PHARMAMEET2023

Dr. Gradimir Dimitrijevic has 30 years of experience in transfusion medicine, most of the time as an expert in clinical transfusion but with very good experience in therapeutic apheresis and donor apheresis, as well as, blood component therapy. From a few years ago introduced irradiation of blood components in Serbia, in Novi Sad, and most of the blood components that are irradiated are for oncology, and hematology, in adults and children. He is more than 15 years dealing with Siberian natural products, some Chinese, one African, and one South American. All are extremely effective and helpful. This is his experience in all this together.

Brian Blagg is the Charles Huisking Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Director of the Warren Family Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development at Notre Dame. After earning B.A.’s in Chemistry and Environmental Studies at Sonoma State University, and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Utah (Dale Poulter), he received an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship and performed research at The Scripps Research Institute with Dale Boger. Blagg started his independent career in medicinal chemistry at the University of Kansas in 2002. In the fall of 2017, he moved to the University of Notre Dame wherein his lab continues to focus on chaperone proteins and protein folding in relation to cancer and neurodegeneration. Cancers are inherently more dependent on chaperone proteins because of their constant division and cellular stress. Consequently, Blagg’s team works to selectively inhibit chaperone proteins to halt cancer growth. In contrast, his lab also studies the potential for utilizing chaperones to re-fold malfunctioning and/or aggregated proteins for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and glaucoma.

Mufeed J. Ewadh has expertise in many fields of biochemistry research in his institute dealing with health problem, herbal extraction, alternative medicine . He participated in many international and local conferences and workshops which deal with improvement of biochemical research to increase people awareness about its role. He participated in a post-doctorate course at Marburg University (Germany) in 2005, and he participated in the electrophoresis workshop in japan for two weeks as well as in the biochemical workshop in Leipzig (Germany) / in 2016.His postgraduate supervision deals with many graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.)Which focuses on publishing more than 140 papers in different local and international journals. His interest in publishing research papers made his institute nominate him as the best professor for two years (2003),(2009). He is the chief editor of the most famous journal in Iraq (Medical Journal of Babylon ) and he got many rewards during his scientific life.

Dr. Subhash C. Basak is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth,USA. Dr. Basak received his PhD degree in biochemistry from the University of Calcutta, India. During the past four decades he has pioneered research in the development of novel mathematical chemodescriptors and biodescriptors principally via applications of discrete mathematics on chemical and biological systems. He also published extensively on the use of such descriptors along with proper statistical methods in drug design, predictive toxicology, characterization of emerging global pathogens as well as nanotoxicology. He hascollaborated with over fifty research scientists located in four continents, viz., Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, whom he fondly calls members of his “virtual team”. Such collaborations resulted in the publication of more than 300 journal papers, 35 book chapters, and review article. He has been involved in the publication of four books as editor/ co-editor: 1) Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches for Network Analysis, Matthias Dehmer and Subhash C. Basak,Editors, Wiley, 2012 ; 2) Advances in Mathematical Chemistry and Applications, Volume 1 & 2, Subhash C. Basak, Guillermo Restrepo, and Jose Luis Villaveces, Editors, Elsevier & Bentham, 201; 3) Zika virus: Basic biology, surveillance, vaccine design and anti-Zika drug discovery: Computer-assisted strategies to combat the menace, Subhash C. Basak, Apurba K.Bhattacharjee and Ashesh Nandy (Editors); Nova Science Publishers, 2019; 4) Big Data Analytics in Chemoinformatics and Bioinformatics (with applications to computer-aided drug design, cancer biology, emerging pathogens and computational toxicology), Subhash C. Basak and Marjan Vracko (Eds.), Elsevier, in press, 2022. Dr. Basak and coworkers developed three software, viz. POLLY, APProbe, and Triplet, for the calculation of molecular chemodescriptors of chemicals. Such software found applications in pharmaceutical drug design by companies, quantitative structure-activity/ property relationship (QSAR/ QSPR) studies for property/ bioactivity estimation, and hazard assessment of chemicals. Dr. Basak has been the Chairperson from USA of two continuing internationalworkshop series on mathematical chemistry and since 1998 organized thirteen international workshops on mathematical chemistry in North America, South America, and Asia. Some specific areas of his research include: a) Formulation of new topological indices, b) Study of intercorrelation of molecular descriptors, c) Carrying out Hierarchical quantitative structure-activity relationship (HiQSAR) studies using topological, geometrical, and quantum chemical descriptors, d) Formulation of quantitative molecular similarity analysis (QMSA) and tailored QMSA methods for analog selection, e) Use of QMSA methods in the analysis of large combinatorial chemicallibraries, f) Development of new mathematical descriptors for the characterization of DNA/ RNA sequences, g) Exploration of novel mathematical techniques for the quantification of proteomics data, h) Development of new indices for the characterization of molecular chirality, i) Development of Differential QSAR (DiffQSAR) models to understand molecular basis of drug resistance, j) Use of algorithmically calculated descriptors to predict toxic modes of action (MOAs) of pollutants, k) Use of computational chemistry in the design of novel mosquito repellents, l) Development of Mathematical nanotoxicoproteomics models, m) Study of proper statistical methods for assessing model fit by cross-validation, n)Exploration of Intrinsic Dimensionality of Chemical Spaces for Robust QSAR Model Development, o) Study the role of Big Data in New Drug Discovery, p) Study of Computer-Assisted Approaches for the Rational Design of Peptide Vaccines, and q)Exploration of the philosophical basis of mathematical chemistry. He is a full member of the International Academy of Mathematical Chemistry (IAMC) and the current Editor-in-Chief(EIC) of the international journal: Current Computer Aided Drug Design(CCADD).

Professor Richardson holds the Alan Mackay-Sim Distinguished Chair of Cancer Cell Biology at Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, and I am a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Senior Principal Research Fellow.

He is a multi-disciplinary medicinal chemist/biochemist/pharmacologist whose career has spanned metabolism, medicinal chemistry, drugdesign /development /commercialization, cancer biology, and neurobiology. Professor Richardson has published 460 articles, reviews, patents, chapters, etc., over his career with >93% as first, senior, or corresponding author (H-index: 100; >43,000 citations over entire career; Google Scholar 12/1/22; with >18,500 citations over the past 5 years and H-index of 60 over the past 5 years; Google Scholar 12/1/22).

Recently, he was awarded the international Otto Krayer Award in Pharmacology 2022 from the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).
Professor Richardson is Executive Editor of BBA-General Subjects and has served on the Ed. Boards of 49 journals, including JBC, Antioxidants Redox Signaling, Biochem. J., Free Rad. Biology Med., Pharmacol. Res., J. Clin. Pathology (Assoc. Ed.), Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biology, BBA-Mol. Cell. Res., Mol. Pharmacol., Pharmacol. Res., Cancers, etc.

As a major translational research achievement, he developed the anti-cancer and anti-metastatic drug, DpC, which overcomes P-glycoprotein-mediated resistance and up-regulates the potent metastasis suppressor, NDRG1. This has led to the commercialization of DpC and the international company, Oncochel Therapeutics LLC, USA, and its Australian subsidiary, Oncochel Therapeutics Pty Ltd.

DpC entered multi-centre Phase I clinical trials for advanced and resistant cancer. These anti-cancer drugs target the lysosome via the P-glycoprotein transporter.

Dr. Imagawa is Chief of the Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery at The University of California, Irvine (UCI) Medical Center. His clinical focus is the treatment of liver, pancreas, bile duct and gallbladder cancers. He is also an expert in the prevention of and the treatment of, bile duct injuries during cholecystectomy. Dr. Imagawa’s research interests include topics relating to the treatment of liver, bile duct and pancreatic cancers. He has been involved as principal or co-investigator in over 120 clinical trials. He has over 130 articles published in peer reviewed journals and is the author of numerous book chapters and abstracts. He currently serves as an ad hoc reviewer for Transplantation, World Journal of Surgery, Annals of Surgery, Liver Transplantation, American Journal of Transplantation, HPB Surgery, and Archives of Surgery. Dr. Imagawa is a member of the Association of Academic Surgeons, The American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the Pacific Coast Surgical Society and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is also actively involved in service in the community and presently participates as a member of the American Liver Foundation Advisory Board and assists the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN) with their yearly fundraiser. He also served as Chief of Staff for UCI Medical Center from 2005-2007.

I received medical training at Tongji Medical University 1978-1987 and in Germany (Essen University 1987-1990). I did my post-doctor in the Human Genome Project at Columbia University Medical Center, in New York (1990-1994). After my pathology residency at Yale University Medical Center (1994 to 1998), I completed an oncologic surgical pathology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. I joined Roswell Park Cancer Institute as an assistant professor of pathology in 1999. In 2004, I was promoted to associate professor of pathology at The University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center in Houston. I joined the faculty of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2006 and was promoted to Professor in 2010. I was awarded a dual professorship of Pathology and Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2013, becoming the first physician in the 72-year history of this institution. Currently, I am a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. I hold joint Professorship in more than 20 universities in the world. I have conducted independent and collaborative clinical and translational investigations and have been a principal investigator (PI) and co-PI of funded research programs. Using a variety of methodologies (including immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, array comparative genomic hybridization, SNP, and varied polymerase chain reaction methods); I have investigated human neoplasms to assess and understand carcinogenesis and tumor prognosis and to predict the responses of neoplasms to therapy. One of my research has been focusing on tumor stem cells. My group was among the first to propose that the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) protein is associated with tumor progression in human cancer and is a potential biomarker for the unfavorable clinical outcomes (J Clin Oncol 22:3218–3229, 2004). I have presented in national and international professional meetings, such as AACR, ASCO, CSCO, USCAP, CAP, and ASCP. These academic activities have led to my having 170 peer-reviewed articles published. The articles have appeared in respected cancer research and oncology journals, such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer Research, International Journal of Cancer, and Molecular Cancer Research, and pathology journals, such as American Journal of Surgical Pathology, Human Pathology, Modern Pathology, Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Diagnostic Molecular Pathology. In recognition of my contributions to the field, I was invited to edit a comprehensive book titled Principles of Molecular Diagnostics and Personalized Cancer Medicine, which was published in January 2013. Dr. Henry Lynch, the father of modern oncology, was the co-editor of the book. I have also written a pathology textbook titled Advances in Surgical Pathology: Gastric Cancer, which was co-edited by Dr. Gregory Lauwers of Harvard University. I have been invited to present at a number of national and international meetings as well as grand rounds at various institutions. For example, I chaired the Cancer Pathology Section at the 1st World Cancer Congress in June 2008, and I was invited to give a talk on tumor biomarkers at the 9th Frye-Halloran Symposium sponsored by Harvard University in 2010. I have been invited to chair a long course on Frontier in Molecular Pathology at the International Pathology Congress in October 2014, in Bangkok, Thailand. I have also served on grant review committees and section committees for private and government agencies, including the NCI, Lemons Foundation, the State of New York Department of Health, the Florida Health Department, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. In recognition of my contributions to the field of tumor pathology, I have been invited to serve on the editorial boards of seven peer-reviewed journals: Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Annals of Clinical Laboratory Science, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, American Journal of Translational Research, International Journal of Molecular Epidemiology and Genetics, Sino-Germany Journal of Oncology, and Frontiers in Medicine.

Marco Milanese is an Associate Professor at the Department of Pharmacy of the University of Genoa, Pharmacology, and Toxicology research Unit. M. Milanese got his Ph.D. in 2009, and since 2005 is working in the field of Neuropharmacology and neurosciences. Marco Milanese holds long-lasting experience in training undergraduate students and Ph.D. students other than managing a biological research laboratory with a broad panel of expertise and facilities. The scientific research of Marco Milanese started focusing on various aspects of neurotransmission and related molecular mechanisms underlying neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases: release of neuro- and glio-transmitters and modulation systems, pre-synaptic proteins, pharmacological characterizations of pre-and post-synaptic glutamatergic receptors. In this context, the research activity of M. Milanese was mainly focused on the study of glutamatergic neurotransmission linked to excitotoxicity in neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular interest in motor neuron diseases (MND) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In the last fifteen years, the research activities of M. Milanese were characterized by in-vivo behavioral analysis, in-vitro functional and biochemical studies on motoneuron, astrocyte, microglia, and oligodendrocyte primary cell cultures acutely isolated from ALS mouse models, and ex-vivo histological studies to assess the clinical progression and the molecular dysfunction in ALS and other neurological disorders. M. Milanese holds active scientific collaborations with National and International research groups, as intelligible from the publication track record.

Dr. Nikola Knežević is a Full Research Professor at the BioSense Institute, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. He graduated with Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2009 at Iowa State University, USA, and obtained further research experience as a Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Houston (research in multistep organic synthesis), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (research in nanomaterials science), Institute Charles Gerhardt Montpellier (research in nanomaterials science), FP7 – ERA Chairs Postdoctoral researcher at Vinča Nuclear Institute and as Pole Chimie Balard Visiting professor at the University of Montpellier. Nikola is the project coordinator of one H2020 project (NANOFACTS GA 952259), three Serbian national projects (PRECAST – 6060755, Proof of concept – 5566, Technology transfer-1135), and two bilateral research projects (with France and Germany). His research interests include the synthesis of functional bioresponsive nanomaterials and their applications in health protection and the construction of biosensors.

Dr. Steven Deak is a vascular and general surgeon who practices at the Deak Vein NJ Clinic with an emphasis on the treatment of venous diseases. He has been in private practice for over 35 years specializing in vascular and general surgery. Dr. Deak has a Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology from the University of Kentucky. He is a member of the American Venous Forum and the American College of Phlebology. He is interested in the biology of lymphatic and venous circulation and new techniques for the treatment of varicose veins. He graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. (Biology) and M.S. (Physiology). He received his M.D. and Ph.D. (Pharmacology) degrees from the University of Kentucky. He received his surgical and vascular training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School. Dr. Deak is certified by the American Board of Surgery in the specialty of General Surgery. He is certified by the American Board of Phlebology. He is also certified as having Added Qualifications in General Vascular Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of the Society of Vascular Surgery, the American Venous Forum, the American College of Phlebology, the Hungarian Medical Association of America, and the International Society for Vascular Surgery.

Dr. Jimenez is a Professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is an expert all areas of vascular surgery and has clinical and research interests in the management of complex venous disease. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of California at Berkeley and his Medical doctorate from the University of California at Irvine. He also obtained an MBA degree from the University of California at Los Angeles Anderson School of Management. Dr. Jimenez is double Board-Certified in both Surgery and Vascular Surgery. He is the Director of the Gonda Venous Center at UCLA and Co-Medical Director of the UCLA Hyperbaric Medicine department. Dr. Jimenez serves as the Vice Chair for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Department of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.He has edited three international textbooks of Vascular Surgery and has published over 100 combined peer reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Jimenez is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society for Vascular Surgery, Western Vascular Society, Pacific Coast Surgical Association and the Society of University Surgeons. He serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Annals of Vascular Surgery.

Rock Mancini completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry as an NSF-IGERT fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles. During his time there, he studied immobilizing surface chemistries for biomolecular micro and nanoarrays as well as the stabilizing effects of trehalose glycopolymer-protein conjugates. As a post-doc at the University of California, Irvine, his research centered around Synthetic Immunology where he developed the first photo-caged Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) Agonists. He also examined synergies derived from covalently attaching TLR agonists as heterodimers. He began his independent career at Washington State University by examining prodrug strategies to better target the action of TLR agonists to solid tumors. Here, he linked the action of stimuli-responsive “smart” TLR agonist immunostimulants to the irregular metabolism of multi-drug resistant cancer cells via a new mechanism of action termed Bystander Assisted ImmunoTherapy (BAIT). Now at Miami University, he is continuing to optimize BAIT for the imidazoquinoline class of TLR 7/8 agonists across a range of multidrug-resistant cancers expressing Breast Cancer Resistance Protein and Multidrug Resistance Protein-1 as a consequence of acquired chemoresistance. A second research area focuses on extending the smart immunostimulant concept to the development of safer and more effective vaccine adjuvants. In this area, he has created the first adaptogenic vaccine adjuvants, including new multivalent C-Type Lectin Receptor agonists, that reversibly attenuate activity in response to increases in temperature such as those encountered during vaccination-induced pyrexia. He has published over 20 papers which have been cited over 600 times and hold 2 issued patents.

Dr. Ravi P. Sahu completed his Ph.D. at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, India. He then pursued his postdoctoral studies in 3 different US universities, including Indiana University School of Medicine. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. His lab has been focused on determining the mechanisms by which oxidized lipids and platelet-activating factors (PAF) impact cancer growth and the efficacy of therapeutic agents. He has published over 70 articles and serves as an Editorial Board Member and Reviewer for several scientific journals.

Whitney Shatz-Binder received her B.S./M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California in Santa Barbara, under the tutelage of Dr. Norbert Reich, studying a bacterial enzyme involved in the epigenetic process of DNA methylation. She then received her Ph.D. from the University of Geneva in the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, developing ferritin cages for the delivery of biologics and small molecules in various disease settings. In 2007, she joined Genentech Research, in the Department of Protein Chemistry, supporting the discovery, development, and in-depth characterization of protein-based biologics. More recently, she joined the Drug Delivery Excellence team within the department of Pharmaceutical Development, where she is developing nanoparticle formulations for the delivery of novel therapeutic modalities. In addition, she has co-authored 19 peer-reviewed publications and is a co-inventor on 4 issued patents.

Rajendran (Raj) Arunagiri is the Global Pharma Segment Manager at Eastman. Raj has nearly a decade of experience in the pharma industry interfacing with the entire pharma value chain across the globe. Raj’s expertise is understanding global drug delivery trends. Raj has an Electrical Engineering degree from India and an MBA from the USA.

Dealmy Delgadillo Guzmán is a Professor and researcher (PTC) in Pharmacology Department of School of Medicine at Autonomous University of Coahuila, Torreón Unit in Mexico. She has a work experience in medical care for chronic degenerative diseases, pharmacogenomics, and Pharmacovigilance (2002-current). She is the Head of the Department of Pharmacology of the Faculty of Medicine U. T. Autonomous University of Coahuila (2015-current). Coordination y academic design curricula de Diploma in Medical Research. She has experience in clinical research as a clinical monitor in Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer Corporation and she is an expert in the assembly and coordination of studies and bioequivalence or biocomparability units authorized third parties according to COFEPRIS for the approval of Interchangeable generic drugs. Publications in international scientific journals indexed France, Norway, Spain, United States, United Kingdom, and Mexico. with topics related to the application of pharmacology, biochemistry, and nutrigenomics in chronic degenerative diseases. Development of more than 50 studies in basic and clinical research. • Author of more than 25 scientific articles in the last 8 years.

Dr. Norzita Ngadi is an Associate Professor in School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), where she has been a faculty member since 2002. She received her Ph.D. degree from University of Canterbury, New Zealand in 2010. She obtained her M.Eng in Chemical Engineering from UTM in 2002, after completion of her undergraduate study in Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her research interest includes wastewater treatment, catalytic reaction, renewable fuel and surface coating. She has published over 200 articles in journals and conference papers.

Huang Wei Ling was born in Taiwan, raised and graduated in medicine in Brazil, a specialist in infectious and parasitic diseases, a General Practitioner, and a Parenteral and Enteral Medical Nutrition Therapist. Once in charge of the Hospital Infection Control Service of the City of Franca’s General Hospital, she was responsible for the control of all prescribed antimicrobial medication and received an award for the best paper presented at the Brazilian Hospital Infection Control Congress in 1998. Since 1997, she works with the approach and treatment of all chronic diseases in a holistic way, with treatment guided through the teachings of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hippocrates. Researcher at the University of São Paulo, in the Ophthalmology department from 2012 to 2013.Author of the theory Constitutional Homeopathy of the Five Elements Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Author of more than 100 publications about the treatment of a variety of diseases rebalancing the internal energy using Hippocrates' thoughts.

Dr. Maria Grazia Perrone completed her degree in 2000 in Medicinal Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Bari. She was a fellow at the Biotechnology Institute of STUTTGART-GERMANY in 2002. She did her Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, Dept. Medicinal Chemistry at the Farmacy Faculty-University of Bari in 2004. She was a researcher in Medicinal Chemistry at the Farmacy Faculty-University of Bari from 2004-2005. From 2006 to Up to date Assistant Professor at the Farmacy Faculty-University of Bari. Scientific Interest: The candidate began her studies dealing with the preparation of compounds of pharmaceutical interest using bio catalyzed procedures of Green Chemistry learned during her stay in Germany, in particular at the Institute of Biotechnology in Stuttgart. She used yeasts and isolated enzymes to prepare beta3-adrenergic receptor agonists and inverse agonists useful in the treatment of various pathologies including overactive bladder, and PPARalpha agonists as lipid sensors in the regulation of lipid and energy metabolism. Her scientific interest then shifted towards the study of cyclooxygenase (COX), as a therapeutic target, and in particular, he focused on the pathophysiological role of isoform 1 (COX-1), clarifying its role in ovarian cancer, in multiple myeloma. and in neuroinflammation. The design, synthesis, and "in vitro / in vivo" biological evaluation of COX-1 inhibitors has led to the publication of numerous articles, the filing of various patents, national and international collaborations as well as MUR and MISE funding. The study of the pharmacokinetic properties of the candidate drugs is also of specific interest to the candidate: absorption and metabolism, also in relation to the action of the efflux pump such as P-glycoprotein. From 2020 his skills are also aimed at the study of pediatric midline tumors, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). The research on the DIPG is already the subject of a publication as well as funding from Patient Associations such as the GAIA Foundation and the MiaNeriOnlus Foundation. The research activities were also carried out in collaboration with other national and international research groups and led to: • 88 articles in peer-reviewed journals (H-index = 23, 1602 citations, source Scopus) • 4 patents; • 5 oral communications at national and international congresses. 2017- Academic editorial board member of Journal of Chemistry-section area Medicinal Chemistry. Financed Projects Principal Investigator of Bari unit for the three years project (2013-2016) “Optimization for oncology therapy: new drugs useful in "MULTI DRUG RESISTANCE" RBFR12SOQ1_002 Principal Investigator for the three years AIRC project (2016-2019) “COX INHIBITORS IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHEMOTHERAPY TO TARGET MULTIPLE MYELOMA ACTIVE DISEASE” MFAG 17566. Principal Investigator of Bari unit for the one-year project (2022) “Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma in Children (DIPG_C): a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, from Gene Expression Profile to Drug. MIA NERI ONLUS Conferences contributions 2018- Keynote speaker at the International Pharma Conference and Expo May 2-4, 2018 Rome-Italy, entitled “Neuroinflammation and Microglial Constitutive COX-1 Inhibition”

Dr. Beata Morak-Młodawska is a professor at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and at the Department of Organic Chemistry. In 2018, she received the National Individual Award from the Minister of Health of the Republic of Poland for the research included in her habilitation dissertation. In 2021, she was awarded the Medal of the National Education Commission. Since 1999, she has associated all career levels with the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. She specializes in organic synthesis and structural analysis of bioactive heterocycles especially derivatives of phenothiazines. She is the author of more than 170 scientific articles in major scientific journals, also co-author of 3 patents, 3 books, and more than 200 communications in international scientific meetings. She is a member of the Polish Pharmaceutical Society and the Polish Society of Medical Chemistry. Collaboration with academic institutions in Poland, Greece, Switzerland, USA, Malesia, and China.

Dr Morena Miciaccia completed her M.Sc in Pharmacy at the Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro” (vote 110/110) in July 2016. In February 2017 – Qualified to practise as a Pharmacist at the Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro” (vote 253/300). From November 2017 - May 2018 Visiting Researcher at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, USA) under the supervision of Professor Gino Cingolani. She was Visiting Researcher at University Campus Biomedico (UCBM) in the laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Chemistry for Engineering under the supervision of Professor Alberto Rainer in September 2019. She did her PhD in Biomolecular, Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences at the Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro” under the supervision of Prof. Antonio Scilimati and Maria Grazia Perrone in September 2019. From September 2020 – February 2021– she was the Postdoctoral Fellow in Medicinal Chemistry at BROWSer S.r.l., University of Bari “Aldo Moro” working on “Design, development and pharmacological characterization of new compounds targeting DIPG”. From March 2021 – December 2021 she was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Medicinal Chemistry at Fondazione Progetto G.A.I.A., University of Bari “Aldo Moro” working on “Design, development and pharmacological characterization of new compounds targeting DIPG”. From January 2022-present she is a junior Researcher in Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”.   Research activity and scientific production I started my research activity dealing with the design, development, and biological characterization of new cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 inhibitors in oncology, specifically in ovarian cancer and multiple myeloma. These studies are supported by publication in peer-review journals. I dealt with the production and purification of three enzymes: human and ovine COX-1, and human cyclooxygenase-2 by using biochemical and molecular biology techniques. I crystallized and solved the X-ray structure of human COX-1 (PDB code: 6Y3C) for structural biology, protein-protein and protein-ligand interaction studies. Since 2020, my research activity has focused on the study of paediatric midline cancers, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a "rare" primary brain tumour that develops mainly in children with an average age of 6-7 years. Specifically, I dealt with the production and purification of Caseinolytic Protease P (ClpP), a mitochondrial protein that acts as a "molecular chaperone", that is involved in the removal of the misfolded protein aggregates that form, both in physiological and pathological conditions and which determine the onset and progression of the tumour. More recently I’m working on the development of a fluorogenic assay for the determination of the activity of ClpP, which is relevant to the biological characterization of small molecules that act as its activators. The research activities were also carried out in collaboration with national and international research groups and led to 10 articles in peer-reviewed journals (3 as co-first author) and 4 contributions in conference proceedings.

Dr. Mangalagiu is a professor of organic and medicinal chemistry and Vice-Rector with research at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania. Previously, prof. Mangalagiu served as Dean, Vice-Dean, Head of the Organic Chemistry Department, etc. at the Faculty of Chemistry. He has nearly 30 years of experience in research, focused on the area of Heterocycles Compounds. He has over 200 papers, 15 patents, 6 international chapter books, etc. He was Visiting Professor and/or invited speaker to prestigious foreign universities (Ludwig Maximilianus University Munchen, Technische Universität Braunschweig, University of Florence, Universite D’Angers, University of Viena), awarded with numerous prizes and honors: DAAD and NATO award, Costin D. Nenitescu Medal (Romanian Society of Chemistry), the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi Award in Research, Grand Prize Euroinvent (Euroinvent, Romania), Special Award of Croatian Association of Inventors, etc.

Danilo Tagle is currently Director, the Office of Special Initiatives at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he coordinates efforts towards developing microphysiological systems or organs on chips. He also coordinates efforts on 3D bioprinting for drug discovery and development, automated chemistry, the use of electronic nose technology for disease diagnosis, and the clinical utility of secreted RNA in exosomes for biomarker and therapy development. Prior to joining NCATS in 2012, Dan was a program director for neurogenetics at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, NIH), where he was involved in developing programs concerning genomics-based approaches for basic and translational research in inherited brain disorders. Prior to joining NINDS in 2001, Dan was an investigator and section head of molecular neurogenetics at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI, NIH) and has been involved in the highly collaborative effort toward the positional cloning of genes for Huntington’s disease, ataxia-telangiectasia, and Niemann-Pick disease type C. He has served on numerous committees, advisory boards, and editorial boards. Dan obtained his Ph.D. in molecular biology and genetics from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1990. He was an NIH National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellow in human genetics at the University of Michigan. Dan has authored many scientific publications and has garnered numerous awards, including more recently the Roscoe O. Brady Award for Innovation and Accomplishment; the Henry J. Heimlich Award for Innovative Medicine; and the HHS Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service: Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Initiative.

Dr Patrick Nwabueze Okechukwu is a lecturer, department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. He possesses a PhD in Pharmacology. Dr Patrick research interest is in drug discovery and development from natural products and synthetic compounds, for the treatment of Diabetes mellitus and associated disease complications such as kidney, wound healing, inflammation, and bone fragility. His research work on a local Malaysian plant, ConsisnumFenestartum's stem extract led to the discovery of antidiabetic and antioxidant, liver, and kidney protective activity of Palmatine. The invention titled “Palmatine for treatment of Diabetes mellitus” has been filed for patent. His work with the University of Jordan, collaborator on Glycosylated Sulfonylureas and New Hybrid Glucosamine Substituted Sulfonylureas has led to the filing of a second patent titled “Designand Synthesis of New Hybrid Glucosamine Substituted Sulfonylureas: As Potential IRS-PI3K-PKC-AKT-GLUT4 Insulin SignallingPathwayDownstreaming Intriguing Agent. He also reported In-Vitro, In-Vivo Antioxidant, Anti-Diabetic, Molecular Mechanismand Docking of Acetylated and Deacetylated Glycosylated Sulfonylureas. His current research is in the molecular mechanismof action of antidiabetic and antioxidant activity of lead compound palmatine and glycosylated Sulfonylurea. Specifically looking at ALR2-Glo1-2, NFr2, AGE-RAGE interaction, Insulin signaling pathway –IRS-1/2-PI3K-AKT-PKB-MAK 38P-GLUT4 andPERK PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 Signaling Pathway. He has won several awards and His passion for research and exposure to the industry has led him to attract a lot of industry grants, collaborations, and consultancies. His invention “Norectic Diabetes Wound Healing Cream, was selected as top 4 best product in a keenly contested ‘Swiss International Innovation Competition 2021/2022”.

Dr. Tiziana Bonifacino, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Italy. She got a degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology (honors) in 2007 and the Ph.D. in Neurochemistry and Neurobiology in 2011. The present scientific interests are related to neuronal transmission in the CNS and are focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release and receptor activity in physiological and pathological conditions. They involve glutamate and GABA transmission mechanisms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and effects of genetic and pharmacological interventions, with particular attention to astrocyte-, microglia-, and motoneuron-related mechanisms. Glutamate and GABA release in acute or chronic stress conditions and after antidepressant drug treatment is also a field of interest. She has a well-established experience in in-vivo behavioral studies and drug treatments and in in-vitro studies of neurotransmitter release, cellular and molecular biology, immunocytochemistry, and confocal microscopy. Tiziana Bonifacino has established several scientific collaborations with national and international institutions.

Will be Updated

Bérénice Duret is a young researcher specializing in the physical chemistry of soft matter and self-organizing systems. After obtaining a chemical engineering degree (ENSC Rennes, France), she focused her research on electrochromic polymers as a research engineer (LPPI Cergy, France). In 2020, she undertakes a Ph.D. (URCOM Le Havre, IMRCP Toulouse, France) on innovative organized systems for topical formulations. Her research work focuses on understanding the microstructure of the system, leading to interesting textures and organoleptic properties.

PeymanArfa, Pharm.D., Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, graduated from Mashhad university of Medical sciences, Mashhad, Iran in Pharm.D course 2007, Passing a residency course at the ShahidBeheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (2009-2014). His research and practice interests are centered on the application of drugs, pharmacokinetic & pharmacodynamics concern in drug dosing. His full name is “PeymanArfaFathollahkhani’ Because of brevity and prevention of misspelling, He prefers submitting his name as “PeymanArfa” in academic contexts.

I, Dr. Yan Wang is a doctor and scientist in Medicine, I have Medicine Bachelor degree(M.D) in General Medicine and Pediatrics in 1990, and I obtained Doctoral Philosophy Degree(Ph.D) in Emergency and Pulmonary Medicine in 1998, I have worked in postdoctoral Scholar and investigator role in the United States of America since 2000 at the Miami University Medical School, Jefferson Medical Healthy System Emergency Department and Pennsylvania University in Philadelphia Medical School. I have critical working experience at the Imperial College in London in 2014. Currently, I am attending doctor, professor, director and committee member, leadership and Chair at hospitals, organizations, and Journal Presses with the positions in the United States of America, and the United Kingdom of British. I have published plenty of first-authored articles on peer-reviewed journals and conference abstracts about 100 products, I have written varied medical books over 10 books in the English language published in the United States and the United Kingdom. I have presented my observation at national or international scientific conferences with presentations of speeches, teach-courses, and news releases. My clinical working fields have at Pediatrics, Pulmonary, Cardiovascular, Emergency, Intensive Care Units. My research projects and interest have been Respiratory and cardiovascular physiological function, smaller molecular Nitric Oxide and its enzyme biology, gene therapy, oxidative stress, and antioxidant enzyme defense, cell injury and acute lung injury with targeted therapy, biochemistry, or gene engineer pharmacology.

Dr. Tarek Mohamed Kamal Mohamed Metawie, Professor of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt. He did Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1984; M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1979; B.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, 1976. He was the Head of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo:- 2008-2014.

Dr. Laura Gabriela SARBU is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the same university in 2007. She joined the master program at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi in 2007, and in 2015 she was awarded with a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry. During the Ph.D. program she joined several times the Prof. dr. Henning Hopf research team in TU Braunschweig – Germany.

Will be updated