KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Leonard Petrucelli has focused his career on deciphering the molecular mechanisms underpinning Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – work that has uncovered novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets instrumental to shaping the future of treatment development.
Dr. Petrucelli has built a powerful research program focused on understanding a key protein called TDP-43, which plays a major role in diseases like ALS and FTD. His team has helped reveal how a mutation in a gene called C9orf72, the most commonly known genetic cause of both ALS and FTD, damages brain cells.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Dr. Hynek Wichterle is a leading expert in neurodegeneration and neuronal development. Wichterle’s laboratory develops methods for the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into a variety of motor neuron subtypes in order to understand nervous system development.
His group also harnesses the power of CRISPR-based genome editing systems to elucidate transcriptional programs controlling these neuronal differentiation processes. Wichterle also aims to understand the molecular processes underlying neuronal maturation, synapse formation, neuronal aging and degeneration in spinal motor neurons.
PROGRAM
8:30 am | Welcome & Introduction
8:40 am | Keynote Speaker: Leonard Petrucelli, PhD (University of Miami)
"TDP-43 Dysfunction in ALS"
9:40 am | Carlos Buen Abad Najar, PhD (Li Lab)
"Decoding RNA isoform regulation in disease with Torino"
9:50 am | Parisa Tajalli Tehrani Valverde (Carrillo Lab)
"Examining the role of peripheral glia in health and disease"
10:00 am | Coffee Break
10:10 am | Keynote Speaker: Hynek Wichterle, PhD (Columbia University)
"Turning Back the Clock on ALS"
11:10 am | Natalie Ortiz Vega, PhD (Zhai Lab)
"Targeting NAD+ metabolism for neuroprotection in C9-ALS/FTD"
11:20 am | Ian Weigle (Kratsios Lab)
"Investigating motor neuron vulnerability in C9ORF72 ALS with novel C. elegans models"
11:30 am | Lunch - RSVP required
12:30 pm | Poster Session
Mira Antonopoulos, Kratsios Lab
"Antisense oligonucleotide-mediated reduction of toxic protein expression in C9ORF72 ALS/FTD"
Tuba Balta, Kratsios Lab
"Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2D in the Non-Canonical Translation of Repeat Expansions in C9ORF72-Mediated ALS"
Luke Frietze, Pan Lab
"tRNA dysregulation in the brain and ALS"
Jenna Garcia, Kratsios Lab
"Investigating MN Subtype Susceptibility to C9ORF72-ALS Disease Progression"
Kay LaPre, Kratsios Lab
"PIE-sequencing: Uncovering novel interactions of RNA Binding Proteins Associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis"
Xiangbin Ruan, PhD, Zhang Lab
"AGE-seq: Antibody-Guided RNA Editing and Sequencing to Identify RNA-binding Protein Targets"
Annika Sharma, Heckscher Lab
"Rewiring of motor neuron innervation onto muscles across evolutionary time"
Zhuoyue Shi, PhD, Zhuang Lab
"Does m⁶A mRNA methylation protect against or contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?"
Zicheng Wang (He Lab)
Yena Woo, Kratsios Lab
"Uncovering the Role of Perisynaptic Schwann Cells in C9ORF72 ALS Muscle-Typic Vulnerability"