The 6th annual UK & Ireland Early BBB symposium took place in the Genetics Department at Trinity College Dublin and was organised by Matthew Campbell. 

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The meeting provided a unique platform for early career BBB researchers to present their newest findings in both presentation and poster format. 

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This year, Prof Damir Janigro (Cleveland Clinic and FloCel Inc) presented the keynote address where he focused on the power of translational research in the context of BBB biology. 

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10:30-11:40                         Session 1 (Chaired by Dr. Matthew Campbell and Mr. Chris Greene) 

                                                      Privileges and Immunities. Dr. Sarah Doyle, Trinity College Dublin 

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                                                      Data Blitz 1:

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                                                      The role of CXCL8, CXCL10 and CCL4 in endothelial cell signalling and permeability. Carolina Estevao, University                                                               College London.

 

                                                      Methods for the isolation of cerebral microvessel fragments from young and old mice. Eduardo Frias-Anaya, Open                                                             University.

 

                                                      Investigational studies on interactions of modified graphene oxide and the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) in vitro. Kuo-                                                          Ching Mei, King’s College London.

 

                                                      Linking systemic biomarkers with Blood-Brain Barrier changes following sports related mild Traumatic Brain                                                                         Injury. Eoin O’Keeffe, Trinity College Dublin.

 

                                                      Fluorescently-labelled lipid nanocapsules for drug delivery across the blood- brain barrier: in vitro assays on the                                                                 human brain endothelial cell line D3. Juan Aparicio-Blanco, Open University.

 

                                                      Circadian regulation of the inner retinal vasculature; A paradigm for geographic atrophy development. Natalie                                                                     Hudson, Trinity College Dublin.

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11.40-12:00                          Tea & Coffee

 

12:00-13:30                          Session 2 (Chaired by Dr. Natalie Hudson and Mr. Eoin O’Keeffe)

 

                                                      Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus disrupts blood-brain barrier and down-regulates annexin A1. Rodrigo Loiola, Queen Mary                                                         University of London 

 

                                                      Cerebrovascular contributions to psychiatry: claudin-5 and psychosis. Chris Greene, Trinity College Dublin.

 

                                                      Initial microRNA and mRNA characterization of brain endothelial-derived extracellular vesicles in                                                                                                inflammation. David Roig-Carles, Open University.

 

                                                      Towards TNF type-1 receptor specific permeabilisation of the blood-brain barrier in brain metastasis. Christina                                                                   Simoglou Karali, University of Oxford.

 

                                                      Data Blitz 2: 

 

                                                      Diurnal NLRP3 inflammasome processing at the outer blood-retina barrier Lucia Čelková, Trinity College Dublin –                                                             “(oBRB).  

 

                                                      Peptide nanomaterials as targeted therapies for Glioblastoma MultiformeDiana M. Leite, University of Portsmouth.

 

                                                      Molecular patterns underlying TRAIL sensitization by IAP antagonists in Glioblastoma Multiforme. Franklin Lincoln,                                                       Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

 

                                                      The effect of loss of cholinergic perivascular innervation on cerebral blood flow. Shereen Nizari, Open University.

 

                                                      An autosomal dominant CSF1R mutation driving perivascular P-Tau accumulation in Leukoencephalopathy. Conor                                                           Delaney, Trinity College Dublin.

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13:30-15:00                          Lunch 

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15:00-17:20                          Session 3 (Chaired by Dr. John Kealy and Ms. Lucia Čelková)

 

                                                      The blood-brain barrier and behavior. John Kealy, Trinity College Dublin.

 

                                                      Delivery of mutated BDNF into the CNS using gold nanoparticles. Conor McQuaid, Open University.

 

                                                      Translating blood-brain barrier research to the clinic. Prof. Pete Adamson, ProQR.

 

                                                      Forward Look: Blood-brain barrier sciences over the next 10-15 years, Views, Hopes and Guesses… Prof. N. Joan                                                                Abbott, King’s College London.

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                                                      Keynote Address: Blood-brain barrier, immunity and neurological diseases. Prof. Damir Janigro, Flocel, Inc./                                                                           Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.