2016 speaker biographies 6thcaribeglia symp

“Glial Interactions and Brain Experiments” International CaribeGLIA-6 Symposium Organized by Drs. Skatchkov, Eaton, Rojas and Cubano

Molecular mechanisms of glia-neuron interactions in vivo and in vitro January 15, 2016 San Juan/Bayamón, Puerto Rico UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DEL CARIBE

6th CaribeGLIA Symposium 9:30 – 9:55 9:55 – 10:00 Session 1 10:00 – 10:20

10:25 – 10:45

10:50 – 11:10

11:15 – 11:35 11:40 – 12:00

12:05 – 12:15 12:20 – 1:15 Session 2 1:20 – 1:40

1:45 – 2:05

2:10 – 2:30

2:35 – 2:55 Session 3 3:00 – 3:20

3:25 – 3:45

3:50 – 4:10

4:15 - 4:35

Registration Opening Remarks – Dr. Serguei Skatchkov Moderator – David Rivera-Aponte, B.S. Dr. Michelle l. OLSEN Assistant Professor, CDIB, School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA Dr. Serguei SKATCHKOV Professor and Director, Integrative Center for Glial Research, School of Medicine, UCC, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, USA Dr. Yuriy KUCHERYAVYKH Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, UCC, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, USA Coffee Break with Posters Moderator – David Rivera-Aponte, B.S. Dr. Robert F. MILLER Professor and 3M Bert Cross Chair in Visual Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA ALL PARTICIPANTS Lunch Moderator – Yomarie Rivera, M.S. Dr. Hans-Gert BERNSTEIN Associate Professor, Clinic for Psychiatry, Magdeburg University, Magdeburg, Germany Dr. Gregor LAUBE Senior Scientist, Institute of Integrative Neuroanatomy, Medical University, Charite, Berlin, Germany Dr. Mami NODA Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Graduate School, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan Coffee Break with Posters Moderator – Miguel Méndez, B.S. Dr. Timothy HENDRICKS Research Professor, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Bayamón, USA. Dr. Victor ARVANIAN Professor and Project Director at Northport VAMC and Stony Brook University, New York, USA Dr. Yuriy DANILOV Senior Scientist, Co-director, TCNL, the University of Wisconsin-Madison,USA. Closing Remarks – Dr. Serguei Skatchkov

Polyamine Sensitive Channels and Transporters CNS development requires glial Kir4.1 expression

Glial Polyamines: Novel Gliotransmitters and more

Intracellular spermine prevents acid-induced uncoupling of Cx43 gap junction channels

D-serine glial signaling: Neuropsychiatric importance in schizophrenia development

GROUP PHOTO of CaribeGLIA-6 participants Polyamine Exchange and Thyroid Function in CNS L-homoarginine - an underestimated molecule: Possible sources and functions in the brain Polyamines in depressive disorders: does glia play a role?

Possible interaction of thyroid hormones and polyamines in microglia

Cellular regeneration, Trauma and Glia Molecular mechanisms of astrocyte differentiation: Is there a functional connection?

Transgene delivery of neurotrophin NT-3 to neurons and glia combined with spinal electro-magnetic stimulation and exercise: novel combination therapy for spinal contusion injury Neuro-rehabilitation by non-invasive tongue stimulation: Neuronal and/or Glial Networks?

Discussion on application for the SfN minisymposium “Growing Highlights on Polyamine Role in CNS Dysfunction”

Michelle L. Olsen Seminar Title:

CNS Development Requires Glial Kir.41 Expression Biography: Dr. Michelle L. Olsen is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (CDIB), UABl, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. She obtained her B.S. at the Southern Oregon University and Ph.D. at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and immediately after this she started her scientific and teaching career.

Olsen‘s teaching and primary research activities include: Ion Channels and Synaptic Function, Neurodevelopment and Developmental Disabilities, Neurodegeneration and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurotransmitter and Neurotrophin Receptors and Cell Signaling. The focus of Dr. Olsen research is to enhance our understanding of the role of astrocytes in brain and spinal cord function. Since astrocytes are the most numerous cells in the central nervous system yet the role of astrocytes in neurodevelopmental disorders and injury, particularly pediatric injury, is highly understudied.

Her work focuses on two essential functions of astrocytes in (patho)physiology of CNS in development and disorders, diseases. The functions of glia are thought to be largely mediated by two astrocytic proteins, Kir4.1, an inwardly rectifying potassium channel and excitatory amino acid transporter, GLT-1. These two proteins function to dampen neuronal excitability. Following injury, persistent alterations in the biophysical properties of astrocytes hinder their ability to perform these basic altruistic functions. The resulting dysregulation of extracellular K+ and glutamate are associated with increased neuronal excitability and changes in synaptic physiology and plasticity in the adult. In the developing central nervous system, loss of these functions may profoundly impact neuronal development. Surprisingly, little is known regarding the regulation of either protein in the normal developing brain, following injury or during abnormal development.

Her current research projects span from understanding how Kir4.1 and GLT-1 transcription and translation are being regulated during normal development, to how each is maintained in the adult brain and understanding changes in this regulation in pathological conditions. We are particularly interested in how reduced extracellular K+ and glutamate regulation in the immature brain impacts neuronal development. Dr. Olsen is free to use professionally multitude of techniques such as electrophysiology and glutamate uptake assays, in addition to protein biochemistry. Confocal and wide field fluorescent microscopy is used to visualize and localize protein in brain slices and in cultured cells. Quantitative PCR is used to examine transcript levels and we are currently implementing epigenetic techniques to investigate mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. She utilizes tissue derived from several animal models, primary astrocyte and neuron cultures and human autopsy and surgical resection tissue.

Dr. Olsen is a member of the Society for Neuroscience.

Her work is supported by different grants from NIH and other sources.

For more information about Dr. Olsen: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/neurobiology/faculty/44-area-2/cellfac/106-molsen Contact infromation: Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (CDIB) Associate Director, Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Theme (CMBD) UAB l The University of Alabama at Birmingham MCLM 957 l 1918 University Blvd l Birmingham, AL 35294 P: 205.975.2715 l molsen@uab.edu http://labs.uab.edu/molsen/ Phone: 205.975.2715 Email: molsen@uab.edu

Serguei Skatchkov Seminar Title:

Glial Polyamines: Novel gliotransmitters and more Biography: Dr. Serguei N. Skatchkov, the organizer of the CaribeGLIA symposia, Director of the Integrative Center for Glial Research in Puerto Rico and Distinguished Research Professor, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC), Bayamon, USA. He studied chemistry, physics, mathematics, zoology, biochemistry, biophysics, physiology and other subjetcs at the Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) State University (LGU), received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biology/Biophysics there in 1990. He have started in 1979 his research on the role of glial (Müller) cells and photoreceptors in phototransduction and ion homeostasis in retina together with Drs. A.V. Dmitriev, K. A. Bykov and V.I. Govardovsky (his name was spelled Sergey N. Skachkov in his earlier articles).

After visiting (1992-1993) Dr. Andreas Reichenbach lab in Germany he was invited to conduct glial research in the United States, Puerto Rico, by Dr. Richard K. Orkand and started his research group focused on “Polyamines and Brain Signalling“ at the Institute of Neurobiology-UPR getting his first grant from NIH-NCRR to study polyamine (PA) spermidine (SD) and spermine (SP) pathways and actions in CNS. Since 1997 he resided at the School of Medicine-UCC. Together with his colleagues he was awarded the Cozzarelli Prize (2008) from the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS Office) for the discovery of a new function of glial cells as light cables where polyamines and nano-filaments can play light conducting role. In 2009, he was appointed as Full Professor.

During 2009-2013 he has collaborated as the Expert Visiting Scientist for the International program “EduGLIA” being associated with Drs. Andreas Reichenbach, Eva Sykova, Arthur Butt, Menachem Hanani, Frank Kirchhoff, Alexej Verkhratsky, Robert Zorec and many others. He has given more than 70 oral presentations internationally and is an invited reviewer for many journals such as Cell. & Mol. Neurobiol., J. Neurosci. Lett., NeuroReport, J. Neurosci. Res., J. Neurophysiol., J. Neurosci., Cell Death & Disease (Nature Publishing Group), PloS ONE, PloS Biology, and others.

He wrote together with colleagues several reviews and book chapters on glial cell function and his research addresses the PA homeostasis; ionic, molecular and cellular mechanisms of glial cell behavior and signaling using different models and techniques. Since no SD synthesis was found in adult glia (Krauss et al., 2006; 2007), but in some tiny synaptic compartments, specifically pre-synapses, therefore SD can be released from neurons being novel neuronal transmitter, however because glia demonstrate tremendous accumulation of SD and SP that means these PAs are potential glio-transmitters.

The main questions his work addresses are: (i) How do glia but not neurons accumulate polyamines? (ii) How do polyamines function as new glial mediators? (iii) Why do interneurons and pyramidal cells respond differently to polyamine signals released from glia? (iv) How do glial polyamines modulate neuronal networks? (v) How does polyamine homeostasis participate in trauma, diseases, aging in CNS? and (vi) What are the mechanisms of light propagation in glial cells?

His work has been supported by grants from NIH (NINDS, NIGMS, NCRR, NIMHD).

Contact information: Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, P.O. Box 60327, Bayamón, PR 00960-60327, USA; E-mail: serguei.skatchkov@uccaribe.edu; sergueis50@yahoo.com; Web: http://www.uccaribe.edu/research/?page_id=1260

Yuriy Kucheryavykh Seminar Title:

Intracellular spermine prevents acid-induced uncoupling of Cx43 gap junction channels Biography: Dr. Yuriy Kucheryavykh is an Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, USA. He obtained his M.S in 1994 and was a graduate student during 1994-1997 and after postgraduate program he obtained his Ph.D in 2003 from the State University of Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, Department of Biophysics. Since 2004 he has been involved in glial research and began postdoctoral training at the Universidad Central del Caribe and in 2006 obtained his faculty position. His expertise is in electrophysiology and imagine of vertebrate and invertebrate CNS and PNS. Using imaging technology he measured sodium concentrations and Na-spreading dynamics in glial cells where sodium interacts with polyamines to enforce Kir-channel rectification. Using a fabrication of polyamine biosensors (based on mutated K-channels) he measured a release and uptake of spermine and spermidine in glial cells in the retina and in brain slices. These are novel techniques he implemented in the Integrative Center for Glial Research.

Dr. Kucheryavykh uses different methods such as intracellular, whole-cell patch-clamp and inside-out patch electrophysiological techniques applied to the intact retina, brain slices, dissociated cells and cells in cultures.

He is using optical techniques including fluorescence microscopy, 3D image reconstruction techniques and highspeed computers with specialized software (HEKA, Origin, etc.) to carry out studies of connexin based cell-tocell communications and functional relationships, including diffusion of gliotransmitters such as spermidine, spermine and others.

Dr. Kucheryavykh major research interest is focused on (i) Kir4.1, Kir6.1/SUR1, Kir2.1, TASK1, TREK2 potassium channels and (ii) on connexin based hemichannels and gap-junctions (Cx43, Cx30, Cx36, Cx45, etc.) and how they interact with polyamines, particularly Cx43 and Cx30 in glial syncitium and in glioma cells. The experiments to study potassium and polyamine transfer he performed in vertebrate retina, hippocampal and cortical brain slices which are a unique glio-neuronal networks and where different gliotransmitters circulate.

He also used artificially expressed K-channels and connexin-43 and connexin-30 channels in cell lines to study disease related function and the biophysical properties of these channels.

In his NIH-NCRR-INBRE-P20 and NIH-NIGMS-SC2 projects he seeks to understand the role of endogenous glial connexins particularly Cx43 and Cx30 expressed abundantly in normal and cancer glial cells, and their polyamine (PA) regulation in the brain. He has excellent collaborative links with Drs. Serguei Skatchkov, Misty Eaton, Colin Nichols, Harley Kurata and Feliksas Bukauskas with whom he published his key papers since 2006 which have high citation indices.

Dr. Kucheryavykh performed his teaching courses in Biochemistry Dr. Kucheryavykh is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, USA; Neuroscience Research Center, UCC, PR, USA; Cellular Molecular Biology Center, UCC, PR, USA; Physiological Society Puerto Rico Chapter, USA;.

Integrative Center for Glial Research, UCC, PR, USA. Dr. Kucheryavykh received his Honors: 2007- Government Award for Accomplishments in Science, San Juan, PR, USA; 2008- Newspaper Article in “El Nuevo Dia” about achievements in Glial Cell Research, PR, USA 2012-present Co-Organizer of the Annual CaribeGLIA Symposium in Puerto Rico Contact information: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, P.O. Box 60327, Bayamón, PR 00960-60327, USA; E-mail: Web: http://www.uccaribe.edu/research/

Robert F. Miller Seminar Title:

D-serine glial signaling: Neuropsychiatric importance in schizophrenia development Biography: Dr. Robert F. MILLER is the 3M Bert Cross Chair in Visual Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA Physiology and Neuroscience of Vision. He graduated in 1967 at the University of Utah Medical School. His expertise is in electrophysiology, computation neuroscience and has experience in imaging, confocal microscopy, two photon microscopy calcium and chloride imaging and the use of biosensors to measure release of D-serine in the retina.

Dr. Miller primary research interest is focused on the vertebrate retina, a unique, well organized neural network that carries out sophisticated computations on the visual image. Four general areas occupy most of my experimental efforts. The first relates to the mechanisms of synaptic transmission in the retina, with special emphasis on glutamate receptors. More recently this project has morphed into how D-serine serves to regulate NMDA receptor sensitivity among amacrine and ganglion cells. Second, I have a long-standing interest in the relationships between structure and function of single cells and this has led to computational approaches to these problems, including the use of computer simulations to replicate physiological observations. In recent years my colleagues and I have developed models of multichannel impulse encoding, the role of T-type calcium channels in dendritic integration and impulse generation and the role of NMDA and AMPA receptors in synaptic transmission. A third area involves the use of fluorescent dyes to study functional properties of cells, including the use of activity-dependent dyes, combined with confocal microscopy and dyes to study intracellular calcium, pH, and chloride activity. A fourth research area relates to the function of glial cells in the retina, principally the M端ller cells and how they generate calcium waves and respond to externally applied NAD. We have recently acquired a two-photon microscope and have initiated new experiments related to events such as backpropagated action potentials in retinal ganglion cells.

Methods used in my laboratory include intracellular, whole-cell and patch-electrode electrophysiological techniques applied to the intact retina, retinal slices, and dissociated cells. Optical techniques include fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, 3D image reconstruction techniques. The two-photon confocal microscope has now been added to our experimental repertoire and will be focused on the physiological properties of ganglion cell dendrites. We also use high-speed computers with specialized software (Neuron and MCell) to carry out studies of single cell structure and function relationships, including diffusion of neurotransmitter and receptor kinetics.

Dr. Miller performed his teaching courses in Biomedical Neuroscience NSC 5540 and his areas of research and special Interests include: Synaptic Communication; Computational Neuroscience; Glial Cell Physiology; Neurocircuitry, etc.

Dr. Miller received his Honors: 2000 -Mortar Board Award to R.F. Miller for excellence in Undergraduate Teaching; 2002-Boycott Award for research; 2008 -Proctor Medal Award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. He was also awarded a 1988-1998 NIH MERIT Award.

Contact information: Office: 4-155 Jackson Hall Lab: 4-155 Jackson Hall Phone: 612-626-2914

Miller Website (link is external)

Hans-Gert Bernstein Seminar Title:

L-homoarginine - an underestimated molecule. Possible sources and functions in the brain Biography: Dr. Hans-Gert BERNSTEIN, is an Associate Professor emeritus in the Department Psychiatry of the University of Magdeburg, Germany.

Dr. Hans-Gert Bernstein accomplished his education with M.S. in Physiology (1974) at the Moscow State University, Russia and obtained his Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Leipzig, Germany (1978).

Dr. Bernstein performed postdoctoral training in the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine Magdeburg, Germany (habilitation thesis 1982).

Since the mid-1980ies Dr. Bernstein is interested in aspects of polyamine localization, synthesis and degradation. Initially, he and his colleagues immunolocalized ornithine decarboxylase, the key enzyme of polyamine metabolism, in the brain and other organs, in health and disease. Major results of these studies were the detection of increased enzyme protein expression in cortical neurons in Alzheimer´s disease and its possible implication for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Another topic of research regarded the cell-type specific localization of spermine and spermidine in the central nervous system (together with Dr. Laube, Berlin).

Recently, Dr. Bernstein focused his research on agmatinase, an agmatine degrading enzyme.

Agmatinase was found to be abundantly expressed in subpopulations of interneurons. In collaboration with Dr. Laube (Berlin) it could be shown that agmatinase is overexpressed in brains of individuals with depressive disorders.

Dr. Bernstein received his Honors: 1983 Johannes Müller Award (for habilitation thesis); 2000 Schönwaldt Award for Alzheimer´s disease research; 2009 Genomic Pioneers Award (Most Admired Researcher in Europe).

Contact information: Department of Psychiatry Medical School University of Magdeburg Leipziger Str. 44 D-39120 Magdeburg Germany E-Mail: Hans-Gert.Bernstein@med.ovgu.de

Gregor Laube Seminar Title:

Polyamines in depressive disorders: does glia play a role?

Biography: Dr. Gregor Laube is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Integrative Neuroanatomy, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. He graduated in biology at the Ruhr-University Bochum with a focus on cell biology and zoology in 1990 and obtained his Ph.D. at the Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg in 1997. He specialized in immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy.

In neurobiology, Dr. Laube early developed an interest in polyamines, which at the time seemed to be novel candidates as neuromodulators. Surprisingly, he discovered that the polyamines (PAs) spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) are mainly localized to astrocytes in the adult CNS, e.g. in rodent cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, and brainstem (Laube & Veh, 1997). This was previously not expected regarding immunocytochemical data for ornithine decarboxylase, which was localized to neurons. Afterwards, similar observations in retinas of different higher vertebrates including man followed: glial cells, but not neurons, accumulate PAs (Biederman, Skatchkov et al., 1998; Skatchkov, Eaton et al., 2000). Since that time and regarding newly discovered brain-specific functions for Pas, the synthesis and re-distribution of PAs in the CNS were critically re-evaluated. The early immunocytochemical data showing Spd/Spm in astrocytes were later confirmed by demonstrating an effective uptake of biotinylated spermine in astrocytes in “in vivo”-slice preparations (Veh et al., unpublished data, Laube et al., 2014).

Consequently, Dr. Laube moved his focus of interest to the localization of PA pathway enzymes. Starting with spermidine synthase (SpdS), the enzyme producing spermidine from putrescine, it became evident that this enzyme is also, similar to ornithine decarboxylase, mainly localized to neurons, but also shows a highly differential distribution with respect to brain areas and nuclei (Krauss et al., 2006; 2007). By contrast, assuming a mere “house-keeping” function for polyamines, e.g. in nucleic acid condensation, one would have expected a more uniform basal expression of this enzyme. Thus, the labeling patterns for SpdS clearly argued in favor of specific local functions for Spd/Spm in the brain. Intriguingly, even synaptic compartments, e.g. cerebellar mossy fiber terminals, substantially contain SpdS. Therefore, Spd/Spm may be released or co-released from neurons.

Stepwise completing his set of polyamine pathway enzyme antibodies, Dr. Laube’s interest became then focused on the guanidino-group-containing polyamine agmatine, a putative neurotransmitter, and the agmatine degrading enzyme agmatinase, respectively. Agmatinase was very prominently detected in certain populations of interneurons. Extending these studies from rat to human brain tissue in collaboration with Hans-Gert Bernstein, Magdeburg, Germany, it became evident that agmatinase and agmatine, respectively, are clearly affected in depressive disorders. Meanwhile, it is generally accepted that polyamines and especially agmatine play a role in psychiatric disorders including affective and schizophrenic dysfunctions.

Dr. Gregor Laube is productively collaborating on polyamine topics with Dr.s Hans-Gert Bernstein, Rüdiger Veh, Tayfun Uzbay, Misty Eaton and Serguei Skatchkov studying brain specific functions of polyamines and polyamine pathway enzymes. He is familiar with multiple morphological techniques such as: (1) Creating and characterising mono-specific polyclonal antibodies for the use with both, light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry (2) Transmission Electron microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, cryotechniques; (3) Immunocytochemistry for light and electron microscopy.

Research Focus: – Brain polyamine metabolism Website http:/neuroanatomie.charite.de Contact information: Charité – University Medicine Berlin Westring 1, Augustenburger Platz 1 13353 Berlin, Germany.

Tel.: +49 30 450 577 087; Email: gregor.laube@charite.de

Mami Noda Seminar Title:

Possible interaction of thyroid hormones and polyamines in microglia Biography: Dr. Mami Noda is an Associate Professor in the Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan. She obtained her B.S. at the school of Pharmacy, Kyushu University, and completed doctoral thesis in pharmacology at Kyoto University in 1986. Dr. Mami Noda performed Postdoctoral training in the Department of Cardiac Physiology at the Rockefeller University, USA. Dr. Mami Noda’s primary interest is microglial physiology/pathophysiology. She first found the AMPA/kainite receptors of the most important excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, in rat microglia.

She has been continuing to analyze the role of glutamate receptors in microglia and neuron-glia interaction via glutamate. Dr. Mami Noda also analyzed the effects of neuropeptides, such as bradykinin and galanin, on microglia and found that they stimulate microglial migration and serve as neuroprotective mediators. Dr. Mami Noda was also interested in cancer metastasis to the brain. She analyzed the microenvironment of the metastasized tumor cells in the brain and found sophisticated interaction between tumor cells and glial cells.

Recently, Dr. Mami Noda developed an interest to endocrine system and their influence on glial function.

She was first interested in the effect of thyroid hormone on microglia. Active form of thyroid hormone is released from astrocyte and work on various cell types in the brain so that she calls it glioendocrine system. Understanding the relationship between endocrine system and neuron-glia interaction will lead us to understand how their dysfunction is related to mental disorders and neurodefeneration.

Dr. Mami Noda wrote together with colleagues several reviews and book chapters on glial cell function, especially on microglia.

Dr. Mami Noda has been a director of Japanese Society of Pathophysiology since 2003 and is now a chair of the Board of Education. She is also a Board of Council Member in Physiological Society of Japanese, The Japanese Society of Neurochemistry, and The Japan Neuroscience Society. She is a member of Society for Neuroscience (SfN) since 1993 and served as a member of Professional Development Committee during 2010-2014.

Her work is supported by different grants from JSPS and Kyushu University Support Center.

For more information about Dr. Mami Noda: http://seiri.phar.kyushu-u.ac.jp/English_index.html Contact information: Mami Noda, PhD. Associate Professor Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan Tel/Fax: +81-92-642-6574 E-mail: noda@phar.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Timothy Hendricks Seminar Title:

Molecular mechanisms of astrocyte differentiation: Is there a functional connection?

Biography: Dr. Timothy Hendricks is a Research Professor at Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Bayam贸n campus, a position he has held since 2011. He studied Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University where he started his research career as an undergraduate in the area of biosensor design.

Dr. Hendricks earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Case Western Reserve University in 2003. His thesis work led to the identification Pet-1 as a central genetic determinant for all mammalian serotonergic neurons in the CNS. Behavioral analysis of Pet-1 deficient mice demonstrated marked elevation of both anxiety and aggression.

Dr. Hendricks then joined the laboratory of Dr. Martyn Goulding at the Salk Institute where as a postdoc he studied the genetic origins of interneurons diversity in the murine spinal cord. His work led to the identification of previously unknown molecular subtypes of interneurons and helped to reveal the precise temporal control of gene expression during neurogenesis.

Since starting his laboratory at Inter American University he has demonstrated a key role for the transcriptional regulator Wt1 in the development of a genetic subclass of inhibitory commissural interneurons in the mammalian central pattern generator (CPG). For the future he is interested in studying the gene expression dynamics during gliogenesis to understand the origins of phenotype diversity in astrocytes.

Contact information: Building G Room 361 Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Bayam贸n Campus 500 Dr. John Will Harris Road Bayam贸n, PR 00957 Email: thendricks@bayamon.inter.edu

Victor Arvanian Seminar title:

Transgene delivery of neurotrophin NT-3 to neurons and glia combined with spinal electro-magnetic stimulation and exercise: novel combination therapy for spinal contusion injury Biography: Dr. Victor Arvanian (former Arvanov) is a Research Professor and Project Director at Northport VAMC and Stony Brook University, New York. Current Research Focus of his laboratory: (1) Cellular, molecular and genetic aspects of neural plasticity in damaged CNS. (2) Understanding mechanisms (including role of various glial cells), underlying diminished transmission through the spared fibers in damaged spinal cord. (3) Based on this knowledge, design and develop novel gene therapy and activity-based treatments with potential to promote plasticity, strengthen synaptic connections and improve function after spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adult mammals. To approach these goals, Dr. Arvanian established an international team of collaborators. He still conducts experiments himself, in addition to supervising research work of his laboratory.

He obtained degrees in biophysics: MS (1975, from the Tbilisi State University, Georgia), PhD (1981, from Academy of Sciences of Armenia), and D.Sc. (1990, from Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kiev, Ukraine). 1990-1992: Guest Research Fellows Award from the Royal Society London, collaboration with Dr. Robert Walker (Southampton) and Dr. Peter Usherwood (Nottingham, UK). 1992 – 1993: Visiting Professor at National Taiwan University. In 1993 he with family moved to New Zealand and then to USA to “look for new beginnings”. 1993-1994: Research Scientist, UTMB Galveston Texas.

1994-current: Stony Brook University, NY: Research Assistant Professor > Research Associate Professor > Research Professor. 2000-2008: Group head within laboratory of Dr. Lorne Mendell and Associate member at the Christopher Reeve and Dana Foundation. 2008 – current: Head of laboratory, Project Director and SRS Chair at Northport VAMC. Recent Awards and Honors. One paper [Schnell et al., & Arvanian (senior and corresponding author), 2011] describing novel combination treatment that induced formation of novel detour functional connections around the lesions in damaged spinal cord following SCI has been awarded by the Forum of European Neuroscience as the “Best research paper of 2010-2013”. His scientific achievements have been highlighted and awarded by the Army and Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (10/5/2012 and 8/9/2013). Dr. Arvanian has been invited as Keynote speaker at several domestic and international scientific meetings, including 4th CaribeGLIA Symposium.

He is internationally recognized and one of the leading scientists in the field of spinal cord neurophysiology. Current goals are to translate into clinical applications a set of treatments that have been developed through animal studies in Arvanian laboratory. Since year 2000 to current his research has been continuously funded, including awards from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Craig Nielsen Foundation, etc.

Contact information: Victor Arvanian, PhD, DSci, Research Professor, Project Director, Northport VAMC and Stonybrook University 79 Middleville Rd., Bld 62, Northport, NY 11768-2290 Phone: (631) 495-9317 or (631) 261-4400 ext 2284.

Fax: (631) 544-5317 Email: victor.arvanian@va.gov or victor.arvanian@stonybrook.edu

Yuriy Danilov Seminar title:

Neuro-rehabilitation by non-invasive tongue stimulation: Neuronal and/or Glial Networks?

Biography: Dr. Yuri P. Danilov is a Senior Scientist and Co-director of Tactile Communication and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, College of Engineering of the University of Wisconsin-Madison,US. He received the M.S. degree in biophysics, in 1978, from St. Petersburg University in Russia and the Ph.D. degree in neuroscience, in 1984, from the Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Science.

Dr. Danilov was Senior Scientist (11/00 – 12/04) and Director of Clinical Research at Wicab, Inc., where he oversaw both conceptual development for the BrainPort system as well as its clinical testing. His interest areas are neuroplasticity, neurorehabilitation, human performance, and human sensory systems.

Dr. Danilov is a neuroscientist with over 25 years experience in research on brain function and the special senses, including vision, taste, hearing and balance. Dr. Danilov is the lead discoverer of the balance retention effect, lead development of the specific training regimens, and continues to identify potential clinical and non-clinical application of neuromodulation and sensory substitution technology.

The Tactile Communication and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory (TCNL) founded since 1992 is located at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Dr. Danilov team represents a research center that uses the experience of many different areas of science to study the theory and application of applied neuro­plasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize in response to new information, needs, and pathways.

The aim of our research is the development of solutions for sensory and motor disorders. TCNL center has three core areas that form the backbone of our research: neuromodulation, sensory substitution, and electrotactile stimulation. TCNL is administratively part of the UW-Madison Department of Kinesiology.

TCNL is committed to enhancing the rehabilitation process. Dr. Danilov envisions a future with a faster and more complete rehabilitation from sensory and motor disorders. He strives to improve existing therapies and develop new ones for conditions, which, in the past, had few or no options. Based on the work of the TCNL founder, Paul Bach-y-Rita, M.D., who was the originator of the line of current research, Dr. Danolov‘s team believes that neuroplasticity is at the heart of all successful neurorehabilitation. Dr. Danilov projects and libraries are funded constantly. He made more than hundred invited talks allover the World.

Contact information: Tactile Communication and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory College of Engineering, Biomedical Ingnineering, Engineering Centers Building, Room: M1012, 1550 Engineering Drive University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, 53706, USA Ph: (608) 263-9359. ydanilov@wisc.edu https://tcnl.bme.wisc.edu/; http://tcnl.bme.wisc.edu/laboratory/team/yuri-danilov http://vision.wisc.edu/people/danilov ; http://www.supportuw.org/stories/feature/healing-the-brain-through-the-tongue/ http://www.reachmd.com/xmradioguest.aspx?pid=33301 http://hub.aa.com/en/aw/ron-husmann-university-of-wisconsin-kildare-yuri-danilov