【Upcoming event】 We will hold the iCONM/CHANGE academic Seminar online.
Dec. 18 (Mon) 14:00～16:00 (The web meeting room will be open at 13:45)
Lecture ①
Title：Exploring hypothalamic neurons and microglia: a strategic action plan to combat obesity
Speaker： Rosalia Rodriguez-Rodriguez, PhD
Affiliation：Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona)
Position：Associate Professor,
Head of the Biomedical Sciences Unit UI
Lecture ②
Title：Neuro-metabolic models: unravelling brain influence on metabolic disorders
Speaker： Xavier Muñoz Berbel, PhD
Affiliation：Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC)
Position：Tenure-track researcher
Holding method: ZOOM Webinar*web conferencing software. we will let you know URL by the day before only forparticipants.
Language: English
Registration Form
https://forms.gle/p4NxwskN96vBphYx7
Registration: by Tuesday, December 12, until 12 p.m.

Title：Exploring hypothalamic neurons and microglia: a strategic action plan to combat obesity
Abstract：
The continuously rising incidence and prevalence of obesity involves an urgent need touncover new molecular pathways with therapeutics potential. The brain, and in particular thehypothalamus, is a major integrator of metabolic signals from peripheral tissues that regulates
functions such as feeding behavior and energy expenditure. The capacity of the hypothalamus
to sense the nutritional state to maintain these functions is altered in obesity. An emerging
line of research has pointed out that neuronal lipid metabolism and microglia dynamics playa critical role in regulating energy balance. Here we focus on neuronal carnitine
palmitoyltransferases 1 (CPT1), a family responsible for the metabolism of long-chain fatty
acids, and on the JNK inflammatory pathway in both neurons and microglia. These arepromising targets in the management of appetite, body weight control and insulin resistanceat early stages of the disease but also in aging. Finally, the development of innovative
platforms based on nanomedicines targeting these processes in either neurons or microglia
in the hypothalamus is a challenging but a potential next generation therapy to treat obesity.
Speaker： Rosalia Rodriguez-Rodriguez, PhD
Affiliation：Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona)
Position：Associate Professor,
Head of the Biomedical Sciences Unit UIC
URL：https://www.uic.es/neurolipid-grouphttps://www.uic.es/en/teacher/rrodriguez＜CV＞
Rosalia Rodriguez-Rodriguez, PhD in Pharmacology, Associate professor, and Head ofBiomedicine in UIC Barcelona, has more than 15 years’ research experience in theinvestigation of obesity and related cardiometabolic complications in cellular and animalmodels, through national and international institutions. Her current research is the study themolecular mechanisms in the hypothalamus underlying obesity and the generation of drugdelivery systems for selective targeting of brain cells. She has been PI of 6 researchnational/international projects and participated in >15 projects related to this investigation.
She recently led a bilateral Spain-Japan project with Dr Quader (iCONM) to generate polymericnanoparticles targeting brain lipid metabolism. A major aim of her research is particularly
related with targets in the hypothalamus of importance for energy homeostasis such as acarnitine palmitoyltransferases, endocannabinoid hydrolases, and JNK-related inflammatory
pathways in neurons and microglia. In summary, she has co-authored 76 publications (Hindex=25 and 1900 citations in Scopus) and 2 patents, supervised 16 students(undergraduates, master and PhD), 6 research awards, and is Associate Editor of the section“Obesity” in Frontiers. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6908-7197

Title：Neuro-metabolic models: unravelling brain influence on metabolic disorders
Abstract：
Due to future restrictions on animal studies, novel in vitro models are necessary, which
provide more reliable and accurate results than conventional in vitro cell cultures. In thissense, organ-on-a-chip systems emulating liver, kidneys, lungs, vessels or even brain functions
have been already developed, although difficult to implement as routine analysis systems.
One of the main problems is on the difficulty to adequately monitor the conditions andevolution of the model after stimuli. In this sense, the integration of sensing elements is still
one of the main drawbacks due to the complexity of sensing under physiological conditions.
On the one hand, the integrated sensors suffer from ageing and biofouling, which compromise
their performance and makes necessary continuous recalibration steps. On the other hand,calibration solutions may compromise cell culture viability and function.
In this talk, several strategies for the development of neuro-metabolic models to study obesityand diabetes are presented, which based on the compartmentalization of the chip and/or theimplementation of new transduction mechanisms less sensitive to ageing or biofouling.
Speaker： Xavier Muñoz Berbel, PhD
Affiliation：Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC)
Position：Tenure-track researcher,
URL：
http://gtq.imb-cnm.csic.es/en/equipo/xavier-munoz-berbel＜CV＞
I am PhD in biotechnology (2008) and tenure-track researcher at the IMB-CNM (CSIC) from2020. I developed unprecedented analytical tools based on microelectronic technologies inSpain (CSIC, University of Seville), France (University of Perpignan), U.K. (University of Bath),
Denmark (Aarhus University) and The Netherlands (Groningen University), aiming to resolve
important biological questions of clinical interest. Along my career, I have participated in morethan 30 projects from FP7, H2020, HE calls and National calls, being PI of 14 and coordinatorof 10. I am co-author of +70 publications, with +1700 citations (H-index = 24), +20 proceeding
and 3 book chapters. I am co-inventor of 15 patents (3 licensed), I have participate in +80
congresses (15 by invitation) and supervised 9 PhDs. I am Associated Editor of the MPDI
journal “Diagnostics” and the responsible of the Lab on Chip section.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6447-5756