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Announcement of Computational Biology IBUB Symposium
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On the occasion of the opening of the new IBUB Unit on Computational Biology in the Faculty of Biology, an International Symposium will be held next 20th November with the participation of IBUB researchers and guest international leader scientists in the area.
PROGRAM
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Last IBUB Seminari “La Diabetes tipo 2 también es una enfermedad del sistema inmunológico: pérdida de células T reguladoras en el tejido adiposo de los obesos” |
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Date: November 13th
Time: 12:00 hours
Place: Aula 5 (Edif.A) Facultat de Farmàcia
poster
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The team of Professor Javier Luque, IBUB member, will coordinate the international project NOstress (Unraveling the molecular mechanism of nitrosative stress resistance in tuberculosis) within the Health Area of the 7th Framework Program of the European Union. |
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The project NOstress aims to identify the molecular basis of M. Tuberculosis resistance to nitrosative stress, that is to say, to the excessive formation of radical nitric oxide (NO). This molecule, which has antibacterial activity, is one of the factors of the immune system that reduces the growth of M. tuberculosis and is produced by the macrophages during the initial process of infection. The project, in which several European laboratories are involved, pretends to improve the design of new therapies to treat tuberculosis.
For more information
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Audiovisual on metabolic diseases (IBUB-FSJD) |
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Due to the recent collaboration in research on metabolic diseases between the Institute of Biomedicine of University of Barcelona and the Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, the University of Barcelona audiovisual department has elaborated a video which can be found in the following addressess:
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Last IBUB Seminari “Senyalització per beta-catenina, dependent i independent de Wnt, durant la diferenciació neuronal de precursors neurals i la morfogènesi axonal” |
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Date: October 9th
Time: 13:00 hours
Place: Aula 22, Facultat de Biología
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Last IBUB Symposium |
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Date: September 17th
Time: 09:30 hours
Place: Aula de Graus, Biology faculty
University of Barcelona
(Free Entrance)
poster
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The IBUB image design, awarded with the "LAUS National Design Awards 2009" |
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The IBUB image design, conducted by the cabinet study Natalia Cuadrado, has been awarded a bronze prize in the “LAUS design awards 2009”.
The challenge of an original design for IBUB within the framework of many research institutions of biomedical research in our enviroment, and its own unequivocal character of Institute of the University of Barcelona, has provided inspiration for the image of our Institute.
We thank to “Natalia Cuadrado” group, for their work, their understanding of the academic and nonprofit character of our Institute and their commitment to achieve a modern look which projects our character and aims.
1 1 1 1 1 Congratulations!
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"Curso práctico de Microscopía Optimizada" for IBUB researchers |
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The IBUB has participated in the organization of the course of microscopy by computer “Curso Práctico de Microscopía Optimizada por Ordenador" that it was carried out at the beggining of September and has sponsorized some free enrolments for researchers who are members of it. |
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The attendance at the course has been an overwhelming success and demand has far exceeded the supply of enrolments. Due to this, many of the applications could not be studied, even though will be considered for future editions. |
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IBUB is in "La Vanguardia" news |
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As a part of a special supplement on "Research & Technology", La Vanguardia has published an interview with the director, Francesc Villarroya, which has reviewed the objectives and activities of the IBUB for the general public.

Complete article
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IBUB seminari |
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Last May 13th took place in the Aula Magna of the Facultad de Biología of the Universitat de Barcelona the conference organized by IBUB titled «Proteases and their Regulation from Molecular Structures to Application» by Robert Huber, Max-Planck Institute fuer Biochemie (Germany). Prof. Huber received the Nobel Price in Chemistry 1988, shared with Johann Deisenhoffer and Hartmut Michel, for their studies on the atomic foundations of photosynthesis. His studies on cyanobacterial phycobilisomes, blue multi-copper oxidases, but in particular the purple bacteria reaction centre, the first 3D structure of a membrane protein ever solved, they all contributed to elucidate the structural basis for the transformation of light into chemical energy, and are already part of the History of Biology and Biochemistry. During his seminar, Prof. Huber talked about all the families of proteolytic enzymes and explained the 3D structures of a prepresentative member of each family as well as their function and regulatory mechanisms. The seminar´s host was Eva Estébanez-Perpiñá (RyC and Marie Curie fellow and member of the IBUB since 2008), who had done her PhD under Prof. Huber´s supervision. Many other ex-alumni from his lab were also present in the audience .
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| Picture legend. From right to left: Francesc Villarroya Gombau (Director of the IBUB), Eva Estébanez-Perpiñá (IBUB), Xavier Gomis-Rueth (CSIC), Robert Huber (Max-Planck-Institut), Marta Garrido-Franco (Leitat), Pablo Fuentes-Prior (Sant Pau), and Miquel Coll (IRB). |
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Day joint research on metabolic diseases |
Sant Joan de Déu foundation and the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), biomedical research centers heavily involved in the study of metabolic diseases, have began an strategic partnership to promote translational research in this field, exploiting the potential of basic and clinical research of both institutions.
The meeting "Advances in Research on Metabolic Diseases", held on last April 17th, was a first initiative in this direction, as a forum of exchange of knowledge about the state of research in this area and its prospects.
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News from our Confocal Microscopy Courses |
The demand for courses on confocal Microscopy has been a great success. Six editions have already been carried out and more than thirty of our IBUB researchers have attended them.
It has to be said that the demand for these courses has totally overcome our expectations and it has been necessary to close their continuity by now. They will surely start again from the beggining of the new academic year, provided the necessary financial resources can be made available by the IBUB.
By next September a reminder will be sent for applications to those who have been unable to attend so far and also for new applicants.
We very much appreciate your interest and wish that this IBUB service may have been useful to your research.
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Successfully concluded the IBUB-TEC symposium “Real Time PCR y secuenciación masiva de DNA”, in collaboration with Roche |
The symposium IBUB-Roche, first symposium of the IBUB-TEC series of scientific and technological seminars promoted by IBUB, took place last November 12th at the Faculty of Biology with a multitudinous success. More than 500 people were attending the meeting and a peripheral site had to be established in order to provide service to the massive attendance. The experience of collaboration with the company (Roche, in this case) and with Serveis Cientifico-Tècnics has been optimal to provide the biomedical research community an updated offer for improvement and upgrading technological capacities. |
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Presentation of SINTEFARMA, center of the Network of Centers of Technological Innovation Support Network (IT) of the Generalitat of Catalonia, led by an IBUB group |
The Center for Research and Development in Organic Synthesis for the chemical-pharmaceutical Industry (SINTEFARMA) has been presented on 5th of December at a ceremony in Aula Magna of the Faculty of Pharmacy. SINTEFARMA, located at the Unit of Organic Chemistry, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Barcelona, is a center of the Network of Centers of Technological Innovation Support Network (IT) of the Generalitat of Catalonia, created with the objective of promoting technology transfer and collaboration with the industrial sector, providing advice and services in the field of organic synthesis and conducting applied research projects of technological interest for companies . The research group promoting SINTEFARMA, led by Dr. Joan Bosch, is a founding member of the IBUB, and from our institute we welcome this initiative which once again shows the momentum and dynamism of biomedical research on campus Diagonal of our University. Congratulations and many successes with this initiative from the IBUB!
Further information at www.ub.edu/sintefarma |
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The Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology- IBUB, the Spanish leader in research on ion channels |
The independent portal "Ion Channel, Patch Clamp and Electrophysiology
Research led by Ion Channel Media Group Ltd.
(http://www.ionchannels.org), which produces a ranking of the world
laboratories and research with impact in the area of the Ion Channels has
recognized the Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology of the Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB) led by Dr.
Antonio Felipe, in the 109 worldwide position during the year 2008 for its contributions to this scientific area. This position places the Laboratory of Dr.
Felipe at the first position in the ranking of the Spanish laboratories in this research field in 2008. One of the main scientific contributions leading to this recognition was the publication selected by the IBUB as “article of the month” recently (J Biol Chem. 2008; 283:8756-8764). |
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New IBUB laboratories in the building Helix PCB |
The IBUB, in its policy of promoting emerging research teams and encouraging biomedical research on campus, is establishing new laboratories to host such new research teams in the Helix building of PCB. The team of Dr Eva Estébanez, emerging group of IBUB, will begin its activities in these labs next month. |
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IBUB-TEC, a new series of IBUB seminaris on technology advances |
These seminars are meant to PhD students, postdocs or any lab people, in order to improve technological capacities for biomedical research.
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Several already programmed IBUB-TEC Seminars are:
1.- Basic Bioinformatics Analysis (next October 17)
2.- Advances in RT-PCR and high-throughput DNA sequencing (IBUB-Roche Symposium next november 12, see below))
3.- Basics of Confocal Microscopy (December, practical-tutorial)
4.- ChIP on Chip versus ChIP-seq (January)
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The first seminar of the series will be “ Basics on Bioinformatics Analysis”
by Dr. Enrique Blanco (Departament de Genetica / IBUB), next 17 October (see attached announcement).. The target audience is PhD students and Researchers in any area of Molecular Biology.
The audience in this short talk will be in contact with real examples that explain how to take advantage of current computational tools:
search for genes in the most popular genome browsers, perform comparisons between related sequences, study the conservation of genes in different genomes, identify clusters of co-regulated genes or represent graphically these results. |
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IBUB participates in science dissemination, article in Eureka |
The IBUB undertakes activities oriented towards an improvement in the presence of biomedical research areas in non-specialized social environments. In the last issue of Eureka (the magazine of science addressed to young students) Gemma Marfany, an IBUB genetics researcher, provides a stimulating, easy accessible, view of the fascinating task of gene discovery under the title: ”The Gene Hunters” (“Caçadors de gens”).
Full text can be viewed in the following link. |
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Sessió IBUB-ROCHE
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In line with the activities of promoting improvement in biomedical research
technologies, IBUB participates, in partnership with the company Roche, in a
seminar series on recent advances in Real-time PCR and massive DNA
sequencing technologies, to he held next november 12th in Facultat de
Biologia.
You'll find below the anouncement including the preliminary
program.
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News archives |
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Article of the month |
KCNE4 suppresses Kv1.3 currents by modulating trafficking, surface expression and channel gating
Laura Solé1, Meritxell Roura-Ferrer*1, Mireia Pérez-Verdaguer1, Anna Oliveras1, Maria Calvo2, José Manuel Fernández-Fernández3 and Antonio Felipe1‡.
1.Molecular Physiology Laboratory, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB) Universitat de Barcelona.
2.Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona.
3.Laboratory of Molecular Physiology and Channelopathies, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.
*.Present address: Unidad de Biofísica, CSIC-UPV/EHU, Universidad del País Vasco, Leioa.
‡.Author for correspondence (afelipe@ub.edu)
Journal of Cell Science 122, 3738-3748 Published by The Company of Biologists 2009
Voltage-dependent potassium channels (Kv) play a crucial role in the activation and proliferation of leukocytes. Kv channels are either homo- or hetero-oligomers. This composition modulates their surface expression and serves as a mechanism for regulating channel activity. Kv channel interaction with accessory subunits provides mechanisms for channels to respond to stimuli beyond changes in membrane potential. Here, we
demonstrate that KCNE4 (potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily E member 4), but not KCNE2, functions as an inhibitory Kv1.3 partner in leukocytes. Kv1.3 trafficking,
targeting and activity are altered by the presence of KCNE4.
KCNE4 decreases current density, slows activation, accelerates inactivation, increases cumulative inactivation, retains Kv1.3 in the ER and impairs channel targeting to lipid raft microdomains. KCNE4 associates with Kv1.3 in the ER and decreases the number of Kv1.3 channels at the cell surface, which diminishes cell excitability. Kv1.3 and KCNE4 are differentially regulated upon activation or immunosuppression in macrophages. Thus, lipopolysaccharide-induced activation increases Kv1.3 and KCNE4 mRNA, whereas dexamethasone triggers a decrease in Kv1.3 with no changes in KCNE4. The channelosome composition determines the activity and affects surface expression and membrane localization. Therefore, KCNE4 association might play a crucial role in controlling immunological responses. Our results indicate that KCNE ancillary subunits could be new targets for immunomodulation.
read the complet article
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