Muscle Biology and Cachexia

UHCOP-based Institute Welcomes Nearly 300 Researchers to Inaugural International Conference

May 23 — The Institute of Muscle Biology and Cachexia (IMBC) at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy hosted its inaugural Muscle Biology and Cachexia Conference May 18-20 at UH, drawing nearly 300 established, early-career and student researchers from across the U.S. as well as Canada, Italy, Singapore and Turkey for podium, short-talk, and poster presentations.

Highlights of the conference include keynote presentations by Denis C. Guttridge, Ph.D., professor and director at Darby Children's Research Institute and associate director of translational sciences at Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina ("NF-kB Signaling in Skeletal Muscle Pathologies: What We've Learned from the Tumor Microenvironment") and Marco Sandri, M.D., professor at the University of Padova and the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine in Padova, Italy ("Novel Insights in the Control of Muscle Mass and Force Generation").

The conference also included 65 poster presentations, 46 oral presentations, and 20 "short talks." Among these, several individuals were recognized for their presentation excellence:

Best Short Talk – Colleen L. O'Reilly from Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in Oklahoma City, Okla., 1st place for "Are the beneficial effects of Metformin on healthspan context specific?" and Laura Cussonneau from the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy, 2nd place for "Myo-Tumour: A novel role for skeletal muscle in tumour growth and proliferation"

Best Postdoctoral Poster – Jingjuan Chen from Duke University in Durham, N.C., 1st place for "FAM210A is essential for mitochondrial homeostasis and cytosolic protein synthesis in skeletal muscles," and Karim Ismat from the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., 2nd place for "Myofiber transcriptomic dysregulation and aberrant stromal interactions drive muscle loss in dysferlinopathy"

Best Graduate Student Poster – Aniket S. Joshi, Ph.D., from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, 1st place for "The IRE1α/XBP1 signaling axis mediates skeletal muscle wasting during pancreatic cancer cachexia," and Anna DeBruine from The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine at UTHealth Houston, 2nd place for "Targeting estrogen-related receptors α/γ to prevent cancer cachexia-induced muscle wasting."

Event Co-Organizer Ashok Kumar, Ph.D., UHCOP Else and Philip Hargrove Endowed Professor and director of the institute, said he was pleased with the turnout as well as positive feedback from the attendees.

"It provided the platform for scientific exchange, collaborations, and highlighted the recent discoveries and technologies on muscle diseases and cachexia," Kumar said. "Importantly, the conference showcased the research work, leadership, and infrastructure we have here at UH for organizing such major international conferences. UH is now considered as one of the major academic institutions in the country performing cutting-edge research on muscle biology and cachexia."

Radbod Darabi, M.D., Ph.D., UHCOP associate professor and another co-organizer of the event, highlighted the presence of nationally and internationally renowned muscle and cachexia scientists as a key indicator of the conference's success.

"Their invaluable contributions—through podium presentations, scientific discussions after presentations, and poster sessions—created an excellent opportunity for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other investigators to exchange ideas and foster future collaborations," Darabi said. "Furthermore, it significantly enhanced the University of Houston's visibility as a hub for innovative research in this field."

Visit the MBCC photo album on Flickr.