Page 1 of 4 SBBS News UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science www.ucd.ie/sbbs V OLUME 13, 2011 News? Please send photos and news items to [email protected] for inclusion in our website Irish Platelet Symposium 2011 The second annual Irish Platelet Symposium took place in the UCD Conway Institute on the 24 th November. Organised by Dr. Patricia Maguire and Dr. Albert Smolenski, the event boasted the participation of Ireland’s most well-established platelet researchers, spanning University College Dublin (UCD), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and Dublin City University (DCU). RCSI based Prof. Dermot Kenny followed Dr. Maguire’s welcome, discussing the ‘Role of Platelets in Disease’ with particular focus on the role of platelets in arthritis, HIV, recurrent miscarriage and indeed cardiovascular disease. Dr. Roger Preston from TCD followed with a presentation on ‘Platelet-mediated activated protein C resistance’. Other talks included Dr. Steve Kerrigan (RCSI) on 'Platelets as Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Infection' and Dr. Sarah O’Neill (RCSI) on 'The redox modulation of the platelet surface thiol population.' UCD PhD students Mr. Vishal Salunkhe and Ms. Ashling Hampson were also afforded the opportunity to present their work on ‘Meis-1 interactome in Megakaryocytes’ and ‘Synaptotagmin-like protein 4 regulates platelet granule secretion' respectively. Mr. Salunkhe will present this work at the 53 rd American Society of Hematology 2011 Meeting that will be held in San Diego from Dec 10- 13, where he also has been selected for a Young Investigator Abstract Achievement Award. Poster sessions were held throughout the day with an evening reception providing new and established researchers the opportunity to mingle. Whilst this was the second annual symposium, it was the first full-day event of its kind in Ireland, and represents a significant step towards increased collaboration within the Irish platelet research community. A special thank you to Ms. Mary Gallagher from SBBS, Ms. Siobháin O’Brien from the UCD Conway Institute and the event sponsors Millipore, Roche, R&D Systems, Prospec Laboratories and VWR for a very rewarding day. Clockwise from top left: Maguire Research Group Tim Donlon, Naheda Alkazemi, Dr. Patricia Maguire, Vishal Salunkhe, Dr. Brian Steele, Feidhlim Dervin; Tadhg McGivern, RCSI; Vishal Salunke, UCD; Shona Harmon, Solvotrin Therapeutics, TCD, Dr. Steve Kerrigan, Dr. Albert Smolenski, UCD, Dr. Patricia Maguire, UCD; Dr. Ronan Murphy, DCU
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News? Please send photos and news items to [email protected] for inclusion in our website
Irish Platelet Symposium 2011
The second annual Irish Platelet Symposium took place in the UCD Conway Institute on the 24th
November. Organised by Dr. Patricia Maguire and Dr. Albert Smolenski, the event boasted theparticipation of Ireland’s most well-established platelet researchers, spanning University CollegeDublin (UCD), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and DublinCity University (DCU).
RCSI based Prof. Dermot Kenny followed Dr. Maguire’s welcome, discussing the ‘Role of Platelets inDisease’ with particular focus on the role of platelets in arthritis, HIV, recurrent miscarriage andindeed cardiovascular disease. Dr. Roger Preston from TCD followed with a presentation on‘Platelet-mediated activated protein C resistance’. Other talks included Dr. Steve Kerrigan (RCSI) on'Platelets as Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Infection' and Dr. Sarah O’Neill (RCSI) on 'Theredox modulation of the platelet surface thiol population.'
UCD PhD students Mr. Vishal Salunkhe and Ms. Ashling Hampson were also afforded theopportunity to present their work on ‘Meis-1 interactome in Megakaryocytes’ and ‘Synaptotagmin-likeprotein 4 regulates platelet granule secretion' respectively. Mr. Salunkhe will present this work atthe 53rd American Society of Hematology 2011 Meeting that will be held in San Diego from Dec 10-13, where he also has been selected for a Young Investigator Abstract Achievement Award. Postersessions were held throughout the day with an evening reception providing new and establishedresearchers the opportunity to mingle.
Whilst this was the second annual symposium, it was the first full-day event of its kind in Ireland, andrepresents a significant step towards increased collaboration within the Irish platelet researchcommunity. A special thank you to Ms. Mary Gallagher from SBBS, Ms. Siobháin O’Brien from theUCD Conway Institute and the event sponsors Millipore, Roche, R&D Systems, ProspecLaboratories and VWR for a very rewarding day.
Clockwise from top left: Maguire Research Group Tim Donlon, Naheda Alkazemi, Dr. Patricia Maguire, Vishal Salunkhe, Dr.Brian Steele, Feidhlim Dervin; Tadhg McGivern, RCSI; Vishal Salunke, UCD; Shona Harmon, Solvotrin Therapeutics, TCD, Dr.Steve Kerrigan, Dr. Albert Smolenski, UCD, Dr. Patricia Maguire, UCD; Dr. Ronan Murphy, DCU
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SBBS NEWS VOLUME 13, 2011
Breakthrough in R.P. Blindness ResearchSBBS Prof. Paul Engel's group has recently published a paper in BBA Molecular Basis of Disease which may wellhave a significance well beyond the immediate context, which is the inherited and progressive form of blindnessknown as retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
It arises form an initial collaboration between Paul's group and that of Prof. PeteHumphries in Ocular Genetics at Trinity College Dublin. The Trinity group hadidentified the gene for IMP dehydrogenase 1 as the site of the mutations that causeRP10, a particularly unpleasant version of RP in that it shows dominant negativeinheritance, i.e. you need only inherit the defective gene from one parent to goblind. The Conway-based group were interested in finding a molecular explanationfor the dominant negative behaviour. Cloned and over-expressed clinical mutantswere fully active, but suspicion fell on their folding and stability in solution.
Having generated a reliable refolding protocol, the Engel lab found first that the clinical mutants were much impairedin their folding ability, but, most tellingly, that mutant IMPDH1 could suppress the correct folding of the normalunmutated enzyme. This is an oligomeric enzyme with (normally) identical subunits. It seems that in the hybridoligomers, inevitably formed with a normal and a mutant gene, the mutant subunits are able to impose their faultyconformation on their healthy partners. This is a pattern that could potentially give rise to a negative dominantphenotype for any enzyme with interactive oligomers.
Details of the publication:
Molecular recruitment as a basis for negative dominant inheritance? Propagation of misfolding in oligomers ofIMPDH1, the mutated enzyme in the RP10 form of retinitis pigmentosa. Wang XT, Mion B, Aherne A, Engel PC. BBAMolecular Basis of Disease 2011 1812, 1472-1476.
Conferring of M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees for SBBS Students
Congratulations to our students conferred with MSc Biotechnology, MSc Biotechnology & Business, MSc byresearch and PhD degrees at a ceremony in O’ Reilly Hall on December 6th. Details of all research degree recipientsfrom SBBS are on Page 4.
Braving the bitter cold for photos: some MSc Biotechnology and MSc Biotechnology & Business graduates
L-R:Mahipal Reddy Beeram, Dr. Loraine Smith, Mahomed Husnain, Dr. Tadhg O’ Crόinίn, Edmund Chiu. Dr. Loraine Smith, Jackie O’ Connor,Aoife Murphy, Dr. Tadhg O’ Crόinίn;.Mahipal Reddy Beeram, Dr. Loraine Smith, Jennifer McKeever, Dr. Tadhg O’ Crόinίn, Karen Hanrahan.
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SBBS NEWS VOLUME 13, 2011
Summer StudentshipsStage 3 students interested in lab experience with interests relevant to your research may be pointed to:
http://www.ucd.ie/sbbs/undergraduatestudies/currentstudents/This gives links to the various scientific societies and trusts making grants available to talented and suitablestudents. Seven students from different disciplines in our school were hosted in labs over the summer of 2011 with apositive impact on engaging in their Stage 4 projects and general understanding of research. This may assistacademic staff to identify students capable of excellent Stage 4 projects and PhD studies in their labs.
Prof. Wim Meijer’s research group will also have five summer studentships available in summer 2012 to work on hisSmart Coasts project.
“Toxicology in the 21st Century”
The Irish Society of Toxicology, in conjunction with the Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT), partnered with theEuropean project ShareBiotech, hosted a conference entitled, "Toxicology in the 21st Century" on Thursday andFriday, the 3rd and 4th November 2011.
The IST conference included presentations from leading national and international scientists and policymakers onhow the science of Toxicology is preparing to meet challenges now and in the coming decades. Presentations werealso given by Robert Radford and Hilary Cassidy from the Renal Disease Research Group (www.ucd.ie/renal) in theUCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science. Hilary Cassidy was also awarded best oral presentation forher talk entitled: ‘'Identification of Biomarkers of Immunosuppressant Toxicity in Kidney Transplant Patients'.
Inaugural Irish Cystinosis Research Symposium
The first Irish Cystinosis Research Symposium funded by HRB and Orphan Europe was hosted by Professor PhilipNewsholme and Dr. Tara McMorrow from the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science at the UCDConway Institute, on Thursday 13th October 2011. Skype and webcasts were employed to generate interest inresearching the rare but deadly disorder, cystinosis.
Cystinosis mainly affects children and is caused byan accumulation of the amino acid, cystine, in thebody. The build-up of cystine causes damage to allorgans and muscles, and slowly destroys them. Thesymposium included presentations from leadingresearchers in the field including Stanford University,USA, University College Cork, and RodolfoSumayao and Bernadette McEvoy from theCystinosis Research Group in SBBS.
A celebration at the symposium in the UCD Conway Institute.The Foundation reached the €1 Million research funding mark in 2011 since
its inception in 2003
Foxy’s Retirement Reception
SBBS said farewell to a much loved and long-serving technician, Michael “Foxy” Coffey. A reception tomark Foxy’s retirement was held on December 8th in the Conway Institute for his family and colleagues,past and present, to wish him well.
Please see insert page of this newsletter for some photos of a memorable evening.
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Selected Recent PublicationsWang XT, Mion B, Aherne A, Engel PC, Molecular recruitment as a basis for negative dominantinheritance? Propagation of misfolding in oligomers of IMPDH1, the mutated enzyme in the RP10 form ofretinitis pigmentosa. . BBA Molecular Basis of Disease 2011 1812, 1472-1476.
Mac Fhearraigh S, McGee MM. Cyclin B1 interacts with the BH3-only protein Bim and mediates itsphosphorylation by Cdk1 during mitosis. Cell Cycle. 2011 Nov 15;10(22).
Anguissola S, McCormack WJ, Morrin MA, Higgins WJ, Fox DM, Worrall DM. Pigment Epithelium-DerivedFactor (PEDF) Interacts with Transportin SR2, and Active Nuclear Import Is Facilitated by a Novel NuclearLocalization Motif. PLoS One. 2011; 6(10):e26234. Epub 2011 Oct 18.
Staff NewsDr Oliver Blacque has received a SFI Principal Investigators award for his research entitled
"Dissecting secretory and endocytic membrane transport pathways in targeting proteins to cilia, aprevalent disease-associated cellular organelle"
Congratulations to Dr. Tadhg O’ Crόinίn on his award of tenure at a recent meeting of the UCAATP.
Dr. Cormac Murphy has been awarded a grant from the E.I. commercialisation fund to develop abioreactor for the production of drug metabolites.
Congratulations to Dr. Tadhg O’ Crόinίn who has recently been appointed to the position of AssociateDean for International Study (with special responsibility for North America) in the College of Science.
Dr. Margaret McGee delivered an oral presentation at the recent EMBO conference on centrosome andspindle pole body in Barcelona Oct 2-6 2011, entitled “The peptidyl prolyl Isomerase Cyclophilin Alocalises at the centrosome and the midbody and is required for cytokinesis”.
Prof. Paul Malthouse has created 8 Mac applications for biochemistry, e.g. MMfit, Linreg, kpHcalc etc.These may be obtained from the Mac App store. Anyone interested in a trial version of these appsshould contact Paul directly. http://homepage.eircom.net/~jpgm/
Hilary Cassidy was awarded best oral presentation for her talk at the Irish Society for Toxicology’s recentconference entitled: ‘'Identification of Biomarkers of Immunosuppressant Toxicity in Kidney TransplantPatients' (full details page 3).
Jessica Amadio (pictured right), a PhD student inDr. Cormac Murphy’s group, was invited to givean oral presentation of her research at the EPApostgraduate conference at the Gresham Hotel onNovember 17th.
(From left: Jessica Amadio (UCD), Dr. Shane Kenny - SessionChair (UCD), Laura Burke - newly appointed Director General(EPA), Gavin Harte – Keynote speaker (Business in theCommunity Ireland), Oana Istrate (Trinity College), andRohitkumar Gore (DCU)).
December ConferringsCongratulations to all recently graduated students from SBBS.
The following SBBS postgraduate students were conferred with the award of Ph.D. on December 6th 2011:John Bannon, Cevik Sebiha, Alessio Di Luca, Damien Farrell, Wayne Higgins, Sean Mac Fhearraigh, BrianNolan, Anusha Subasinghage, Orla Watters.
On the 8th of December 2011 Geffory Watson was conferred with the award of M.Sc.
A special note of congratulations to Mary Murphy. Senior Technician in SBBS, who also wasconferred with the award of M.Sc.
