Clinical Immunology, Neuropharmacology and Drug Development

Aruna Sharma, MD is currently Secretary of Research at Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, Sweden. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in 1971 and trained in Indian Medicine up to 1977 and engaged in medical research from 1978 to 1986 in India on hyperthermia induced brain dysfunction in the lab of Hari Sharma and Prasanta Kumar Dey under University Grants Commission and Indian Council of Medical Research Programs. She is a qualified experimental Neurpathologist and received her training at Karl Marx University Leipzig, Institute of Neurobiology (1987-1988); Semmelweis University Medical School, Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology, Budapest, Hungary (1988-1989), Free University Berlin, Germany (1989-1991) and Neuropathology Institute Uppsala (1992-1995). She was further engaged in experimental neuropathological research at Uppsala University Hospital in the laboratory of Neuropathology of Hari Sharma and Yngve Olsson under Swedish Medical Research Council Program. She continued to work with Hari Sharma and Jan Westman in the department of Neuroanatomy, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University from 1996 until 2003 on neuroimmunohistochemistry of experimental and human brain diseases. Since 2004 she joined Department of Surgical Sciences, Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine and working with Hari Sharma on various research programs including Nanotechnology in the CNS and disease modulation by endocrine or cardiovascular anomalies in the CNS and neuroprotection under various National and International Research Programs. Her main interest is now focused on Indian Medicinal drugs and their effects on the Central Nervous System Function, toxicology, neurorepair and neuroprotection. She is also investigating neurotoxicological profiles of many Ayurvedic traditional drugs with special reference to those containing metal oxide or metal ashes. Dr Sharma is member of various Distinguished American Organizations and elected to receive the prestigious award “Women of the Years Representing Sweden Award 2009” for her outstanding contributions towards society by American Biographical Research Institute, USA; and “Best Professional Business Women Award 2010” For Setting Standard to Motivate, Excel and Inspire Others, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. She has published over 50 original research papers in Reputed Neuroscience Journals and is currently Acquisition Editor of American Journal of Neuroproetction and Neuroregenartion.

Neurpathology, Neuroimmunohistochemistry, Neurorepair, Neuroprotection

Hari Shanker Sharma is the Director of International Experimental Central Nervous System (CNS) Injury and Repair (IECNSIR) at University Hospital, Uppsala University, Sweden. He is a qualified Neuroanatomist and experimental Neurpathologist trained in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Sweden and USA. His main research interest is currently focused on neurotoxicity of nanoparticle and nanowired drug delivery of agents for enhanced neuroprotection in a variety of CNS insults or neurodegenerative diseases in relation to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) function. He has authored more than 250 original research papers and edited several book volumes or progress in brain research series.

Neurobiology, Nanoneuroscience

Xenia Gonda MA PharmD PhD is a clinical psychologist and pharmacist currently working as assistant professor at the Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health at Semmelweis University, Budapest. She is also affiliated with the Department of Pharmacodynamics at Semmelweis University, with the Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group of Hungarian National Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, and the Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention of the National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions. Currently she is recipient of the Bolyai Janos Research Fellowship of The Hungarian Academy of Sciences. She is engaged in full clinical work in addition to teaching at various universities and research. Her main research fields include the genetic background of personality and psychiatric illnesses, pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorders and biopsychosocial approach to suicidal behavior. She is the author of more than 100 scientific publications, primarily on the biopsychosocial and genetic aspects of personality, mood disorders, and suicide.

Psychiatric illnesses, Pharmacotherapy of Bipolar disorders, Biopsychosocial approach to suicidal behaviour

Dr. Uzunova is a medical doctor and neuroscientist with experience in the areas of psychiatry, neuropharmacology, rare disorders, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, molecular and cellular neuroscience, and immunology. She has studied synaptic plasticity, the ratio of excitation and inhibition, oxytocin, dopamine, glutamate and GABA neurotransmitter systems and their role in CNS disorders. Another area of specialization is neurobiology of addiction. She has clinical research experience on development of new therapeutics for major depressive disorder (MDD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She has experience in teaching, mentoring, writing of peer-reviewed publications, grants, book chapters, posters, informed consent forms, presentations, and experience in project management, designing research hypotheses, following through with experimental design, generation, analysis, critical interpretation and presentation of scientific data, and mentoring. She works towards understanding the neurobiological mechanisms and developing of new treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (with focus on syndromal forms of autism), anxiety, mood disorders, and orphan diseases.

Clinical Neuropharmacology, Molecular Neuropharmacology ,Therapeutics for Autism Spectrum Disorders and Rare Diseases,Mood disorders with focus on Depression,

Stephen D. Skaper received a PhD in biochemistry from the University of South Dakota and Laurea in chemistry from the University of Padua, Italy. He is currently Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences (section on Pharmacology and Anesthesiology) at the University of Padua. From 1998-2008 he was a Senior Group Leader for Neurodegeneration Research, Neurology & GI Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development Limited, United Kingdom. Prior to that he held academic research positions in the Department of Biology at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Skaper has authored/co-authored over 300 research papers, book chapters and monographs, as well as having guest-edited six journal thematic issues and two volumes of Methods in Molecular Biology on neurotrophic factors. He is Editor-in-Chief of CNS & Neurological Disorders Drug Targets, the Associate Editor of the American Journal of Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration, and a Councillor of the International Association of Neurorestoratology. His research interests focus on the role of immune cells and their interactions in neuroinflammation, in particular with regards to neuropathic pain and autoimmune demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis, and the development of therapeutic strategies based on natural molecules. He is a member of Sigma I, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Alpha Chi Sigma, the Society for Neuroscience and the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

Track record of drug discovery project leadership experience: kinases, ion channels, G-protein-coupled receptors, DNA repair enzymes, growth factors, as well as close interactions with early phase units of the drug discovery process Genetics Research & Discovery Research) to identify and optimise tools for target validation studies, utilising RNAi, conditional and viral knockdown\outs\ins, transcriptomics, proteomics and in vitro cell-based disease or mechanism relevant assays in rodent systems

Jozsef Haller has been studying the neurobiology of behavior since 1988. He initiated the concept of abnormal aggression in rodents as models of aggression-related psychopathologies, and studied the neural underpinnings of this behavior. He was also involved in research concerning the pharmacology of aggression and anxiety. By studying the role of cannabinoid neurotransmission in fear learning, he recently proposed that endocannabinoid signaling controls coping with environmental challenges rather than specific behaviors. Currently he is involved in clinical studies concerning the interaction between biological and psychological factors of aggressive behavior.

Neurobiology and Pharmacology of aggressive behavior and anxiety

Alain Mititelu is a scientist and dr with more than 25 yrs experience in pharma industry. He is hard working perfectionist and with a great resources of key opinion leaders. He has impressive background in CNS neuroscience psychiatry neurology. He is highly experienced in all aspects of clinical research:phase1-first in man study-proof of concept/phase 2-3/preclinical safety and pharmacovigilance aspects/quality and risk management/valuable in reg affairs submission.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Mariya Hristova is Senior Research Associate and leads the Perinatal Brain Repair Group at the Institute for Women’s Health, University College London. She has very strong expertise in neuroimmunology and in the hypoxia-ischaemia model, therapeutic hypothermia and brain analysis investigating the role of post-translational modifications, transcription factors (STAT3), cytokines (TNFa) and pH changes following neonatal hypoxia-ischaemia. She has been an essential part of the team studying the combination of xenon and therapeutic hypothermia, and melatonin and therapeutic hypothermia in a neonatal piglet model of transient birth asphyxia.

Neuroimmunology