1) Composition, role and homeostatic control of the cerebro-spinal fluid on the development of vertebrates Central Nervous System

During early stages of embryo development, the brain cavity is filled with Embryonic Cerebro-Spinal Fluid (E-CSF), a complex fluid that contributes to the regulation of the survival, proliferation and neurogenesis of the neural stem cells. Our research aims to dissect the role of the particular gene products of the E-CSF proteome on CNS development in two different vertebrate species commonly used as model systems, namely chick and rat, whose E-CSF proteome. The identification of the particular function of the gene products contained within the E-CSF as well as the analysis of theiur homeostatic control are key contribution to the general understanding of CNS development. Moreover, they may also contribute to greater knowledge of some human diseases and they may have some important pharmacological implications.

Staff
Dr. David Bueno


Postdocs
Maryam Parvas


Collaborators
Dr. Ángel Gato (Dept. de Anatomía, Universidad de Valladolid)
Dr. José Antonio Moro (Dept. de Anatomía, Universidad de Valladolid)
Dra. Maria Isabel Alonso (Dept. de Anatomía, Universidad de Valladolid)
Dra. Eliandre de Oliveria (Plataforma de Proteòmica, Serveis Cientificotècnics, Parc Científic de Barcelona)
Dr. Isidre Casals (Plataforma de Proteòmica, Serveis Cientificotècnics, Parc Científic de Barcelona)
Dr. Jaleel Miyan (Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Regne Unit)

2) Genetic and neurobiological analysis on the origin, development, management and resolution of human conflicts

Conflicts are inherent to the human condition, as they are for all living beings. Disputes about resources or access to mating partners are among the most common causes of conflict. Conflict, defined as a struggle or contest between individuals or parties, may involve a variety of aggressive behaviours. Conflictology, thus, is defined as the way of understanding conflicts assuming all related areas, such as conflict origin, development, resolution and management, while at the same time it is based on the principles of non-violence as a paradigm opposed to the conviction that violence is the way to resolve conflicts. It is, therefore, a form of cross-disciplinary, comprehensive and synthetic knowledge. In humans, aggressiveness, violence and conflicts, including individual predisposal to sociability as well as to conflict resolution, have traditionally been said to have deep cultural roots, but recent research in both neuroscience and genetics has shown the influence of genes on such complex behavioural traits. This research project, made within the Conflictology Research and Studies Centre (Centre de Recerca i Estudi en Conflictologia – CREC), based on Open University of Catalonia (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya -UOC), aims the transdiciplinary understanding of conflict origins, development and resolution, and includes both social and biological sciences.



Staff
Dr. David Bueno (also member of the Opinion Group for Integrated Neurosciences on Psychopathology and Human Conflicts -OGIN)

Collaborators
Dra. Xaro Sánchez Martínez (coordinator of the Opinion Group for Integrated Neurosciences on Psychopathology and Human Conflicts -OGIN)
Dr. Eduard Vieta (Dept. Psiquiatria i Psicobiologia Clínica, Facultat de Medicina, UB)
Dr. Francesc Colom (Dept. Psiquiatria i Psicobiologia Clínica, Facultat de Medicina, UB)
Dr. Diego Redolar (Cognitive Neurology Group, UOC)

3) Science communication and socialisation

Science and technology have a great impact in all aspects of our life, and we entrust part of our future. Paradoxically, however, for many persons science is a big unknown, which generates contradictions countless. Traditionally, an artificial dichotomy has been established between culture and science. Thus, when people talk about culture, generally refers to literature, history, art, philosophy, music, cinema, poetry or drama, but not to science. But science is also culture, since like all other cultural demonstrations it influences the way we think, live and understand the world, and the way we organize it. If culture widens our thought and contributes to our freedom, knowledge and cultural diffusion of science are clearly indispensable to guarantee our freedom of opinion and of choice in a world ruled by science and technique. The goal of this working line is to contribute to the diffusion of scientific culture, with science communication papers, books and media programs for non specialists, both as author as well as editor. A full description of this working line can be found at: http://www.ub.es/geneticaclasses/davidbueno









































Staff
Dr. David Bueno