Retreat

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Retreat 2021

Retreat

GPMLS Retreat (Spekigleði in Icelandic) is a yearly event that takes place each autumn. Here the members of the association are provided with the opportunity to present their research and become acquainted with ongoing studies.

The Retreat also serves as an excellent occasion for students and group leaders to strengthen their network and thereby enhance collaboration between scientists, enabling them to build interdisciplinary research projects.

GPMLS retreat

No event to report.

Programs from previous retreats

GPMLS Retreat November 7th 2024 – Program

09:30-09:55 Coffee and light refreshments

09:55-10:00 Welcome address – Auður Anna Aradóttir Pind, postdoc and GPMLS project manager

10:00-11:00 Sesselja Sigurborg Ómarsdóttir – Professor of Pharmaceutical and Natural Products

11:00-12:30 Student presentations – chair: Katrín Möller, postdoc

  • Parinaz Mahdavi, PhD student – The regulatory link between MITF and VEGFA/FLT1 (PI: Eiríkur Steingrímsson)
  • Theodóra Björk Ægisdóttir, MS student – Molecular and structural effect of ubiquitous proteins of the AAA+ ATPs family at the Neuromuscular Junction (PI: Sigríður Rut Franzdóttir)
  • Íris Ósk Halldórsdóttir, MS student – Using Zebrafish To Study The Effects Of Hedgehog Signalling On Chondrocytes And Cancer Cells (PI: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir)
  • Sara Rut Huldudóttir, MS student – The role of Smo in zebrafish chondrocytes (PI: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir)
  • Hlynur Magnússon, MS student – The Role of the R173C SMO Variant in Osteoarthritis Progression (PI: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir)
  • Sigríður Stefanía Hlynsdóttir, PhD student - Electrostatic regulation of ontramolecular interactions in pioneer factor PU.1 (PI: Pétur Orri Heiðarsson)
  • Saga Líf Ævarsdóttir, MS student – The role of ANGPTL4 in trophoblast invasion (PI: Guðrún Valdimarsdóttir)
  • Artemijs Vasjanovics, PhD student – Pressure overload induced model of heart failure (PI: Georgios Kararigas)

12:30-13:30 Lunch

13:30-15:00 Student presentations – chair: Guðjón Ólafsson, postdoc

  • Daniel Amani, PhD student - Green Antimicrobial Biopolymer and Peptide Coatings for Silicone Implants (PI: Már Másson)
  • Gunnar Sigfús Björnsson, MS student – Does the BRCA2 999del5 mutation have an effect on the immune response of carriers? (PI: Siggeir Fannar Brynjólfsson)
  • Gabriele Boretti, PhD student – multi-omics model for bioprinted cartilage (PI: Ólafur E. Sigurjónsson)
  • Þór Birgisson, MS student – Is Neuroinflammation a Factor in ADHD Pathogenesis (PI: Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir)
  • Kamilla Sól Viktorsdóttir, MS student – Characterizing cell-free DNA in BRCA2-999del5 mutation carriers (PI: Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir)
  • Kári Ísleifsson, MS student – The effects og Atg7 on cancer formation (PI: Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir)
  • Jón Baldvin Helgason Möller, MS student – Isoform specific effects of ATG7 on metabolism in pancreatic cancer (PI: Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir)

15:00-16:00 Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir – Dean of School of Health Sciences

16:00-16:30 Coffee break

16:30-18:30 Networking activites

18:30-18:40 Closing remarks and award ceremony

18:45-21:00 Dinner and drinks

GPMLS Retreat November 23rd, 2023

09:00 10:00 Departure by bus from the University to Félagsheimilið Miðgarður

10:00 10:30 Welcome by Prof. Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir and coffee

10:30 12:00 Student presentations - Session 1 – Chair: Katrín Möller, Postdoc

  • Jóhann Örn Thorarensen - Identifying microRNA-mediated regulation of KMT2D in Kabuki Syndrome 1, PI: Hans Tómas Björnsson
  • Stamatia-Maria Rapti - Waldenström Macroglobulinemia and BLIMP1 role in cell cycle, PI: Erna Magnusdóttir
  • Tinna Björg Gunnarsdóttir - Expression of PD-L1 on extracellular vesicles in melanoma, PI: Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir
  • Sigríður St. Hlynsdóttir - The pioneer transcription factor PU.1 forms two distinct conformational populations, PI: Pétur Orri Heiðarsson

11:10 11:20 Short break

  • Hildur Rún Helgudóttir - Modelling APRT deficiency in kidney cells in vitro, PI: Þórarinn Guðjónsson
  • Juan Ouyang - Identifying functionally relevant DNA methylation abnormalities in neurons, PI: Hans Tómas Björnsson
  • Árni Ásbjarnarson - Non-antibiotic disease modifying effects of macrolides in airway diseases, PI: Þórarinn Guðjónsson
  • Sophia Mähr - TGFß signaling in human placental development and preeclampsia, PI: Guðrún Valdimarsdóttir
  • Evangeline Breeta – How does MITF mediates phenotype switching, PI: Eiríkur Steingrímsson

12:10 13:00 Lunch & Group photo

13:00 13:45 Ásta Sóllilja Guðmundsdóttir, CEO at KLAK

13:45 14:00 Coffee/Break

14:00 15:30 Student presentations - Session 2 – Chair: Maria Arshad, Postdoc

  • Steinunn Perla Daníelsdóttir - 3D culturing of chondrocytes worth it? PI: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir
  • John Denver - It’s: Prediction of Metabolic Flux Differences Across Flow Conditions in Endothelial Cell - A Computational Analysis, PI: Óttar Rolfsson
  • Daníel Heiđar Magnússon - ALKBH and FTO: Epigenetic regulators of mRNA export, PI: Stefán Sigurðsson
  • Birta Dröfn Jónsdóttir - ALKBH3 and FTO: New epitranscriptomic regulators of DNA double strand break response, PI: Stefán Sigurðsson

14:40 14:50 Short break

  • Sveinn Bjarnason - DNA binding redistributes activation domain ensemble and accessibilty in pioneer factor Sox2, PI: Pétur Orri Heiðarsson
  • Abbi Elise Smith - The role of cholesterol binding of Smoothened in hedgehog signaling and osteoarthritis, PI: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir
  • Mariya Petrova Monova - Supercharging pioneer transcription factor PU.1, PI: Pétur Orri Heiðarsson
  • Valgerður J. Hjaltalín - Role of the key autophagy protein ATG7 in mammals, PI: Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir

15:30 15:45 Coffee/Break
15:45 17:05 Student presentations - Session 3 – Chair: Guðjón Ólafsson, Postdoc

  • Clémence Larat - An isoform specific role of ATG7 in cancer, PI: Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir
  • Kristrún Ýr Holm - Quantification of protein biomarkers in human plasma for early breast cancer diagnosis, PI: Margrét Þorsteinsdóttir/Sigríður Klara Böðvarsdóttir
  • Amin Amani - Green Antimicrobial Biopolymer and Peptide Coatings for Silicone Implants, PI: Már Másson
  • Luca Protti - Chitosan-antimicrobial drug conjugates based nanoparticles, PI: Már Másson

16:25 16:35 Short break

  • Ellen Mhango - Development of child friendly antimalarial medicines, PI: Sveinbjörn Gizurarson
  • Tadala Katunga - Antimicrobial lipid formulations and clinically sampled dermatophytes, PI: Sveinbjörn Gizurarson
  • Erna María Jónsdóttir - Engineered extracellular vesicles targeting triple negative breast cancer, PI: Berglind Eva Benediktsdóttir

17:05 17:15 Coffee/Break

17:15 18:00 Sveinbjörn Gizurarson, Professor in Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

18:00 19:00 Drinks & winner of Image competition will be announced

19:00 20:00 Dinner

20:00 20:30 Pub Quiz

20:30 21:00 Winner of Pub Quiz announced

21:00 22:00 Departure by bus - Estimated arrival at the University around 22:00

Retreat Harpan Conference Hall, Norðurljós

24th of September 2021

9.30 – 10.00    Light breakfast and mingle

10.00 – 10.15  Welcome address and introduction

Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir, post-doc and project manager of GPMLS

10.15 – 10.25  Introduction of GPMS (Graduate Program in Medical Science)

Sæmundur Rögnvaldsson, PhD student and project manager of GPMS

 

10.25 – 11.30  Session 1: Student presentations (8 min presentation + 4 min discussions)

Chair: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Adjunct, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences

Sara Þöll Halldórsdóttir, PhD student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: Towards the mechanistic understanding of precocious differentiation in pathogenesis of Kabuki Syndrome 1

Supervisor: Hans Tómas Björnsson. 

Thejus B Venkatesh, PhD student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: Role of Rhox genes during germ cell specification

Supervisor: Erna Magnúsdóttir. 

Eva Dröfn Benjamínsdóttir, MSc student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: Chemotherapy-induced bystander effect

Supervisor: Þórarinn Guðjónsson

Kristrún Ýr Holm, PhD student. Dep. of Pharmaceuticals

Title: Search for novel biomarkers for early breast cancer diagnosis by targeted protein assay

Supervisors: Margrét Þorsteinsdóttir and Sigríður Klara Böðvarsdóttir. 

11.30 – 12.20   Invited speaker: Henry Alexander Henrysson, Philosopher

I Think Therefore I Care: Ethical Thinking in the Age of Alternative Facts

 

12.20 – 13.40   Lunch La Primavera (4th floor Harpan)

 

13.40 – 14.45   Session 2: Student presentations (8 min presentation + 4 min discussions)

Chair: Sigurður Rúnar Guðmundsson, Imaging Core Facility Manager at BMC

Sveinn Bjarnason, PhD student. Dep. of Biochemisty

Title: Conformational dynamics of pioneer factor Sox2 during nucleosome remodelling

Supervisor: Pétur Orri Heiðarsson

Hilmar Örn Gunnlaugsson, PhD student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: Towards a mechanistic understanding of neuronal dysfunction in Kabuki syndrome

Supervisor: Hans Tómas Björnsson. 

Karen Kristjánsdóttir, PhD student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: Epitranscriptomic Regulation of DNA Repair Genes

Supervisor: Stefán Þ. Sigurðsson

Hólmfríður Þórarinsdóttir, MSc student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: The role of azithromycin in affecting cellular changes in lung epithelial cells during mechanical ventilation

Supervisor: Þórarinn Guðjónsson. 

14.45 – 15.00   The future of molecular life science in Iceland

Professor Eiríkur Steingrímsson, Dep. of Medicine Univ. of Iceland

15.00 – 15.20    Break – Refreshments in front of Norðurljós

15.20 – 16.10    Session 3: Student presentations (8 min presentation + 4 min discussions)

Chair: Bylgja Hilmarsdóttir, Clinical Scientist at Dep. of Pathology LSH

Matthías Már Valdimarsson, MSc student. Dep. of Biochemistry

Title: tba

Supervisors: Eiríkur Steingrímsson and Pétur Orri Heiðarsson

Anna Margrét Gunnarsdóttir, MSc student. Dep. of Medicine

Title:The effects of cancer drugs on Prostate cell lines with Mesenchymal Phenotype

Supervisors: Þórarinn Guðjónsson and Jón Þór Bergþórsson

Kirstine Nolling Jensen, PhD student. Dep. of Medicine

Title: Natural killer cells in the resolution of inflammation

Supervisors: Jóna Freysdóttir and Ingibjörg Harðardóttir

 

16.10 – 16.30    Break – Refreshments in front of Norðurljós

 

16.30 – 17.30    Career move – Ragnhildur Káradóttir

Professor at University of Cambridge and University of Iceland

17.30 – 17.35   Closing remarks

 

18.00   Welcome drink and dinner at Björtuloft (6th floor Harpan)

Spekigleði GPMLS árið 2019 fór fram þann 13. september í Þjóðminjasafninu.

10:00 Coffee – Kaffitár

10:30-11:45 Nemendafyrirlestrar – hluti 1

Fundarstjóri: Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir

Marta S. Alexdóttir (Guðrún Valdimarsdóttir)
“Molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia.”

Sigríður Stefanía Hlynsdóttir (Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir)
“Characterization of a non-autophagy related function of ATG7.”

Unnur Arna Þorsteinsdóttir (Margrét Þorsteinsdóttir)
“Development and optimization of quantitative UPLC-MS/MS assay for clinical diagnosis and pharmacotherapy monitoring of patients with APRT deficiency.”

Friðrik Björn Kjartansson (Sigríður Rut Franzdóttir)
“Effect of Pontin & Reptin misregulation on protein aggregations.”

Elín Sóley Sigurbjörnsdóttir (Eiríkur Steingrímsson og Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir)
“A human cell line for functional analysis of the SMOR173C variant.”

11.45-12:30 Lunch – the National museum

12:30-13:45 Student lectures – session 2

Chair: Gunnhildur Ásta Traustadóttir

Kristrún Ýr Holm (Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir)
“Characterization of the mammalian specific function of the key autophagy gene ATG7.”

Sigurður Trausti Karvelsson (Óttar Rolfsson)
“Integrated metabolic analysis reveals increased glutamine dependency following EMT in breast.”

Kirstine Nolling Jensen (Ingibjörg Harðardóttir and Jóna Freysdóttir)
“Resolution of inflammation: Identification of key molecules on NK cells and neutrophils”

Romain Lasseur (Eiríkur Steingrímsson)
“Role of MITF K243R mutation in melanocyte development and melanoma.”

13:45 Coffee break – Kaffitár

14:00-15:30 Starfsandi við Háskóla Íslands - Jóhanna Ella Jónsdóttir (Mannauðsstjóri hjá VoN).

Umræður
Elísabet Alexandra Frick, Kalina Kapralova, Heiður Reynisdóttir, Ingibjörg Harðardóttir, Jóhanna Ella Jónsdóttir.

15 :30 Kaffihlé – Kaffitár

15:50-17:00 “How several trips between US and Iceland lead to a career in clinical epigenetics”
Hans Tómas Björnsson, MD, PhD, Próf., Biochemistry and molecular biology, Factulty of medicine, University of Iceland and Johns Hopkins University, ræðir um framgang í starfi.

17:00 Jólaréttir – Stúdentakjallarinn

17:30/18:00 Jólamatur – Stúdentakjallarinn

Föstudagur 5. október 2018

12:00-13:00 Hádegisverður

13:00-13:15 Setning Spekigleðinnar – Guðrún Valdimarsdóttir

13.15-14:15 Nemendafyrirlestrar – hluti 1

Fundarstjóri: Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir, Nýdoktor Sturlugötu

Arnar Björvinsson (Sigríður Rut Franzdóttir)
“Subcellular location of Pontin and Reptin, and how they affect aggregation in neurons.”

Anna Karen Sigurðardóttir (Þórarinn Guðjónsson).
“Expression, regulation and functional role of peroxidasin in normal and neoplastic mammary gland .“

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir (Jóna Freysdóttir/Ingibjörg Harðardóttir).
“Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids have immunosuppressing effects on co-cultured NK cells and neutrophils.”

Hrólfur Smári Pétursson (Árni Kristmundsson).
“Source, transmission and development of Ichthyophonus hoferi infection in the Icelandic summer-spawning herring.”

14:20-14:25 Hlé

14:25-15:10 Nemendafyrirlestrar – hluti 2

Fundarstjóri: Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Nýdoktor á Sturlugötu

Iwona T Myszor (Guðmundur Hrafn Guðmundsson).
“Aroylated phenylenediamines (APDs) – novel inducers of innate immunity for host directed therapy against infections.”

Kristín Elísabet Alansdóttir (Sigríður Rut Franzdóttir).
“Citrate on the brain: Understanding the neurological symptoms of SLC13A5 deficiency.”

Jón Pétur Jóelsson (Þórarinn Guðjónsson, Guðmundur Hrafn Guðmundsson and Sigurbergur Kárason).
“Effect of mechanical- and chemical challenging on lung epithelial cells: The role of epithelial enhancing drugs.”

15:10-16:10 Kaffihlé – Kaffitár

16:10-17:00 Nemendafyrirlestrar – hluti 3

Fundarstrjóri: Sarah McGarrity, Nýdoktor Sturlugötu

Andrea García Llorca (Þór Eysteinsson/Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir)
“Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf) and its role in regulating mouse eye phenotype and autophagy in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)”

Sunneva Smáradóttir (Björn Rúnar Lúðvíksson, Jóna Freysdóttir and Hildur Sigurgrímsdóttir).
“The Role of LL-37 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.”

Rósa Sólveig Sigurðardóttir (Óttar Rolfsson).
“Human endothelial metabolism and glycocalyx maintenance in trauma.“

17:10-17:45 Lífið eftir framhaldsnám (Life after graduate school)
Eiríkur Sigurðsson, MSc in Biology. Director of Marketing and Communications at Reykjavik University, talks about his career.

17:50-18:30 Skoðunarferð um Keldur
Dr. Sigurbjörg Þorsteinsdóttir

18.30-20.00 Kvöldverður – Grillvagninn

20.00 Helix pubquiz

Laugardagur 6. október 2018

9:00-9:30 Morgunmatur – Kaffitár

9:30-10:15 “Cross-disciplinary, critical thinking training in graduate biomedical science education – The R3 Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health”.
Dr. Gundula Bosch, guest lecturer, Program Director of the R3 PhD program at Johns Hopkins University.

10 :15-10 :30 Kaffihlé

10:30-11:00 Framtíðarplön framhaldsnáms við Lífvísindasetrið - Dr. Helga Ögmundsdóttir

11:00-11:30 Líf framhaldsnemans við Lífvísindasetrið - Dr. Ingibjörg Harðardóttir, Dr. Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir and Dr. Arnar Pálsson.

11:30-12:30 Umræður við ofangreint fólk - Dr. Guðmundur Hrafn Guðmundsson and Dr. Erna Magnúsdóttir.
Fundarstjóri: Eiríkur Steingrímsson.

12:30-13:30 Hádegisverður

13.30 Spekigleði lokið

Spekigleði GPMLS var haldin í Héraðsskólanum að Laugarvatni þann 13.-14. október 2017. Framhaldsnemar héldu örkynningar á verkefnum sínum og gestafyrirlestar héldu erindi.

Föstudagur 13. október 

12.00-13.00 Hádegisverður

13.00-14.45 Nemendakynningar – hluti 1.

Fundarstjóri: Kritika Kirty

Jasper van der Horst (Stefán Sigurðsson/Þorkell Guðjónsson). 

“Epigenetic modifications in DNA repair genes in breast cancer.” 

Qiong Wang (Óttar Rolfsson). 

“(Phospho)proteomic approaches to define the metabolic genotype-phenotype relationship of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast epithelium.“ 

Xiaxia Di (Jóna Freysdóttir/Ingibjörg Harðardóttir). 

“New immunomodulatory compounds from marine invertebrates.” 

Erika Morera Mojonero (Þórarinn Guðjónsson, Læknagarður). 

“The endothelial niche in breast morphogenesis and cancer.” 

Hlé

Nemendakynningar – hluti 2.

Fundarstjóri:  Linda Isooman

Óska rÖrn Hálfdánarson (Eiríkur Steingrímsson/Margrét Helga Ögmundsdóttir/Helga Margrét Ögmundsóttir). 

” Epidemiological study of the effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) on cancer in humans.” 

Zuzana Budková (Þórarinn Guðjónsson, Læknagarður). 

” Role of non-coding RNAs in breast morphogenesis and cancer.” 

Kristín Elísabet Allison (Sigríður Rut Franzdóttir). 

“Pontin and Reptin at the neuro-muscular junction.” 

14.45-15.15 Kaffihlé 

15.15-16.15 Nemendakynningar – hluti 3.

Fundarstjóri: Gunnhildur Traustadóttir

Sarah Sophie Steinhaeuser (Þórarinn Guðjónsson, Læknagarður). 

“Heterotypic interactions between endothelial and cancer cells in breast cancer progression and metastasis.” 

Unnur Diljá Teitsdóttir (Pétur Henry Petersen). 

“The identification and validation of novel biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease.“ 

Arsalan Amirfallah (Inga Reynisdóttir/Rósa Björk Barkardóttir) 

“Potential Role of an Autophagy Gene in Breast Tumor Development” 

Stefan Hermanowicz (Stefán Sigurðsson/Þorkell Guðjónsson). 

“ALKBH3 and Epitranscriptomics.” 

16.20-17.15 Life after graduate school: Dr. Sigríður Valgeirsdóttir, project manager at DeCODE Genetics, Iceland, fjallar um ferilinn sinn

17.30-19.00 Fontana spa 

19.30-21.30 Kvöldverður

21.30 Helix pub-quiz 

Sunnudagur 14. október 2020

08.30-9.30 Morgunverður

9.30-10.30 Climbing the career ladder - Dr. Erlendur Helgason, research manager, faculty of medicine, University of Oslo. 

10.30-10.45 Kaffihlé

10.45-11.45 Climbing further the career ladder - Erlendur Helgason 

12.00-13.00 Hádegisverður

13.30 Brottför frá Laugarvatni