Dear colleagues,
In today's newsletter, we will announce our next webinar on the topic “Grant writing support for ECRs”. We will also share with you a summary of February’s “Redox signaling in cancer” webinar, in case some of you didn’t have the chance to join. At the end of the newsletter, as always, you can also find a collection of upcoming events with important deadlines and some suggestions of interesting redox reads recently published.
Webinar series “Emerging leaders in redox biology”
We are excited to announce our next webinar which will take place on 5th March 2024 at 15:00 CET on the topic “Grant writing support for ECRs” featuring Isabel Fabregat. She will share insightful and practical information on how to develop a research idea into a successful grant application and will provide some tips and tricks for ECRs. Don’t miss this one if you are interested in grant writing! 
Orientation, guidance and tips and tricks for successful grant writing for early career scientists
Isabel Fabregat, PhD
Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
Her research line begins at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University (UCM), Madrid (1991) after a postdoctoral stage in Dr. Enrique Rozengurt’s Lab at the Imperial Cancer Research Foundation (ICRF) in London (1989-1990). Searching for new regulatory elements of hepatic cell proliferation and differentiation, Dr. Fabregat found that the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-β) induced cell death in hepatocytes, and she was the first to propose TGF-β as an inducer of intrinsic apoptosis in hepatocytes, a process that required the production of reactive oxygen species. In September 2005, Dr. Fabregat moved to IDIBELL as a senior investigator, continuing with the same line of research. During the last few years, Dr. Fabregat’s group has also provided new data about how the liver tumor cell escapes from the apoptosis induced by TGF-β. In collaboration with different European groups, Dr. Fabregat created in 2013 a consortium dedicated to analyzing the potential of the TGF-β pathway as a therapeutic target in liver diseases (IT-LIVER: Inhibiting TGF-beta in Liver Diseases). Since 1997, Dr. Fabregat has received continuous national funding from the Plan Estatal de Investigación, Spain, as PI in all the projects, as well as funding from Europe in Marie Curie (FP7) and COST Actions. In recent years, her group has also been funded by private foundations and companies.
How can I join the webinar?
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86469731540?pwd=Mu9W9zBMm65TpJb6k4pwviFjseHQxw.OgbiZAvSiHJI7kVt
Passcode: 433382
February’s webinar
On February’s webinar we enjoyed two inspiring talks on the topic “Redox signaling in cancer”:
Regulation of cell adhesion and anoikis by S-nitrosylation
Salvatore Rizza, PhD
Redox Biology Group, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
Dr. Rizza presented his work on the role of GSNOR in cancer biology. His results show a downregulation of GSNOR as a feature in several cancers, which specifically inhibited anoikis increasing tumor cell survival and activated focal adhesion signaling. Importantly, he found FAK1 to be a direct target of S-nitrosylation, which could be exploited to treat GSNOR-deficient tumors.
MYCN Mediates Ferroptosis Sensitivity in MYCN-amplified Cancers
Hamed Alborzinia, PhD
Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM GmbH), Heidelberg, Germany
Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Dr. Alborzinia presented his data on ferroptosis. His results show that MYCN amplification is associated with ferroptosis sensitivity. One tumor that has high levels of MYCN is neuroblastoma and this tumor is dependent on LRP8. He shows that LRP8 can be a target and that the single deletion of LRP8 in neuroblastoma cells triggers cell death by apoptosis.
More information about the ECR Subcommittee can be found on the SFRR-E website https://www.sfrr-europe.org/index.php/ecr-committee, while regular updates can be found on Twitter (@SFRR_Europe), Instagram (@sfrr_ecr) and LinkedIn (SFRR-E). For any question or suggestion you might have, you can contact us via email:
Hope to see you online for our next Webinar Series appointment,
The ECR subcommittee
Upcoming events:
SFRR-E Annual Meeting
- 5-7 June 2024
- Location: Istanbul, Turkey
- From Molecules to Tissues: Redox Biology in Action
- Further information: https://www.redoxistanbul2024.com
Thiol-Based Redox Regulation and Signaling Gordon Conference
GRS: 13-14 July 2024
- Deadline: applications must be submitted by 15 June 2024, any applicants who wish to be considered for an oral presentation should submit their application by 7 April 2024.
- Further information: https://www.grc.org/thiol-based-redox-regulation-and-signaling-grs-conference/2024/
GRC: 14-19 July 2024
- Deadline: applications must be submitted by 16 June 2024
- Location: Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- Further information: https://www.grc.org/thiol-based-redox-regulation-and-signaling-conference/2024/
FEBS Advanced Lecture Course
- Redox biochemistry: cellular responses and disease relevance
- 30 September - 6 October 2024
- Location: Spetses, Greece
- Deadlines:
- YTF and Grant Applications: 15 April 2024
- Registration & Abstract Submission Closing: 15 April 2024
- Further information: https://redoxbiochemistry2024.febsevents.org
Interesting Redox Reads:
- Frei, M. S., Mehta, S. & Zhang, J. Next-generation genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors illuminate cell Signaling and metabolism. Annu Rev Biophys (2024). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-biophys-030722-021359
- Nakamura, T., Ito, J., Mourão, A. S. D., et al. A tangible method to assess native ferroptosis suppressor activity. Cell Rep Methods (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100710
- Schlößer, M., Moseler, A., Bodnar, Y., et al. Localization of four class I glutaredoxins in the cytosol and the secretory pathway and characterization of their biochemical diversification. Plant J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.16687
- Eid, M., Barayeu, U., Sulková, K., Aranda-Vallejo, C. & Dick, T. P. Using the heme peroxidase APEX2 to probe intracellular H2O2 flux and diffusion. Nat Comm (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45511-9
- Freitas, F. P., Alborzinia, H., Ferreira dos Santos, A., et al. 7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06878-9
- Geissel, F., Lang, L. Husemann, B., et al. Deciphering the mechanism of glutaredoxin-catalyzed roGFP2 redox sensing reveals a ternary complex with glutathione for protein disulfide reduction. Nat Comm (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45808-9
- Fichman, Y., Rowland, L., Nguyen, T. T., et al. Propagation of a rapid cell-to-cell H2O2 signal over long distances in a monolayer of cardiomyocyte cells. Redox Biol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2024.103069
- Jonak, K., Suppanz, I., Bender, J., et al. Ageing-dependent thiol oxidation reveals early oxidation of proteins with core proteostasis functions. Life Sci Alliance (2024). https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202302300
Lastest Redox Preprints:
- Scherschel, M., Niemeier, J. O., Jacobs, L. J. H. C., et al. The NAPstar family of NADP redox state sensors highlights glutathione as the primary mediator of anti-oxidative electron flux. BioRxiv (2024). https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.14.580349
Redox Job Opportunities:
Position: PhD Student
- Topic: Fluorescent Biosensors in Neurodegenerative Diseases.
- Institute: VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology (Brussels).
- Deadline: 1 May 2024.
- Further information: https://jobs.vib.be/j/73328/phd-student-position-fluorescent-biosensors-in-neurodegenerative-diseases
Call for papers:
Journal: Redox Biochemistry and Chemistry
- Special Issue: NO Nobel Prize 25th Anniversary
- Deadline: submit your manuscript before 15 March 2024
- More information: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/redox-biochemistry-and-chemistry/about/call-for-papers