Organizers:
Antonio Zorzano. Institut Research Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
Mariusz Wieckowski. ESCI Council - Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland

Assisted by:
Felippe Zucolotto dos Reis. ESCI Young Researchers Council, Portugal

Wednesday June 5, 2024

13:30h – 15:00h

SYMPOSIUM 1.1 | PATHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF MITOCHONDRIA-MEMBRANE CONTACTS
Chairpersons: Antonio Zorzano (Spain) & Carolina Tocantins (Portugal)

Mitochondria-lysosome crosstalk: touch me, don't touch me, just be sweet
Nuno Raimundo. Penn State College of Medicine, and University of Coimbra, Portugal

Lipid transport at membrane contact sites and mitochondrial shape 
Robin Klemm. University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract 1: Mitofusin 1 mediates mitochondria-lipid droplets contacts allowing fatty acid trafficking and oxidationt
Iliana López-Soldado. University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 2: Functional role of VPS13 proteins at mitochondria and ER contact sites
Paula Sánchez. IRB Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 3: Inhibition of diglyceride acyltransferase (DGAT1) improves ER-mitochondria interaction in an in vitro Alzheimer's disease model
Tania Fernandes. Center For Neuroscience And Cell Biology (cnc), Coimbra, Portugal

15:00h – 15:30h

COFFEE BREAK

15:30h – 17:00h

SYMPOSIUM 1.2 | PATHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF MITOCHONDRIAL QUALITY CONTROL PATHWAYS AND MITOCHONDRIAL DYNAMICS
Chairpersons: Marc Liesa (Spain) & Adriana Marques (Portugal)

Mitochondrial membrane dysfunction and sequelae
Tim Wai. Institut Pasteur, France

Inflammation, immunity and angiogenesis
Aleksandra Trifunovic. University of Cologne, Germany

Abstract 1: Consequences and adaptations to OPA1 deficiency in the mouse liver 
Kevin Aguilar. Fundació Institut de Recerca Biomèdica (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 2: Postnatal expression of MFN2-R94Q variant partially recapitulates Charcot-Marie-Tooth 2A in mice 
Marc Beltrà. IRB, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 3: Role of mitochondria dynamics proteins in general and selective autophagy
Dragana Radivojevikj. IRB, Barcelona, Spain

17:00h – 17:30h

OPENING CEREMONY

17:30h-18-30h

OPENING LECTURE

Epigenetics in Health and Disease: From Knowledge to Applications
Manel Esteller. Barcelona, Spain

18:30h - 19:30h

SATELLITE SYMPOSIUM FICYE | MEDITERRANEAN DIET, BEER AND HEALTH

**The Forum for Beer and Lifestyle Research (FICYE) is an entity that promotes research on beer and its relationship with lifestyle**

Ageing and nutrition: delaying chronological age by improving physiological age

Lina Badimon. Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics Department, IR-Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

Beer, nutrition and immunity

Ascensión Marcos. Malaga Biomedical Research Institute and Nanomedicine Platform (IBIMA)

Gut microbiota, beer and diet

Isabel Moreno. Malaga Biomedical Research Institute and Nanomedicine Platform (IBIMA)

19:30-21.00h

BEER TASTING AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE UNIVERSITIES

Thursday June 6, 2024 

8:15h – 9:00h

PAS GRAS OUTREACH ACTIVITY

9:00h – 10:30h

SYMPOSIUM 1.3 | MITOCHONDRIAL STRESS PATHWAYS
Chairpersons: Werner J.H. Koopman (The Netherlands) & Agata Wydrych (Poland)

The role of OMA1 in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy 
Thomas Langer. Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany

Genetic Exploration of Mitochondrial Quality Control 
Lucas Jae. Ludwig-Maximilians Universitat Munchen, Gene Center Munich, Germany

Abstract 1: Unlocking Therapeutic Potential: Equisetum ramosissimum Extracts from Portugal's Côa Valley Mitigate Metabolic Liver Disease (8' + 2' discussion) 
Ricardo Fernando Santos Amorim. Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Porto, Portugal

Abstract 2: Culture in physioxia modulates gene expression, proliferation, migration, metabolism, and the response to hypoxia in cultured human cancer cells 
Ricardo Alva. Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada

Abstract 3: Beyond Pregnancy: Alterations in the Maternal Heart Detected in the Postpartum
Carolina Tocantins. CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Coimbra, Portugal

10:30h – 11:00h

COFFEE BREAK

11:00h – 12:30h

SYMPOSIUM 1.4 | MITHOCONDRIAL DISEASES 
Chairpersons: Michelangelo Campanella (United Kingdom) & Eliane S. de Menezes (United Kingdom)

Too hot mitochondria, too hot weather... eat red chilli pepper!
Guy Lenaers. Université Angers, France

MPAN patients: what is wrong with their metabolism - discovering bioenergetic alterations in NBIA disease 
Mariusz Wieckowski. Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Poland

Abstract 1: Whole-body Ndufs4 knockout mice with isolated complex I deficiency engage a futile adaptive brain response 
Melissa Van De Wal. Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Abstract 2: Investigating inhibition of Mitochondrial Deubiquitinases as experimental treatment for Mitochondrial Diseases 
Brígida R. Pinho. Faculty of Pharmacy of University of Porto, Portugal

Abstract 3: Validation of fibroblast model from Kearns Sayre’s patients by transcriptomic and functional approaches
Laura Valls-Roca. IDIBAPS-CIBERER-UB, Barcelona, Spain

12:30h -13:30h

POSTER SESSION

13:30h - 14:30h

LUNCH

14:30h - 16:00h

SYMPOSIUM 1.5 | MITOCHONDRIA AND AGE-RELATED DISORDERS
Chairpersons: María Isabel Hernández-Álvarez (Spain) & Sarka Dvorakova (Czech Republic)

Molecular Bases of Intercellular and Intracellular Mitochondrial Diversity 
José Antonio Enriquez. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain

Multifaceted mitochondria in hypothalamic neurons
Marc Claret. Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 1: Mitofusin-2 Regulates Mitochondrial Plasticity: A Key Driver of Metabolic Flexibility
Shrestha Mohapatra. University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Exploring Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Assessing Methods and Technologies
Miram Contreras. Agilent Technologies, Barcelona, Spain

Friday, June 7 2024 

9:00h – 10:30h

SYMPOSIUM 1.6 | MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN DIABETES AND ASSOCIATED DISORDERS
Chairpersons: Paulo Oliveira (Portugal) & Agustina Creus (Spain)

Role of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria calcium coupling in metabolic health and diseases 
Jennifer Rieusset. UMR INSERM U1060/INRA U1397, Université Claude Bernard, Villeurbanne, France

Mitochondrial redox and heterogeneity in health and disease (25' + 5' discussion) 
Marc Liesa. Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, IBMB, CSIC, Spain

Abstract 1: Detailed characterisation of mitochondrial DNA damage in patients with diabetic retinopathy
Eliane S. De Menezes. Kings College London, United Kingdom

Abstract 2: Impact of obesity on white adipose tissue plasticity: addressing depot-specific responses
Pau Gama-Pérez. University of Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 3: Autophagy and MASLD progression - from cellular model to patients’ liver biopsies 
Barbara Pakula. Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, Warsaw, Poland

Abstract 4: Exploring the effects of mitochondriotropic antioxidant AntiOxCIN4 on cardiac metabolism of Western Diet-induced metabolic syndrome mice model
José Teixeira. University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

10:40h – 11:00h

COFFEE BREAK

11:00h – 12:30h

SYMPOSIUM 1.7 | THERAPEUTICAL STRATEGIES IN MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION
Chairperson: Mariusz Wieckowski (Poland) & José Fernández-Cuesta (Spain)

Modelling OPA1 autosomal dominant optic atrophy with iPSC-derived retinal ganglion cells 
Patrick Yu-Wai-Man. John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair and MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Nucleotide metabolism as a therapeutic target for mtDNA maintenance disorders
Ramón Marti. Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 1: The mitochondriotropic antioxidant AntiOxBEN2 prevents hepatic steatosis in male and female mice fed with high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet 
Carina Magalhães. University of Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract 2: The mitochondria-targeted antioxidant AntiOxCIN4 mitigates cardiac oxidative/nitrosative stress in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis SOD1G93A mouse
Débora Mena. CNC-UC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract 3: Impact of early treatments in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of phenylketonuria
Francesc J. García. 

12:30h - 14:00h

LUNCH

14:00h - 14:30h

EDITOR IN CHIEF EJCI / AWARD BEST ARTICLES EJC

14:30h - 15:30h

ESCI AWARDS

15:30h - 16:30h

ALBERT STRUYVENBERG MEDAL TO PROF. VALENTIN FUSTER AND LECTURE AWARD

16:30h - 17:00h

CLOSING