CARIM Newsletter March 2016

CARIM Newsletter March 2016

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This newsletter contains information on the following subjects:

CARIM Day 2016
Marie Curie Yannick Debing
FHML Research Office
P. Kleikers SYRCLE ambassador
Who's new?!
Grant deadlines
Cardiovascular Grand Rounds Maastricht
Symposia & other lectures
Academic events
Media appearances

CARIM newsletter

Contributions for the newsletter (e.g. news of events and grants, important publications, societial impact related topics and research results related to CARIM's research) can be sent to carim-office@maastrichtuniversity.nl. Please submit the text in English and include a short title. The text should be max. 200 words. If applicable, include high resolution pictures and other documents.

SAVE THE DATE - CARIM DAY 2016, 2 November

CARIM DAY 2016 will take place on Wednesday November 2.

This year’s Robert Reneman Lecture will be given by Professor Stephane Laurent

After last year’s success, the location of the symposium will again be the Minderbroedersberg followed by a festive evening.
More information on the program will be distributed as soon as possible.

Marie Curie Fellowship for Yannick Debing

Yannick Debing (Department of Cardiology) received a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellowship for his project “Understanding parvovirus B19 myocarditis: the role of co-infections and development of the first mouse model”.

Viral myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart triggered by viral infection that may lead to heart failure and often occurs in young healthy adults. Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the most commonly detected virus in viral myocarditis and replicates in the cardiac endothelium, but its pathogenic mechanisms remain enigmatic and no curative treatment is currently available. The factors enabling pathogenic B19V replication in endothelial cells are completely unknown and represent a key question in parvovirus biology and myocarditis research. No relevant animal model is available. These gaps in knowledge preclude the development of effective therapies for viral myocarditis.

Preliminary data indicate frequent co-infections in B19V replication-positive patient samples and suggest that co-infection with a helpervirus may rescue in vitro B19V replication. This lead to the hypothesis that co-infections with other viruses modify the cellular environment of the endothelium, rendering it permissive to B19V replication and inducing myocarditis. Therefore, the specific objectives of this project are to identify previously unknown viral co-infections in B19V-positive serum samples from myocarditis patients; confirm the pathogenic role of putative helperviruses in vitro; explore the underlying molecular biology of the helpereffect; and develop a relevant mouse model for B19V myocarditis.

FHML Research Office

In need of research support?

We introduce the Research Office

The Research Office is your first contact for research support and advice. We assist you when looking for funding, talent development or strategic collaboration opportunities. We are your touching base when it comes to research-related information and protocols, and connect you to the services you need.

The Research Office provides information on grant opportunities and supports you with the acquisition of grants. Furthermore, they help you monitor and coordinate the quality, scientific integrity and societal impact of your research. Excellent research depends on people and good teamwork. In order to develop your talent they also facilitate in coaching, workshops, training programmes and courses. Moreover, they enable and manage strategic projects and initiatives, in line with the MUMC+ strategy “Healthy Living” and in close collaboration with researchers, clinicians and operational staff. The Research Office is also involved in collecting, distributing and archiving scientific research output. After all, the right information at the right time is key for decision-makers, researchers and other employees.

When well supported and facilitated, researchers are empowered to do better and more research. The staff members of the Research Office cannot wait to enable your research.

More information?

Visit our website: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/researchoffice

Or contact us info-researchoffice@maastrichtuniversity.nl t +31 (0)43 3871350

Dr P. Kleikers SYRCLE ambassador for Maastricht University

Dr Pamela Kleikers received her PhD in december 2014 on 'NOXious oxidative stress: from head to toe and back'. In her thesis she included a systematic review on animal studies (Kleikers et al; A combined pre-clinical meta-analysis and randomized confirmatory trial approach to improve data validity for therapeutic target validation) that was performed in collaboration with SYRCLE (SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation). SYRCLE is one of the leading expertise centres for systematic reviews of animal studies, focussing on education, training and coaching of scientists. Systematic reviews of animal studies contribute to a more evidence-based choice of animal models, improved implementation of the 3Rs and better patient health care.

To globally disseminate the principle of systematic reviews in animal sciences, SYRCLE has launched a global network of SYRCLE ambassadors (https://www.radboudumc.nl/Research/Organisationofresearch/Departments/cd...). In 2015, Dr Kleikers became a SYRCLE ambassador for the University of Maastricht, promoting the concept of systematic reviews of animal studies in research, in educational programmes, study protocol evaluations, ethical review applications and animal care programmes. Researchers of CARIM interested in information about or doing a systematic review of animal studies can contact Dr P. Kleikers via p.kleikers@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 0433881337.

Who's new?!

I'm Ellen Boswijk. During two years of clinical experience as an MD in the neurology department I've grown a special interest in (neuro)imaging and decided I wanted to do research in this particular field. As of February the 1st I've started as a PhD-student in the Weijerhorst project. Our goal is to research two new tracers for plaque vulnerability with PET-MRI in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. The first tracer is a PSMA tracer known to be related with malignant angiogenesis and the second is amyloid tracer that has thus far been used in Alzheimers disease. I'm looking forward to the next couple of years. For cappuccino's and questions you can find me at UNS50 building room 1.341.

My name is Vasco Gonçalves and this February I’ve started my PhD

at the department of Pharmacology and Personalised Medicine under the supervision of Dr Harald Schmidt. I’m a Biopharmeceutical Scientist from Cascais, Portugal with core training in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I have worked with antibody manipulation and phage display technology at the Drug Discovery Unit of iMed.ULisboa, selecting antibody fragments for HIV proviral reactivation. During my time there I have successfully implemented the first whole cell phage display protocol for functional screening in that laboratory which resulted in my master thesis. My expanding interest in the interface of systems biology with biopharmaceutical sciences lead me to this particular group where I will develop my PhD around recombinant antibodies and diagnostics regarding diseases related to oxidative stress.

My name is Job Verdonschot, 27 years old. I studied both Biomedical Sciences and Medicine at Maastricht University. After my studies I received the Kootstra Talent Fellowship award and started my PhD under supervision of Prof. Dr. Stephane Heymans in collaboration with the clinical genetics department of the MUMC. I am involved in the European HOMAGE clinical trial which focuses on the prevention of heart failure. My main research interest is on cardiogenetics and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Grant deadlines

DOWNLOAD HERE THE SUBSIDY CALENDAR FOR 2016

NHS Dr. E. Dekker Junior Staflid - Deadline March 8, 2016
Click here for more information

NHS Dr. E. Dekker Senior Postdoc - Deadline March 8, 2016
Click here for more information

GROW Masterclass Prof. Carl Figdor - March 17, 2016
Click here for more information

Goed Gebruik Geneesmiddelen Grote Trials Ronde 1 - Deadline 17 maart 2016
Click here for more information (in Dutch)

NHS Studentbeurzen - Deadline 18 maart 2016
Click here for more information

Kootstra Talent Fellowships 2016 - Deadlines April 1 and October 1, 2016
Click here for more information

CARIM Postdoctoral Talent Fellowship - Deadline April 18, 2016
Click here for more information

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Several deadlines
Click here for more information

March 4 - Joanne van Ryn, PhD, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma Biberach, Germany
"The Direct Thrombin Inhibitor, Dabigatran: Discovery, Development and Clinical Experience"

March 11 - Henri Spronk, PhD, Maastricht University Medical Center
"Coagulation Proteases and Cardiovascular Disease"

March 18 - Martin Swaans, MD, PhD, Antonius Ziekenhuis Utrecht
"Transcatheter Paravalvular Leakage Closure"

March 25 - Good Friday

April 1 - Mihai Netea, MD, PhD, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen
"Trained Immunity: a Memory for the Innate Immune System"

April 8 - Mark Vos, PhD, University Medical Center Utrecht
"Altered Ventricular Activation and Arrhythmogenesis"

Starts at 7.45 am, Academic hospital Maastricht, Meeting room A3-B3, level 3
Breakfast included! Registration not necessary

Click here for an overview of all the CGRM lectures of the first quarter of 2016

Symposia & events

4rd meeting Maastricht Working Group on Cardiovascular Systems Biology - March 9, 2016
Click here for more information

byteMAL Conference - March 9, 2016
Click here for more information

Seminar Prof. Alessandra Cambi - March 31, 2016
Click here for more information

Scientific Symposium The Maastricht Study - April 8, 2016
Click here for more information

Scientific Workshop "Cardiovascular Research @ Bayer" - April 14-16. 2016
Click here for more information

Call for abstracts - 26th Genetics Retreat - April 21 until 22, 2016
Click here for more information. Abstract deadline: February 1, 2016

Call for abstracts - 50th Annual Scientific Meeting ESCI - April 27 - 29, Paris
Click here for more information.

Call for abstracts - Scientific Day MUMC + - May 4, 2015
Click here for more information. Abstract deadline: March 25, 2016

Biomedica 2016 - May 30-31, 2016
Click here for more information

School Council meetings 2016:
- April 26, 12.00-14.00 hours
- June 27, 12.00-14.00 hours
- October 18, 12.00-14.00 hours

Academic events

PhD Conferral Lieke Klinkenberg, Friday March 4, 2016, 14.00 hours
Supervisors: Prof. M.P. van Dieijen-Visser, Prof. L. van Loon
Co-supervisor: Dr S.J.R. Meex
Title: "High-sensitivity cardiac troponins in health and disease"

PhD Conferral Beat Kaufmann, Friday March 11, 2016, 12.00 hours
Supervisor: Prof. H.P. Brunner-La Rocca
Co-supervisor: Dr V.P.M. van Empel
Title: "Echocardiography - modern evaluation of cardiac structure and function"

PhD Conferral Christian Knackstedt, Firday March 11, 2016, 14.00 hours
Supervisor: Prof. H.P. Brunner-La Rocca
Co-supervisor: Dr V.P.M. van Empel
Title: "Improvement of Technical Options Regarding Imaging and Therapy of Heart Failure"

PhD Conferral Frauke Swieringa, Thursday March 31, 2016, 14.00 hours
Supervisor: J.W.M. Heemskerk
Co-supervisor: P.E.J. van der Meijden
Title: "Platelets and Coagulation; Partners in haemostasis"

Media appearances

Leon de Windt (Dept. of Cardiology) - Dagblad de Limburger/Limburgs Dagblad, 17-02-2016: "Ons hart blijkt iets nieuws te kunnen doen"

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