Global

Science Club | Skeletal Muscle Disease caused by Mutations in STIM1

This month's Swiss-Korean Science Club invites collaboration partners from University of Geneva and Yonsei University Wonju. Their joint research initiated in 2006 and is on-going until now with Post-Doctoral Exchange Scholarship from National Research Foundation of Korea.
Join and learn more about the exchange and Human Muscular Diseases!

This month's speakers

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    Bio

    Nicolas Demaurex

    Professor, University of Geneva

    Dr Demaurex is professor of physiology and vice-dean of the medical faculty of the University of Geneva, Switzerland, where he obtained a medical degree and a PhD in cell biology before specializing in the physiology of ion transport at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

    Dr Demaurex research focuses on the mechanisms controlling the calcium and pH homeostasis of innate immune cells, with a particular focus on store-operated Ca2+ signaling. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) channels are found in the plasma membrane of all animal cells and are activated through a decrease in the Ca2+ concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In immune cells, SOCE generates Ca2+ signals important for gene expression, proliferation, and the secretion of inflammatory mediators. Dr Demaurex laboratory was instrumental in establishing the molecular basis and significance of membrane contact sites generated between the ER and the plasma membrane during SOCE and made several important contributions towards understanding the role of Ca2+ signaling in regulating the functions of neutrophils and dendritic cells. Current efforts in the laboratory are focused on understanding the physiological roles of ion channels in sustaining the migration and bactericidal activity of white blood cells. Dr Demaurex uses a multifaceted approach for these studies that combines mouse genetics, electrophysiology, electron microscopy, and a variety of imaging techniques activities.

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    Bio

    Ji-Hee Kim

    Research Professor, College of Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju

    Dr. Ji-Hee Kim is a research professor from the physiology department and MRC center. She entered the Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, received Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy in February 2010 and achieved the RPT license to practice independently. She joined the Department of Physiology, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University in 2010 and finished her Ph.D. supervised by Prof. Seung-Kyu Cha. During her doctor’s degree, she had worked at University of Geneva, Switzerland with Prof. Nicolas Demaurex for 3 months (in 2017). More recently, Dr. Kim has joined Prof. Demaurex’s lab for 1 year with a Young Researcher’s Postdoc Fellowship program (Nurturing Next-generation Researchers) awarded by NRF of Korea. In Geneva, she studied the molecular mechanism of tubular aggregate myopathy (TAM) associated with tubular aggregation of skeletal muscle fibers and muscle weakness.

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    [MODERATOR] Bio

    Claes Wollheim

    Professor emeritus, University Medical Center

    Claes Wollheim is a fully qualified Swedish physician. After clinical training in Stockholm and Lund, he specialized in diabetes research at the University of Geneva focusing on insulin secretion from the endocrine pancreas. He held a chair of experimental diabetology in Geneva and is now emeritus professor, conducting diabetes research at Lund University. He serves as mentor at the medical faculties in Geneva and Lund. Wollheim was awarded two honorary degrees and is elected member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Academia Europaea.

  • Recording

    Swiss-Korean Science Club December 2021