Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
Shri Mohan Jain
Keynote: An overview of biotechnology and mutation breeding for feeding the world
Time : 09:00-9:30
Biography:
Shri Mohan Jain, Plant biotechnologist, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. He received M. Phil, 1973 and Ph.D., 1978, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He was postdoctoral fellow in Israel, and USA; visiting Professor in Japan and Ital; Technical Officer, Plant Breeding and Genetics, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, 1999-2005. He is a member on editorial Board member of Euphytica, In Vitro, Propagation of Ornamental Plants, Emirates J. Food and Agriculture,; reviewer in Plant Cell Reports, Mutation Research, and Plant Cell Tissue Organ Culture. His publications are 130 in peer reviewed journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings, and edited 41books; invited speaker and acted as a Chair person in several international conferences worldwide. He was awarded Nobel Peace Prize, 2005 in commemoration the awarding to IAEA of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2005; also a consultant to IAEA, European Union, and the Egyptian Government.
Abstract:
Plant breeders are faced with new challenges such as climate change, human population growth, etc., which threaten to sustain food production worldwide. There are visible signs on the negative impact on world food production and rise in food price. Mutations are induced to enhance the mutation frequency rate since the rate of spontaneous mutations is very low and difficult to exploit by the plant breeders. Over 3000 officially released mutant varieties have been released worldwide (www.iaea.org). The main advantage of mutagenesis is the selection of mutants with multiple traits. By transgenic approach, single gene trait transgenic plants have been produced; moreover, consumers are not ready to accept genetically modified food. Bio-safety regulations are not applied to mutants. By using in vitro techniques plant regeneration is successful of all major food and horticultural crops. Micropropagation via organogenesis is routinely used for clonal propagation of ornamental plants and other vegetative propagated plants, especially woody and fruits trees. Explant, e.g. shoot meristem is treated with mutagen and regenerate shoots followed by root formation; mutants are selected under the selection pressure e.g. disease, salt, drought. The selected mutant plants are transferred and evaluated in the greenhouse and finally to the field evaluation and use them for crossing with other varieties. An overview will highlight several mutants in different crops- tomato (drought and salt tolerant), banana (Black sigatoka and Fusarium wilt tolerant), date palm (Bayoud disease), and strawberry (Phytophthora cactorum tolerant), wheat (salt tolerant, and resistance to yellow rust, sesame (insect resistance), and rice (dwarf, salt tolerant).
Keynote Forum
Thomas McKeon
United States Department of Agriculture, USA
Keynote: A review of obstacles to production of ricinoleate in transgenic plant oils
Time : 09:30-10:00
Biography:
Thomas McKeon has received his PhD in Biochemistry at UC Berkeley with Postdoctoral Research in Plant Biochemistry at UC Davis. He has over 100 publications, mostly in Plant Lipid Enzymology and Molecular Biology. He is an Editor and author for a book chapter “Industrial Oil Crops”. He is an Editor for Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (BAB), a Board Member for American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) Biotechnology Division and International Society for Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB). He has organized conferences for ISBAB and for US-Japan Natural Resources (UJNR) Food and Agriculture Panel.
Abstract:
The castor oil plant produces a seed containing >50% oil with up to 90% ricinoleic acid, 12-hydroxy oleic acid. The presence of the mid-chain hydroxyl group imparts physical and chemical properties making castor oil uniquely useful as a feedstock for numerous products. However, limited production of castor has allowed petroleum derived products to displace many castor oil based products from the marketplace, despite better performance characteristics of the castor based products. The toxic protein ricin has impeded widespread cultivation of castor. As a result, there is great interest in developing transgenic plants that produce such hydroxy fatty acids (HFA). For over 50 years, biochemists and plant scientists have been challenged to elucidate the means, by which castor makes such unique oil. Identification of the oleoyl hydroxylase activity led to cloning expressing the hydroxylase gene in a transgenic plant resulting in <20% HFA. A number of enzymes involved in castor oil biosynthesis have been identified and some of these have been cloned and tested in model plants. The highest level of HFA achieved is 33%. This presentation will describe research results from our lab and review results of other researchers. The summary of research results to date allows us to identify both evolutionary considerations and competition from endogenous pathways as key factors limiting HFA oil content. Research aimed at enhancing HFA in transgenic oils will answer questions of fundamental value in understanding how seeds control oil and fatty acid content. However, focus on improving castor will ultimately support expanded castor oil production.
Keynote Forum
Radovan Komel
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Keynote: Potential human glioblastoma cancer markers identified with nanobody-based reverse proteomic approach
Time : 10:00-10:30
Biography:
Radovan Komel is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana. He pioneered gene technology and initiated medical molecular genetics in Slovenia. As a Founder and Head of the Medical Centre for Molecular Biology, he is coordinating national research program Functional Genomics and Biotechnology for Health. He has published more than 150 papers in reputed journals and has supervised 65 PhD/MSc theses. He is also a President of Slovenian Society for Natural Sciences, Editor of Proteus, a popular science journal and a Member of Editorial Board of Acta Chimica Slovenica. Presently he is Coordinating elaboration of Slovenian legislation concerning biomedicine and human genome.
Abstract:
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly lethal form of cancer where the standard therapies of surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy cannot significantly prolong the life expectancy of the patients. Tumor recurrence shows even more aggressive form compared to the primary tumors and cancer stem cells, resistant to conventional therapy, seem responsible for early relapse. There is a lack of GBM and GBM stem cell biomarkers specific enough to provide early diagnosis of the disease and efficient targeting therapy. The discovery of heavy-chain only antibodies (HCAbs) in camelids appears to have opened a new opportunity of searching for cancer markers and developing targeted treatment approaches. HCAb-derived nanobodies (Nbs) are small and stable single-domain antigen-binding fragments with a high degree of sequence identity to the human heavy chain variable domain which offer them advantages over classical antibodies. We immunized an alpaca with a human GBM stem-like cell line prepared from primary GBM cultures. A nanobody library was constructed in a phage display vector and using phage display technology, we selected specific GBM stem-like cell binders through a number of affinity selections. The selected nanobody clones were recloned, expressed in E. coli and purified by IMAC and size-exclusion chromatography. Specific nanobody-antigen pairs were obtained and MS analysis revealed ten proteins that were up-regulated in the GBM stem-like cells compared to the controls. Following application of Nb234 (anti-TRIM28) and Nb206 (anti-TufM) on different cell lines, variable distribution of TufM during the cell cycle and much higher toxic effect of both Nbs was observed on GBM compared to the control.
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology │ Nano Science & Nanotechnology
Chair
Jagdish Singh
North Dakota State University, USA
Co-Chair
Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Session Introduction
Jagdish Singh
North Dakota State University, USA
Title: Molecularly modified insulin for controlled delivery from triblock copolymers
Time : 11:00-11:20
Biography:
Jagdish Singh is a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at North Dakota State University School of Pharmacy and a Fellow of American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and Fellow of Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy. His research efforts focus on the mechanistic studies for developing and testing novel delivery technologies to deliver biotechnologically derived molecules. He has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers and 300 abstracts
Abstract:
The objective of the present work was to develop a delivery system for controlled release of insulin at basal level based on chitosan-zinc-insulin complex incorporated into poly (lactic acid)-poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic acid) (PLA-PEG-PLA, 4500 Da) thermosensitive polymer. In vitro release profile of insulin from the delivery system was studied in phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4 (PBS). A significant decrease (p<0.05) in the initial burst was observed from the formulation containing chitosan-zinc-insulin complex compared to zinc-insulin, chitosan-insulin and insulin alone. Additionally, the release of insulin was complete with minimal secondary burst. The polymeric formulations containing chitosan-zinc-insulin complex showed a long-term controlled release (~84 days) of insulin. The in vivo absorption and bioactivity of insulin released from the delivery systems were studied in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Chitosan-zinc-insulin complex significantly (P<0.05) reduced the initial burst release of insulin from the polymeric delivery system in comparison to zinc-insulin or insulin alone in vivo in rat. The delivery system released insulin for ~3 months in biologically active form with corresponding reduction in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The delivery systems were biocompatible both in vitro and in vivo and were non-immunogenic. The results indicate that the chitosan-zinc-insulin complex incorporated in the thermosensitive polymeric delivery system can be used as an alternative to the conventional daily basal insulin therapy
Jagdish Singh
North Dakota State University, USA
Title: Molecularly modified insulin for controlled delivery from triblock copolymers
Time : 11:00-11:20
Biography:
Jagdish Singh is a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at North Dakota State University School of Pharmacy and a Fellow of American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and Fellow of Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy. His research efforts focus on the mechanistic studies for developing and testing novel delivery technologies to deliver biotechnologically derived molecules. He has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers and 300 abstracts
Abstract:
The objective of the present work was to develop a delivery system for controlled release of insulin at basal level based on chitosan-zinc-insulin complex incorporated into poly (lactic acid)-poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic acid) (PLA-PEG-PLA, 4500 Da) thermosensitive polymer. In vitro release profile of insulin from the delivery system was studied in phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4 (PBS). A significant decrease (p<0.05) in the initial burst was observed from the formulation containing chitosan-zinc-insulin complex compared to zinc-insulin, chitosan-insulin and insulin alone. Additionally, the release of insulin was complete with minimal secondary burst. The polymeric formulations containing chitosan-zinc-insulin complex showed a long-term controlled release (~84 days) of insulin. The in vivo absorption and bioactivity of insulin released from the delivery systems were studied in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Chitosan-zinc-insulin complex significantly (P<0.05) reduced the initial burst release of insulin from the polymeric delivery system in comparison to zinc-insulin or insulin alone in vivo in rat. The delivery system released insulin for ~3 months in biologically active form with corresponding reduction in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The delivery systems were biocompatible both in vitro and in vivo and were non-immunogenic. The results indicate that the chitosan-zinc-insulin complex incorporated in the thermosensitive polymeric delivery system can be used as an alternative to the conventional daily basal insulin therapy
Paulo R. F. Rocha
Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany
Title: Ultra-sensitive drug delivery platform to detect minuscule electrical activity of glioma cell populations
Time : 11:20-11:40
Biography:
Paulo R. F. Rocha has completed his PhD from University of Algarve, Portugal, in 2014. Since 2014 he has been a post-doctoral researcher at Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany.
Abstract:
Detecting minuscule electrical activity of cell populations is a major challenge to electrophysiologists. To overcome such challenge, we built a highly sensitive measuring setup. The setup comprises a biosensor based on a metal/Si/SiO2/interdigitated gold electrode. Interferences were minimized with adequate shielding. To validate the extreme sensitivity of the measuring system, we investigated the electrical activity of large populations of two cell lines known to be electrically quiescent. The cell lines studied were the human cervix carcinoma cell line, HeLa, and C6 glioma cells. HeLa cells are supposed to be electrically quiet as they don’t originate from the brain or any other electrically excitable tissue. However, due to the high sensitivity of our measurement system, even the HeLa cells demonstrate fluctuations of their basal current level, which is much higher in amplitude than the background acquisition noise. The low frequency analysis of the HeLa cells reveals clear current fluctuations of about 3 pA. Measurement of glioma cells subtle electrical activity is typically hampered by the high background noise. Here, we detect glioma electrical behaviour without any physical disruption or interference into their physiology. The current noise analysis, performed with the sensing system determined that the glioma cell activity is primarily caused by the opening of voltage-gated Na+ and K+ ion channels and can be efficiently abolished using specific pharmacological inhibitors. We present here a unique tool to study the electrophysiological properties of large cell populations as an in vitro reference for tumour bulks in vivo.
Alonso Sylvie
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Title: Murine models of dengue and their utility for drug and vaccine testing
Time : 11:40-12:00
Biography:
Alonso Sylvie has completed her PhD in University Claude Bernard Lyon I, France and pursued her Postdoctoral studies at the Pasteur Institute of Lille, France and Cornell University, NY, USA. She has established her laboratory at NUS, Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She is also a Member of the Immunology program at the Life Sciences Institute, NUS. Her main interests lie in host-pathogen interactions with a focus on Dengue, Tuberculosis and Enterovirus 71. She has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of PLOS ONE and Frontiers in Immunotherapies and Vaccines.
Abstract:
Dengue (DEN), the most serious arthropod-borne viral disease, manifests as a mild febrile illness to life-threatening hemorrhage and vascular leakage. The development of an animal model has long been recognized as a major roadblock in understanding dengue pathogenesis and validating therapeutic and prophylactic strategies prior to clinical stages. Humans and mosquitoes are the natural hosts for dengue virus (DENV) in its urban cycle. While most immunocompetent mice are not susceptible to infection from all four DENV serotypes, type I & II interferon deficient mice may develop asymptomatic transient viremia and in few cases, relevant clinical manifestations. Furthermore, it is possible to reproduce the antibody-dependent enhancement of disease severity (ADE) in this mouse model. In this conference, we will present the various mouse models of dengue currently available in our laboratory, ranging from asymptomatic transient viremia to lethal models associated with vascular leakage or liver damage, two relevant clinical manifestations. We will also present our unique models of ADE mediated by maternal antibodies acquired during both gestation and breastfeeding. This mouse models platform has made our group visible to the Dengue research scene, and has attracted a significant number of collaborations, licensing and research service contracts with both industry partners and public institutions for evaluating the in vivo efficacy of prophylactic and therapeutic candidates.
Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Title: Optimization of palm based nanoemulsions for drug delivery systems
Time : 12:00-12:20
Biography:
Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman is currently the Professor of Chemistry at Universiti Putra Malaysia. He received his Ph.D in Catalysis Chemistry in 1999 at the University of Southampton, England. He developed skills in catalysis at synchrotron radiation in Daresbury and Grenoble, protein engineering at Osaka University and structural biology at the University of Edinburgh. His research areas include biocatalysis, protein chemistry, nanobiotechnology and computational chemistry. Professor Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman is among the pioneer chemists in this country to synergise experimental results with theoretical insights. He has published more than 170 cited papers and 300 proceedings in the wide field of biocatalysis. To date, more than 20 patent applications have been filed in Malaysia and 10 internationally. He has supervised and co-supervised more than 30 PhD and 35 MSc postgraduate students. He won Young Scientist recognition from various bodies including ACS, IUPAC and IAP. He is currently the Founding Chairman of the Young Scientists Network and also being elected as the Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
Abstract:
Nanoemulsions emerge as potential drug delivery systems in particular for cancer therapeutics either oral or pulmonary route. Lately, development in vegetable oil based nanoemulsions as a drug carrier system shows high possibility due to efficiency and stability. Palm based nanoemulsion consists of palm oil, surfactant, water and drug having a droplet size of less than 200 nm were developed systematically and optimized. It showed excellence physicochemical properties and also safe to be used in our body. Improvement on the nanodelivery of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and cancer drugs via palm based nanoemulsion will become very beneficial for the pharmaceutical applications.
Gautam Sethi
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Title: Targeted inhibition of transcription factor STAT3 for the prevention and treatment of cancer
Time : 12:20-12:40
Biography:
Gautam Sethi has completed his Postdoctoral training at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and joined Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore in 2008 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015. The focus of his research over the past few years has been to elucidate the mechanisms of activation of oncogenic transcription factors such as NF-kB/STAT3 by carcinogens and inflammatory agents and the identification of novel inhibitors of these proteins for prevention of and therapy for cancer. From traditional Chinese and Indian medicinal plants, his group has identified numerous small molecules that can suppress various pro-tumorigenic signaling cascades involved in cancer initiation and promotion. The novel findings of his research work have so far resulted in more than one fifty scientific publications in high impact factor peer-reviewed journals and several international awards. He currently serves as an Academic Editor for prestigious PLOS ONE journal and ad-hoc Reviewer for several other international journals.
Abstract:
STATs comprise a family of cytoplasmic transcription factors that transmit signals, mediate intracellular signaling usually generated at cell surface receptors and transmitted to the nucleus. Numerous studies have demonstrated constitutive activation of STAT3 in a wide variety of human tumors, including blood malignancies (leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myeloma) as well as solid tissues (such as head and neck, breast, lung, gastric, hepatocellular and prostate cancers). There is a strong evidence to suggest that aberrant STAT3 signaling promotes development and progression of human cancers by either inhibiting apoptosis or inducing cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. However, the development of novel drugs for the targeting STAT3 that is both safe and efficacious remains an important scientific and clinical challenge. We will present the data that shows that novel small molecule inhibitors of STAT3/JAK2 pathway can suppress the expression of genes involved in cancer initiation and promotion both in vitro and in vivo.
Teow Chong Teoh
University of Malaya, Malaysia
Title: In silico, In vitro and cytotoxicity investigations of biphenylalanine and its derivatives as potential hiv-1 gp120 attachment inhibitors entry inhibitor of HIV-1 gp120
Time : 12:40-13:00
Biography:
Dr. Teoh Teow Chong has completed his PhD Computational Chemistry from University of Malaya. Presently he a senior lecturer in Faculty of Science at Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
Abstract:
In this study, molecular modelling and docking of gp120-CD4 protein complex crystal structure (PDBID: 1g9n) was used to design a novel attachment inhibitor, biphenylalanine, and its derivatives (BPAs) that target HIV-1 gp120 and prevent its binding to CD4 on host cell. Molecular docking results by AutoDock Vina showed that L-biphenylalanine has highest binding probability than D-biphenylalanine and L-methyl-biphenylalanine and exhibited low negative docked energy. The CD4 capture ELISA experiments indicated that L-biphenylalanine has an IC50 at 200µM. BPAs were non-toxic up to 400µM in the Vero cell cytotoxicity test. In addition, BPAs fulfil “the Lipinski rule of five†criteria as good drug candidates.
Hoe-Han Goh
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Title: Omics approach in the study of natural hybridization in Nepenthes species
Time : 13:50-14:10
Biography:
Hoe-Han Goh was graduated from the University of Sheffield, UK. He has started his first academic position at the Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan (National University) Malaysia in Nov 2011. He has trained himself on the applications of NGS by attending courses and workshops on NGS data analysis held at BGI-Shenzhen and TGAC UK. Since then, he has established a plant functional genomics research group with a focus on crop improvement and molecular exploration of tropical plant species using NGS and functional genomics approaches. In Jun 2014, he was appointed as Head of Plant Biotechnology Centre.
Abstract:
The Nepenthes genus consists of carnivorous plants that have evolved intricate pitcher formation at the tip of their leaves for nutrient acquisition from insect trapping. Previous studies reported several proteins present in the pitcher fluid, including aspartic proteases (nepenthesin I and II) and pathogenesis related proteins (β-1, 3-glucanase, class IV chitinase and thaumatin like protein) which are enzymatically stable albeit exposed to external environment. We are interested in understanding the effect of natural hybridization on the expression of enzymes in the pitcher fluids of Nepenthes. N. ampullaria, N. rafflesiana and their natural hybrid, Nepenthes x hookeriana were chosen as the model due to the distinct feeding habits of N. ampullaria as a detritivore which feeds on leaf litter, while N. rafflesiana and Nepenthes x hookeriana remain carnivorous. To identify novel proteins in the pitcher fluids will require transcript information for the inference of peptide sequences through proteomics informed by transcriptomics (PIT) approach. PacBio isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) provides unprecedented full length transcriptome profiles of all three species as reference databases for protein identification. Comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed through orthologous clustering of predicted peptide sequences. The hybrid, Nepenthes x hookeriana has the highest number of predicted proteins, whereby more proteins were shared with N. rafflesiana than N. ampullaria. This is consistent with previous genetic study and morphological observation. We are currently investigating allele specific gene expression and whether novel transcripts are generated as a consequence of hybridization
Hong Zhao
Wuhan University, China
Title: 2Gy, 6Gy, 8Gy, 10Gy may be some ideal fractional doses with the better biological response
Time : 14:10-14:30
Biography:
Zhao Hong is a MD student of the Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University. Her tutor is Prof. Yunfeng Zhou who is the director of Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Hubei key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Radiotherapy quality control center. She has completed her Master’s degree from the same department of the same University, she has published 1 paper as co-author in reputed journal. Her major fields of interest are metabolomics and radiosensitivity of cancer.
Abstract:
To study the radiation response of the cancer cells to different fractional dose irradiation and explore the ideal fractional dose. Methods: Observe the variability of cell cycle, cell proliferation, apoptosis, DNA damage and repair and the expression of related proteins of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-435 which was administrated by different dose of X-ray irradiation (0Gy, 2Gy, 4Gy, 6Gy, 8Gy, 10Gy, 12.5Gy, 15Gy, 20Gy). Flow cytometry was used to observe the rate of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, CCK8 method and colony formation assay were used to examine cell proliferation, the expression of DNA damage and repair and other related proteins were detected with western blotting.
- Medical Biotechnology │Agricultural Biotechnology
Chair
Petr Malý
BIOCEV Research Center, Czech Republic
Co-Chair
Lei Yang
Wuhan University, China
Session Introduction
Philippe Ellul
Agropolis International, France
Title: Biotech and innovative breeding for the new Agri-Food System CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs)
Time : 14:30-14:50
Biography:
Philippe Ellul holds a PhD in Plant Biotechnology from the University Polytechnic of Valencia, Spain. As a Researcher, he was involved in EU and Spanish national and regional projects (1997-2005) focused on vegetables’ improvement for developing crops with increased salt and drought tolerance, resistance to biotic stresses, modified architecture, parthenocarpic or long shelf life fruits. As an Assistant Professor, he taught genetics, plant biotech & breeding and supervised master’s degree and PhD theses for agricultural engineers in Spain, Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador. He has worked for the private sector (2005-13) managing international R&D collaborations and designing innovative approaches combining genomics, molecular and cellular biology to support breeding programs. He has joined CGIAR in 2013 and is actively involved in the monitoring of the programs and the design of the second portfolio (2017-22). He has published international papers and patents
Abstract:
CGIAR’s mission is to design and apply innovative science to convert the 21st century’s grand challenges into prosperous and more equitable opportunities for people of the developing world. Food and nutrition security, biodiversity, climate change, natural resources management are globally identified (G20) as strategic priorities for both developed and developing countries. With its 15 research Centers (IRRI, CIMMYT, CIAT, CIP, etc...) collaborating in 12 CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) and 3 platforms (Genebank, Big Data & Genetic Gain), CGIAR is involved in a reform process initiated in 2008 and entering in phase 2 for 2017-22 (Strategic Research Framework, 2015). Eight of the new CRPs are Agri-Food System programs involved in the improvement of staple crops (maize, wheat, rice, potato, Sorghum, etc...), livestock and fish. Most of these programs are collaborating in South Asian integration countries for increased impact. These programs are engaged in genomic analysis as maize and wheat with the seed of discovery project, RICE collaborating with CAAS and BGI for re-sequencing 3,000 lines of rice (and very soon 10,000) or RTB (Root Tubers and Banana) re-sequencing 1,200 cassava accessions. Accurate prediction of phenotype from genotype through genomics-assisted breeding is now feasible in crops or livestock. Millions of genotyping data are produced in high throughput genotyping platforms and used by pre-breeders in parallel with the breeding information phenotyping and field trials necessarily compiled in a modern and standardized breeding management system. Innovative computational methods are being designed and shared to support the management, collation, curation, visualization and analysis of multivariate, complex data sets to improve the identification of causative connections between genotype and phenotype and between phenotype and landscape. For rice agro-ecosystems, emerging concepts and technologies will form a key flagship (FP5) of the new RICE AFS full proposal aiming to accelerate genetic gain by capitalizing on breeding material, knowledge, and tools developed from in a first phase (GRiSP 2011-16). Novel biotech approaches including genome editing and blue-sky research such as systems biology and C4 rice project for developing a rice plant switched to C4 photosynthetic engine and adapted anatomical attributes, will be implemented. Analytical pipelines are being developed through Centers and CRP partnerships such as the Genetic Gains platform and the Genomic and Open-source Breeding Informatics Initiative (GOBII) to accelerate genetic gain. An emerging related-issue is the human capacity to design and implement such innovative approaches. Pre-breeders skilled in quantitative genetics, mapping analysis, genomics, biotechnology or breeding populations design are being trained and incorporated into the new AFS programs. We will describe how CGIAR breeding programs are evolving to deliver multiple benefits based on diverse biotech innovations.
Petr Maly
BIOCEV Research Center, Czech Republic
Title: Targeting IL-23/Th17 pro-inflammatory axis by novel non-immunoglobulin protein binders with an immunosuppressive potential
Time : 14:50-15:10
Biography:
Petr Maly is the Head of Laboratory of Ligand Engineering at the Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences in Vestec near Prague, Czech Republic. He has studied at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague and completed his Doctorate at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, ASCR in Prague. He has completed his Postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of Pathology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Michigan Medical School, USA, in the laboratory of Professor John B. Lowe where he has published several substantial papers related to in vivo role of mammalian glycosyltransferases. Since 1998 to 2005 he was a Research Group Leader at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Prague. He has also worked as Visiting Scientist at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Oklahoma Center for Medical Glycobiology, College of Medicine, the University of Oklahoma, USA. He was a Participating Investigator of Consortium for Functional Glycomics, USA (2001-2008) and Member of Editorial Board (2001-2005) and Editor (since 2003) of the Czech Journal “Biologicke listy”. Since 2008, he has been working on development of combinatorial protein libraries derived from small protein scaffolds and construction of novel high-affinity protein binders with therapeutic and diagnostic potential.
Abstract:
IL-23 receptor-mediated signaling has recently been closely associated with development of several chronic autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. Recently we generated novel IL-23 receptor antagonists (called REX ligands) derived from scaffold of albumin-binding domain (ABD) that exhibited immunosuppressive control over IL-23-driven ex vivo expansion of primary human Th-17+ T-cells. Due to small size, excellent tissue penetration and self-refolding activity, these binders represent a valuable non-immunoglobulin alternative for development of topically-administrated anti-psoriatic biologicals. As the structure of IL-23/IL-23R complex is unavailable and a precise mode of interaction remains unknown, designing more efficient IL-23 inhibitors is cumbersome. Following our concept, we generated a novel class of binding proteins targeting p19 subunit of human IL-23 cytokine. These unique proteins, called ILP binders, were selected from high-complex ABD-derived combinatorial library in combination with ribosome display. From 214 clones analyzed by ELISA, Western blot and DNA sequencing, 53 provided 35 different sequence variants that were further characterized. Using in silico docking in combination with cell-surface competition binding assay we identified a group of inhibitory candidates that substantially diminished binding of recombinant p19 to the IL-23 receptor on human monocytic THP-1 cells. Several found p19-blocking variants inhibited IL-23-driven expansion of IL-17-producing primary human CD4+ T-cells. Thus, these novel binders represent unique IL-23-targeted probes useful for IL-23/IL-23R epitope mapping studies and could be used for designing novel p19/IL-23-targeted anti-inflammatory
Kampon Sriwatanakul
Asian Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Thailand
Title: Applications of stem cell therapy in regenerative medicine in Asian countries
Time : 15:10-15:30
Biography:
Kampon Sriwatanakul is an internationally recognized pioneer of stem cell therapy, received MD degree and PhD degree from Mahidol University where he had an academic career for more than 35 years. He has also received training in Clinical Pharmacology from University of Leicester, UK and University of Rochester, USA. Apart from publishing more than 40 publications in international journals, he has spearheaded a number of important research and development activities related to stem cell technology in Thailand, including setting up of cord blood and tooth cell banking.
Abstract:
Stem cell therapy is an emerging form of healthcare that offers significant potential to improve the practice of medicine. Despite the large number of cell therapy are in clinical trials, relatively few have made it to the market in the United States. In Asia, Korea seems to develop cell therapy products more rapidly than other countries. In Asian countries, we attempt to promote the applications of stem cell therapy in regenerative medicine. The PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) kit is currently in the process of seeking FDA approval as a Class II medical device. Clinical trials were conducted to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of this innovative kit in the treatments of facial rejuvenation and mild to moderate cases of knee joint osteoarthritis (OA). The results demonstrated the consistent effects in stimulating cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. There were statistically significant differences regarding the general appearance, facial skin firmness, sagging and wrinkle states before each PRP procedure and 3 months after the last PRP procedure. The intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) plus PRP could strongly rescue the meniscus tear and cartilage breakdown. The combination of HA and PRP can synergistically promote cartilage regeneration and inhibit OA inflammation. These studies might offer advanced treatments for facial rejuvenation and alternative OA treatments based on regenerative mechanisms.
Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir
Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Malaysia
Title: Genetic engineering for sustainable improvement of oil palm
Time : 15:30-15:50
Biography:
Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir is the Director of Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). He has completed his PhD on Plant Genetic Engineering at the Universiti Putra Malaysia under Asian Development Bank’s Scholarship. He was also appointed by the Honorable Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Malaysia to Chair the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC) under the National Biosafety Board from 25th May 2010 to 24th May 2016
Abstract:
Oil palm is the most productive vegetable oil crop that can be used either as edible foodstuff or industrial feedstock. Systematic progress in conventional breeding, application of good agriculture practices among others has allowed the oil palm industry to obtain a solid footing in South East Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, to remain competitive in the long term, diversification of research into profitable areas, such as palm biotechnology is a necessity. Biotechnology offers tremendous opportunities for further improvement of oil palm yields. The idea is to deploy appropriate biotechnology tools to obtain highest yielding trees, with good quality oil and minimal environmental footprint. In this regard, MPOB made a major breakthrough in sequencing the genome of oil palm, which allowed the identification of genes influencing important agronomic traits. Conversion of these discoveries into molecular diagnostic assays will also help improve breeding efficiency. Apart from conventional breeding, MPOB also has an active tissue culture program to clone the highest yielding palms. Uniformity of planting materials via cloning, offers the opportunity to increase yields up to 30%. However, abnormalities observed in a small percentage of the clones, has restricted large scale commercialization. Nonetheless, it has opened up opportunities for deciphering the epigenome of oil palm to understand molecular basis of clonal abnormality. Developing transgenic technologies has also been an important component in MPOB’s R&D efforts to further diversify the use of palm oil. The main focus has been to develop high oleate oil palm for the high value oleochemical industry. Biotechnology efforts towards increasing oil palm production will contribute to world food security.
Lei Yang
Wuhan University, China
Title: Suppression of TPP1 resulted in telomere dysfunction and enhanced radiosensitivity in cancer cells regardless of telomerase status
Time : 16:10-16:30
Biography:
Lei Yang has completed his PhD/MD in 2014 from Wuhan University, China. He has worked in the Department of Radiation oncology & Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University for 1 year. His main research field is the role of telomere and telomerase in anti-cancer therapy.
Abstract:
Radiotherapy is one of the major therapeutic strategies in can¬cer treatment and identifying new factors that predict radioresistance could be of great value in the treatment of cancers. Telomere homeostasis is now emerging as an effective and important factor in modulating cellular sensitivity to ionizing radiation. The telomere-binding protein TPP1, an important component of the shelterin complex at mammalian telomeres, is an important regulator of telomere homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the role of TPP1 expression in regulating cellular radiosensitivity and telomere homeostasis in both telomerase positive (HCT116) and alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) cell lines (U2OS). We found that TPP1 deletion lead to a significant increase of radiosensitivity to X-rays in both telomerase positive (HCT116) and alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) cell lines (U2OS). TPP1 mediated radiosensitization was correlated with increased telomere dysfunction and apoptosis rate after IR exposure. Moreover, TPP1 deletion slowed down the repair kinetics of total DNA damage and telomere dysfunction induced by ionizing radiation. Together, our study demonstrated that TPP1 plays a vital role in telomere maintenance and cellular response to ionizing radiation and may be a potential target in the radiotherapy of cancer regardless of telomerase status.
Mohammad Nazrul Islam
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh
Title: Effects of low level laser (diode 830 nm) therapy (LLLT) on human bone regeneration
Time : 16:30-16:50
Biography:
Mohammad Nazrul Islam has completed his MBBS degree from Dhaka University and later MSc (BME) from Gonobiswabidyalaya, Bangladesh. He is the founding Head of Biomedical and Medical Biotechnology Department of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh. He has published papers in reputed professional, national and international forum, journals and continues academic research work at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Institute and Hospital since 2007
Abstract:
Tissue healing is a complex process that involves both local and systemic responses and the healing process of bone is much slower than that of soft tissues which is a great challenge of medical science. The use of Laser Therapy (LLLT) for wound/bone healing has been shown to be effective by modulating both local and systemic response by enhancing cellular & mitochondrial ion exchange, bone mineralization, nitric oxide formation, lymphatic circulation, osteoblast proliferation, effects on osteoblast gene expression, osteoclast inhibition (prevents bone mineral resorption) and by bone engraftment on synthetic materials. The result observed here is that the bone density in the laser treated group, at fracture site, at the end of 3rd week is equivalent to the bone density of control group at the end of 4th week of incidence. Treatment with 830 nm diode laser has substantially reduced the fracture healing time as well as improved the quality/quantity of callus formation of the patient; thus accelerates bone regeneration and enhance fracture healing. Laser biostimulative effects on bone could be a new dimension for bone regeneration which significantly reduce healing period, lessen cost of treatment and enhance patient compliance.
Hong Zhao
Wuhan University, China
Title: Glucose metabolism related enzymes may become some ideal targets to increase radiosensitivity of cancer cell
Time : 16:50-17:10
Biography:
Zhao Hong is a MD student of the Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University. Her tutor is Prof. Yunfeng Zhou who is the director of Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Hubei key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Radiotherapy quality control center. She has completed her Master’s degree from the same department of the same University, she has published 1 paper as co-author in reputed journal. Her major fields of interest are metabolomics and radiosensitivity of cancer
Abstract:
To establish a radioresistant cell line of cancer cells and investigate the proteins related to glucose metabolism, find out the differences between them. Methods: established radioresistant cell line (435R) of breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-435 through exposed to continuous X-ray radiation(2Gy a day for five days a week and a total dose of 60Gy), the radiation resistance of cells was detected by colony formation assay. Enzymes that related to the glucose metabolism of the cells were detected at the level of transcription and translation levels. The changes of the metabolite concentrations were detected with the special kits.
Han Wu
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China
Title: VCPA, a novel synthetic derivative based on α-tocopheryl succinate, sensitize gastric cancer cells to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway
Biography:
Han Wu is currently pursuing her PhD from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. She has completed her MD in Oncology from the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. She has performed studied on primary hepatocyte isolation and culture, establishment of liver disease model such as DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis in mouse and rat, DMN-induced acute hepatic failure in rat and tumor metabolism. She has successfully applied for the National Natural Science Foundation of China grant (NO: 31371440) as the principle person. And now her main research field is the drug resistant in abdominal tumors. She has published two papers as co-author in reputed journals.
Abstract:
Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most common malignancies, especially in East Asia. Although surgical resection is the main method in curing cancer, chemotherapy remains an important treatment to avoid tumor recurrence and metastasis. Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most effective and widely used chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of various malignancies. And it is also widely used to treat GC in combination regimens with etoposide, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. However, the dose-dependent adverse effects significantly limit its efficacy. Previous researches demonstrated that dysregulation of apoptosis pathway is a fundamental, common aberration adapted by of most cancer cells to survive, proliferate and metastasis. Hence, we have recently proposed a novel synthetic derivative VCPA as a chemosensitive agent, which could enhance the efficacy of DOX and thereby reducing the DOX doses. GC cell lines SGC7901, AGS, MKN28 and MGC803 were used to investigate the cytotoxicity under VCPA treated. The IC50 doses for 48 hours were 19.96 uM, 10.67 uM, 11.30 uM and 14.01 uM, respectively. The inhibition of VCPA was displayed in a dose and time dependent manner. Pretreatment of GC cells with VCPA at IC50 for 24 hours significantly enhanced the inhibition of DOX both in vitro and in vivo. Even the DOX-resistant GC cells displayed apoptosis after pretreatment. This drug combination strategy caused rapid production of ROS in GC cells. And the response of GC cells to the drug correlated with induction of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, inhibition of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, activation of caspase-3 and finally promoting PARP cleavage. Collectively, these results imply that VCPA, a novel synthetic derivative based on α-tocopheryl succinate, potentiates DOX induced apoptosis in GC cells and is in sight to reduce patient adverse response to DOX. One of the potential mechanisms by which the pretreated combination therapy has synergistic cytotoxic effects against gastric cancer may be through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.
Xiaojia Gao
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China
Title: UBE2D3 gene overexpression increases radiosensitivity of EC109 esophageal cancer cells
Time : 17:10-17:30
Biography:
Xiaojia Gao completed his Bachelor's degree from Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2013. He is currently completing his Master's degree in radiation-guided gene therapy of cancer at Wuhan University, China. He took part in the group of Prof. Yunfeng Zhou who has been the head of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. He has published 2 papers in national journals and presented results of his research at a national conference
Abstract:
Radiotherapy is widely used in adjuvant approaches for esophageal cancer (EsC) to reduce local recurrence and improve survival. However, the overall 5-year survival was about 17% over the past few decades. Therefore, find an effective way to improve the effect of radiotherapy is vital. We have been engaged in this work for 15 years. Not only radiosensitivity is associated with a collection of associated proteins and telomere, we found, but also telomerase. Telomerase is, furthermore, regulated by post-translational modifications of the ratelimiting catalytic subunit hTERT. We had used yeast two-hybrid method to identify UBE2D3 encoding an E2 ligase which is a principle hTERT-interacting protein, and inhibition of UBE2D3 expression attenuates radiosensitivity of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by increasing hTERT expression and activity, and we found that UBE2D3 is negatively correlated with hTERT expression and is a positive prognostic factor in EsC. To verify a possible contribution of UBE2D3 to tumor cell radiosensitivity, esophageal squamous carcinoma cells (EC109 cells) were transfected with the expression plasmid encoding UBE2D3, and stable transfectants were subsequently established. UBE2D3-overexpressing cells exhibited an increased incorporation of radiosensitivity, to further investigate the mechanism, the CCK-8 assay was used to confirm cell proliferation, which showed that UBE2D3 downgrades EC109 cells propagation. Moreover, cell cycle distribution was examed by flow cytometry, UBE2D3 overexpression in EC109 cells causes prolonged G1 arrest after IR exposure, on the contrary , G2/M shortened. We, then, detected the protein expression about ATM/ATR-Chk2 pathway by western blotting, which in UBE2D3-overexpressing cells showed decrease after irradiation. And overexpression of UBE2D3 decreases the protein level of hTERT relative to the control cell line. Subsequently, we immunoprecipitated with anti-hTERT antibody followed by immunoblotting with anti-ubquitin antibody to examine the in vivo role of UBE2D3 in ubiquitination of hTERT. Overexpression of UBE2D3 caused a clear and dramatic increase in the amount of ubiquitinated hTERT species after 2h of specific proteasome inhibitor MG132 treatment, which points out hTERT may be degraded by the proteasome pathway. To determine whether this change can influence the telomere length, we used real-time PCR to test the relative telomere length, and result suggests that overexpressed UBE2D3 is negative correlation with telomere extension. In conclusion, these findings suggest that UBE2D3 may be a potential target in the radiotherapy of EsC.