NECTAR 2014 Data Blitz Presentations 10:30 Thu 27th Data Blitz Session I 10:30 Fri 28th Data Blitz Session IV 1.1 4.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Ms. Stefanie Seiler, University Hospital & University of Bern Assessments of new strategies to improve yield of dopaminergic neurons in vitro: Effects of Nogo-receptor 1 antagonization and NT4/5 administration. Dr. Jonathan Niclis, University of Melbourne Improved ventral midbrain differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells for cellular replacement therapy. Mr. Christopher Turner, Florey Institute of Neuroscience Immune suppression strategies for long-term survival of human stem cell grafts in the rodent brain. Ms. Jessica Kauhausen, University of Melbourne The importance of striatal contact for the survival and integration of neural transplants in Parkinsonian mice. Mr. Tiago Cardoso, Lund University Synaptic integration of transplanted human embryonic stem cell derived neurons in the adult rat brain. Dr. Agnete Kirkeby, Lund University Reconstruction of midbrain dopamine pathways in the adult rat brain using dopamine neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells. 13:00 Thu 27th Data Blitz Session II 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Ms. Síle Griffin, Keele University Accelerated and efficient neuronal differentiation of Sox1GFP mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro using nicotinamide. Dr. Sophie Rowlands, Cardiff University Can manipulation of differentiation conditions eliminate proliferative cells from a population of ES cell‐derived forebrain cells? Mr. David Harrison, Cardiff University Primary foetal cell suspensions, tissue pieces and donor age: A comparison of morphology in striatal mouse grafts. Dr. Mariah Lelos, Cardiff University Comparison of rat and human whole ganglionic eminance fetal tissue grafts on behaviour and graft maturation. Dr. Victoria Roberton, Cardiff University Characterising the development of human WGE grafts. Ms. Emma Yhnell, Cardiff University A longitudinal behavioural characterisation of the HdhQ111 mouse model of Huntington’s disease. 15:30 Thu 27th Data Blitz Session III 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Ms. Rachel Ronan, NUI Galway A collagen-based multimodal delivery system provides therapeutic factors and physical support for treatment of spinal cord injury in the rat. Dr. Ting-Yi Wang, Florey Institute of Neuroscience Bioengineered scaffolds enhance the functional integration of transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived cortical progenitors in an animal model of focal ischemia. Mr. Fahad Somaa, University of Melbourne Long-lasting motor improvement following neural transplantation in athymic rats with ischemic brain injury. Dr. Ike de la Pena, University of South Florida Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor attenuates delayed tPA-induced hemorrhagic transformation in ischemic stroke rats by enhancing angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Prof. Hans Rudolf Widmer, University of Bern The secretome of endothelial progenitor cells supports brain microvascular cells viability. Mr. Simon Rodier, University of Cambridge Functional role of intermediate filaments in oligodendrocyte lineage cells and CNS remyelination. 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Ms. Lucy Collins, University of Cambridge Relationship between cognitive status in Gaucher related Parkinson’s disease and lysosome function in patient fibroblasts. Mr. Martin Madill, NUI Galway Impaired autophagy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patient fibroblasts. Dr. Karolina Pircs, Lund University Revealing the influence of autophagy on miRNA function in different models of Parkinson’s and Huntington's disease. Ms. Josephine Malmevik, Lund University Global dopaminergic microRNA changes in LRRK2(R1441G) transgenic mice. Dr. Zinovia Kefalopoulou, University College London Long-term outcomes of STN - DBS: A benchmark for novel biological treatments for Parkinson’s disease? Ms. Ruth Concannon, NUI Galway Differential upregulation of the cannabinoid CB2 receptor in neurotoxic and inflammation-driven rat models of Parkinson's disease. 13:00 Fri 28th Data Blitz Session V 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Dr. Shane Hegarty, University College Cork Neurotrophic effects of GDF5 and BMP2 on cultured midbrain dopaminergic neurons are mediated by the canonical Smad 1/5/8 signalling pathway. Mr. Thomas Padel, Lund University Platelet-derived growth factor BB restores the striato-nigral dopaminergic system and its associated behaviour in a 6-hydroxydopamine mouse model of Parkinson’s disease: involvement of pericytes. Mr. Osama Elabi, Cardiff University The impact of Ghrelin on the survival and efficacy of transplanted allogenic ventral mesencephalon in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Ms. Deirdre Hoban, NUI Galway Assessment of the neurotrophic effects exerted by GDNF following delivery of neurotrophin-secreting stem cells to the rat brain in the lipopolysaccharide model of Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Katie Hall, University of Cambridge Bilateral striatal AAV5-GDNF treatment fails to ameliorate behavioural deficits in R6/1 Huntington’s disease model mice. Ms. Juhi Samal, NUI Galway Fibrin-based microsphere reservoirs for delivery of neurotrophic factors. Mr. Andre Toulouse, University College Cork TNFa inhibits survival of midbrain neural precursor cells: an antiinflammatory role for Nurr1? Thank you to our generous sponsors!