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SUMMARY:Neurotransmitters as Paracrine Signals in Human Islets of Langerha
 ns
DTSTART:20150115T100000
DTSTAMP:20260501T144400Z
UID:03e4219177a6ded97fa74551d6166fc73cecc413089c17871cb2b421
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Alejandro Caicedo\, University of Miami\, Miami\, FL (US
 A)\nBIOENGINEERING SEMINARAbstract:\nThe pancreatic islet secretes the hor
 mones insulin and glucagon to regulate glucose metabolism. To generate an 
 adequate secretory response that contributes to glucose homeostasis\, acti
 vity in islet endocrine cells is coordinated via paracrine signaling. Seve
 ral neurotransmitters have been suggested to work as signaling molecules i
 n the islet (acetylcholine\, serotonin\, GABA). We are deploying a battery
  of techniques to determine which molecules are released from endocrine ce
 lls to activate neighboring cells and alter hormone secretion. The neurotr
 ansmitter GABA is secreted by islet beta cells and was shown to protect mo
 use beta cells from immune attack\, make them proliferate\, and to reverse
  diabetes in mice. Little is known\, however\, about the basic physiologic
 al role GABA plays in the islet. Our findings indicate that GABA is secret
 ed from beta cells in robust pulses\, suggesting that GABA signaling could
  serve as a pacemaker by imposing its rhythm on endocrine cells within the
  islet. Interestingly\, we also found that GABA signaling is deranged in t
 ype 2 diabetes\, which may help explain abnormal\, irregular hormone secre
 tion. Ultimately\, our goal is to understand how islets function in the li
 ving organism. Toward this aim\, we established an animal model that allow
 s manipulating and visualizing islet function non-invasively. In this mode
 l\, islets are transplanted into the anterior chamber of the mouse eye for
  in vivo monitoring. By moving our in vitro studies into real time\, in vi
 vo physiology we expect to obtain data not predicted by in vitro studies.B
 io:Education:\n2001 Postdoctoral fellowship\, University of Miami Miller S
 chool of Medicine\n1997 Ph.D.\, University of Montpellier I\n1991 Biologie
 -Diplom\, University of Tübingen\, GermanyPositions and Employment:\n2009
  - present   Associate Professor\, Department of Medicine\, Miller Schoo
 l of Medicine\, University of Miami.\n2005   Research Assistant Professo
 r\, Department of Physiology and Biophysics\, Miller School of Medicine\, 
 University of Miami.\n2004-2009   Research Assistant Professor\, Diabete
 s Research Institute\, Miller School of Medicine\, University of Miami.\n2
 002-2004   Research Assistant Professor\, Department of Ophthalmology\, 
 School of Medicine\, University of Miami.\n2000-2002   Instructor\, Depa
 rtment of Physiology and Biophysics\, School of Medicine\, University of M
 iami.\n1997-2000   Postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Stephen Roper\, School o
 f Medicine\, University of Miami.\n1996-1997   Research work at the "Lab
 oratoire de Neurobiologie de l'Audition" at the University of Montpellier 
 I\, France (European Union Contract of the Human Capital and Mobility Prog
 ram).\n1990-1991   Research work at the Department of Animal Physiology 
 of the University of Tübingen\, Germany.
LOCATION:SV1717a http://map.epfl.ch/?room=sv1717a
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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