blocks, were identified to address the critical success factors and be managed and overseen by the Board of Trustee for both QBB & QG program. The seven building blocks are 1-Develop a National Health Information System, 2-Enhancement of the National Biobank, 3-Develop Genomics Infrastructure,4- Develop Policy Framework for genomics and precision medicine, 5-Workforce Development ,6- Research & Partnership and 7- Clinical / Medical implementation. To successfully accomplish this ambitious role a road map is initiated by a pilot phase to establish the infrastructure and human capacity for 12-18 months to tackle problems, identify loopholes, analyze the needs and optimize systems that are needed for the entire Qatar Genome project. The aim will be to sequence 1000-3000 genomes to develop a good model of practice for regulatory compliant, sample collection and storage, high quality data generation, analysis and annotation pipeline development and data warehouse establishment.
Maui Hudson & Lynley Uerata
University of Waikato, New Zealand
Title: Indigenous Ethics and Biobanking: The Aotearoa New Zealand Experience
Time : 16:35-17:00
Biography:
Maui Hudson is from Whakatohea, Nga Ruahine and Te Mahurehure. Maui Hudson is a research developer and interdisciplinary researcher based at the University of Waikato. He holds Senior Research Fellow positions within the Maori and Indigenous Governance Centre in the Faculty of Law and the Environmental Research Institute in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He has worked in the research sector for over 10 years in both CRI and University settings, is a member of the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board and a trustee/director on a number of their iwi entities. He has expertise in strategic thinking and innovation planning particularly around R&D for Maori collectives. Maui has a diverse range of research interests in the area of the interface between matauranga Maori and science, ethics & new technologies, traditional medicine, and Maori economic development. Maui has been a member of a number of ethics and advisory committees and was a co-author of Te Ara Tika: Guidelines on M?ori Research Ethics ? A framework for researchers and ethics committee members. He is the principal investigator for an HRC funded project developing cultural guidelines for biobanking and genomic research and an MBIE funded project on integration of matauranga Maori and science in the context of freshwater management. Maui is also a key researcher on a NPM funded project ?Optimising the Maori in Maori Economic Development? and a co-lead for the Implementation of The Mauri Ohooho Maori Economic Development Strategy for the Bay of Connections. Lynley is a researcher on the Te Mata Ira research project exploring the views of Maori, an Indigenous population in New Zealand, on genomic research and biobanking with the aim to develop guidelines for engaging M?ori in these contexts. Lynley gained a Honours (first class) in Psychology, Industrial Relations and Human Resources, and a Masters (first class) in Social Science Research exploring the experiences of people with chronic conditions in finding and keeping work. She has been involved in and completed a number of research projects in health, education and public policy, including the application of biofeedback technology on the educational experience of Pacifica students, student evaluations in a tertiary context, the effectiveness of an Indigenous mentoring service in a tertiary education context, safety and efficacy around the use of medication in households with children, and the engagement of minority communities in public policy development. Keenly interested in research relating to the human psyche, health research, public policy, and social justice.
Abstract:
The recognition of indigenous Maori rights in New Zealand has led to greater consultation and involvement of those communities in the ethical review processes for health research. Maori have been contributing to the debates around research ethics and genetics for a number of years. Recent publications, Guidelines for Researchers on Health Research involving Maori (2010) and Te Ara Tika Guidelines on Maori Research Ethics (2010), provide a framework for understanding indigenous Maori views on health research and ethics. These documents note the heightened sensitivities that exist for Maori around the use of human tissue and genetic information in research but do not provide practical advice for genetic researchers or biobanks. Indigenous and Maori views on biobanking and genomic research have been explored through a Health Research Council (New Zealand) funded project ‘Te Mata Ira’. The project involved a mix of interviews and workshops with Indigenous informants, Maori participants, and bio-medical researchers. This paper will present the results of the project and the cultural foundation which frames Maori guidelines for biobanking and genomic research.
Estefania Paredes
University of Tennessee, USA
Title: Biobanking of sea uchin embryos: applications in Ecotoxicology
Time : 17:00-17:25
Biography:
Estefania Paredes holds a degree in Ciencias del Mar (2008) at Universidade de Vigo-Spain with a specialization in Marine environment conservation and marine pollution. She obtained her PhD in 2014 at the Universidade de Vigo with the tesis entitled “Cryopreservation of marine invertebrate earlyâ€life stages: applications in marine water quality assessment and aquaculture” work which was awarded by Universidade de Vigo as outstanding Thesis 2014. Estefania spent some time working in several international research centers during her doctoral studies and currently holds a postdoctoral research associate position in Dr. Peter Mazur’s lab at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville working in Vitrification.
Abstract:
The sea urchin embryo has long been used as a model organism in developmental biology and for the assessment of marine pollution. The aim of this work is to provide an insight on the applications of cryopreserved sea urchin embryos in marine water quality assessment. A cryopreservation protocol for sea urchin embryos was developed, and results are presented about the use of the cryopreserved embryos in ecotoxicological toxicity tests. The bioassay using cryopreserved sea urchin embryos was compared with the standard bioassay, and trends were obtained for selected chemical compounds relating both standard and new developed protocols. Results support our idea developed in 2007 that creating a bio-bank of sea urchin embryos would help overcome one of the main constraints of the applications of embryo-larval bioassays to the assessment of marine water quality. We have developed a bioassay using cryopreserved sea urchin embryos and probed that our banked biological test model could be used for ecotoxicology. This is the first time such technique is applied to sea urchins in the context of ecotoxicology and this work refers to the only protocol published for P. lividus cryopreservation
- Young Research Forum
Session Introduction
Bram Vekeman
Ghent University, Belgium
Title: Preservation of microbial pure cultures and mixed communities
Time : 12:20-12:45
Biography:
Bram Vekeman, MSc, is a PhD student working in the laboratory of microbiology (LM-UGent) at the Ghent university. His main focus has been the isolation of novel fastidious bacteria form marine environments and subsequently the successful preservation and safeguarding of these fragile bacteria. From this work he was able to develop a generic preservation protocol for the preservation of microbial pure cultures and mixed communities.
Abstract:
Microorganisms are a valuable and irreplaceable resources for scientific research and biotechnological innovation and should be safeguarded. Therefore, systematic preservation of isolated pure cultures, enriched mixed cultures or environmental samples should become an integral part of good research practice. Cryopreservation of biological material is a low-tech, widely applicable way of long-term and stable storage. Its success is mostly dependent on the cryoprotective agent, used to protect cells from mechanical injuries due to ice formation, the stability of the freezing temperature, and the correct manipulations before and after storage. Although cryopreservation success can be organism-dependent, the protocol distilled from our work (freezing at -80°C using 5% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide as cryoprotective agent) proved successful for the preservation of various fastidious pure and mixed cultures. Numerous parameters of the protocol can be changed or optimized to develop a custom-made cryopreservation protocol.
Ahmed Lotfy
Mansoura University, Egypt
Title: Does the cryopreservation affect stem cells potential?
Time : 12:45-13:10
Biography:
Ahmed Lotfy has completed his MSc at age 24 years from Mansoura University. He is a researcher at Medical Experimental Research Center (MERC), Mansoura University. He is responsible for tissue culture and stem cells lab. He is a member in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Group, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. He has 10 papers in international journals. He is reviewer in Cytotechnology Journal & BioMed Research International Journal.
Abstract:
Stem cells are unspecialized cells, capable of self-renewal and differentiation down one or more lineages to produce specialized cell types. Stem cells have a promising role in regenerative medicine. For this promising role, their cryopreservation and stem cells banking became an ultimate need to save these stem cells to play their role in the future. There are many researches indicate that there is no significant different between the therapeutic effect of frozen/thawed stem cells and non frozen/thawed stem cells. But does this no effect is the same in all stem cells biological properties or it differs? Here we are going to discuss this issue with referring to our research on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the immunomodulatory effect of mesenchymal stem cells.
- Young Research Forum
Session Introduction
Arne Hoffman
Pathology VUmc, Netherlands
Title: Towards a Dutch National Tissuebank Portal: one portal to access all pathology archives for research.
Time : 15:30-15:55
Biography:
Chantal Steegers is project manager of the BBMRI-NL Rainbow 8 project Dutch National Tissuebank Portal. Before this she worked at the Ethics department of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and at the Rathenau Institute promoting political and public opinion on secondary use of residual tissue. She has published two books on the use of human tissues and cells.
Abstract:
The Dutch National Tissuebank Portal (DNTP) project aims to achieve increased, easier and improved secondary use of residual human tissue samples (FFPE blocks) from all pathology laboratories in the Netherlands. Currently, there are more than 60 million archived FFPE samples with standardized associated data which can be used for research purposes. With the DNTP researchers can request samples online through the portal from where the request will automatically be sent to the pathology laboratory where the samples are stored. After approval from a research- and privacy committee and the participating laboratory a DNTP employee will collect the samples and send them to the researcher. Pathology laboratories can request a sample to return, if this sample is needed for delayed patient care. The result will be that in the Netherlands we have established a professional research infrastructure that will provide virtual and physical access to all residual FFPE pathology samples and their associated data for research purposes. Nowhere in the world does such a web based portal exist that supports pathology laboratories and researchers in their quest of searching, requesting, registering, retrieving and returning archived FFPE samples for research from all the national pathology archives. This project was financially supported by Biobanking and Biomolecular Research Infrastructure The Netherlands (BBMRI-NL), a Research Infrastructure financed by the Dutch Government (NWO 184.021.007). BBMRI-NL co-ordinates the collaboration between Dutch biobanks. It is not a biobank itself, but facilitates collaboration by harmonisation and enrichment of existing biobanks.