NVF seminar series, 7th of July, 17:00- 18:00 o’clock

Our new NVF Seminar series will start on the 7th of July, 17-18:00 o’clock and will have Prof. Reinoud Gosens as first speaker.

The details for the zoom link are below:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88237930295?pwd=bnByVmhXWlRhMGlEaUhJcHNiMllrdz09

Meeting ID: 882 3793 0295
Passcode: 859217

1. Prof Reinoud Gosens, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Groningen

Title: Pharmacological targeting of tissue remodeling and repair in the respiratory tract.

My current research interests are focused on mechanisms that regulate structural remodelling and repair of the airways and lung parenchyma in asthma and COPD. Identifying novel therapeutics for chronic lung disease is my long-term scientific goal. In this endeavour, I focus my work on the one hand on asthmatic airway remodeling, and in particular on the regulation of this pathological process by cholinergic receptors and the airway cholinergic system. Using in vivo and in vitro models the aim is to unravel the muscarinic receptor subtypes and signaling involved. Moreover, we are interested in the mechanisms that regulate plasticity of the airway neural network in asthma for which we recently established stem cell-derived airway cholinergic neurons. A second focus of my work is regenerative pharmacology of the distal lung in COPD and IPF. Here, my research interests are mainly centered around the function and dysfunction of distal lung stem cells/progenitors in health and disease. In particular, I am interested in understanding progenitor cell-niche interactions in disease as a potential background for the discovery of novel drug targets. In my presentation, I will shortly discuss both research lines and invite collaboration in each of these areas.

Wednesday 15th of September, 17-18:00 o’clock

2. Prof. Anton Roks, Department Internal Medicine, Erasmuc MC

Title: Modeling of vascular aging and drug target identification with DNA repair mutant mice.

Aging is the single largest cause of disease in economically advanced societies. Cardiovascular disease is strongly represented in this context. Non-atherosclerotic vascular aging is a growing topic, its implications in health and life span being increasingly appreciated. This used to be a problematic filed of research due to the lack of convenient methods. In recent years I have developed mouse models to explore this type of vascular aging, namely by partial inactivation of DNA repair in vascular cells. Persistent activation of DNA damage response leads to accelerated development of aging features independently from the presence of risk factors. In my presentation I will illustrate how this impacts cardiovascular function in comparison to the typical risk factor-induced problems.  Also, I will show how my lab has identified relevant drug targets using accelerated vascular aging mice. Very recently I have developed an interest in redox regulation, and I am trying to develop this as a research line, again placing drug development center stage. My lab does not have all the required experience and facilities to examine important aspects of redox regulation, and I kindly invite anyone skilled for collaboration. Furthermore, we are collecting tissues continuously and I would be happy to share tissues with anyone who is interested.