Job offer for the TRANSACT-ITN project

We are recruiting an Early Stage Researcher to work on the Development of Decision Support System & Spectral Classification tool meta-plug-ins for the jMRUI platform as part of the TRANSACT-ITN European project.

QR-code of ESR-UAB job offer at EURAXESS site
Scan the QR-code to get this job offer link at the EURAXESS Jobs Portal.

We seek a highly motivated and qualified individual as Early Stage Researcher for a three-year applied research project. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced biomedical research tools in the field of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging, and its application to the clinical day-to-day practice.

The position is intended for a young post-graduate student/researcher, with a Master degree or equivalent on Engineering or Computer Science, and with a proficient knowledge of the Java programming language. Prior experience on signal and/or image processing, segmentation and pattern recognition applications in the field of biomedical research is an asset, particularly in the field of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and/or Imaging.

Continue reading Job offer for the TRANSACT-ITN project

TRANSACT-ITN project awarded to GABRMN, SeRMN & CIBER-BBN

TRANSCAT ITN ProjectTransforming Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy into a Clinical Tool (TRANSACT) is an European research project awarded in the call FP7-PEOPLE-2011-ITN, of the 7th Framework Programme Marie-Curie Actions, to a network of partners including the GABRMN and SeRMN at UAB, and the associated partner CIBER-BBN. The project is coordinated by Prof. Sabine Van Huffel, Prof. Uwe Himmelreich, and Dr. Diana Sima, of the Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT-SCD, and Department of Imaging & Pathology, Biomedical MRI Unit, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Scientist-in-charge at UAB will be Prof. Carles Arús (GABRMN) and Miquel Cabañas (SeRMN), and Dr. Margarida Julià-Sapé will be scientist-in-charge at CIBER-BBN. Dr. Silvia Lope-Piedrafita (SeRMN) will take part in the project as senior scientist.

Continue reading TRANSACT-ITN project awarded to GABRMN, SeRMN & CIBER-BBN

Cardiac MRI of the Sirt1-deficient mouse heart

“Dilated cardiomyopathy and mitochondrial dysfunction in Sirt1-deficient mice: A role for Sirt1-Mef2 in adult heart”
by A. Planavila, E. Dominguez, M. Navarro, M. Vinciguerra, R. Iglesias, M. Giralt, S. Lope-Piedrafita, J. Ruberte, F. Villarroya. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 53 (2012) 521-531. DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2012.07.019

The protein deacetylase Sirtuin-1 (Sirt1) is involved in the cardiac hypertrophic responses and cardiac embryo morphogenesis. However, the physiological function of Sirt1 deficiency in the postnatal development of the heart remains to be characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of Sirt1 in the development and function of the myocardium by using complementary techniques, such as gene expression, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, histological and electron microscopy examinations, and in vivo cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Continue reading Cardiac MRI of the Sirt1-deficient mouse heart

P.E.HSQMBC: Simultaneous measurement of proton–proton and proton–carbon coupling constants

“P.E.HSQMBC: Simultaneous measurement of proton–proton and proton–carbon coupling constants” by Josep Saurí, Pau Nolis, Laura Castañar, Albert Virgili and Teodor Parella. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 224 (2012) 101–106. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2012.09.007

A long-range optimized P.E.HSQC experiment, named P.E.HSQMBC, is proposed for the simultaneous measurement of a complete set of homonuclear and heteronuclear coupling constants from a single 2D cross-peak. Continue reading P.E.HSQMBC: Simultaneous measurement of proton–proton and proton–carbon coupling constants

Tuberculosis mycobacterium and microscopic cords formation. Related to their virulence

“Cyclopropanation of α-mycolic acids is not required for cording in non-tuberculous mycobacteria” Cecilia Brambilla, Alejandro Sánchez-Chardi, Míriam Pérez-Trujillo, Esther Julián, Marina Luquin.  Microbiology, March 2012. DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.057919-0

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis are the principal agents responsible for human tuberculosis and tuberculosis in domestic and wild animals. Both form microscopic cords, a phenotypic characteristic that has been related to their virulence. The compounds responsible for cording are unknown, but a recent work has shown that cording could be related to the fine structure of α-mycolic acids. Continue reading Tuberculosis mycobacterium and microscopic cords formation. Related to their virulence

HSQMBC-COSY: Measurement of the sign and the magnitude of long-range proton-carbon coupling constants

“Efficient measurement of the sign and the magnitude of long-range proton-carbon coupling constants from a spin-state-selective HSQMBC-COSY experiment”, by Josep Saurí and Teodor Parella; Magn. Reson. Chem. 2012, 50, 717-721. DOI:10.1002/mrc.3867

A spin-state-selective HSQMBC-COSY experiment is proposed to measure the sign and  the magnitude of long-range proton-carbon coupling constants (nJ(CH); n>1) either for protonated and for non-protonated carbons in small molecules. Continue reading HSQMBC-COSY: Measurement of the sign and the magnitude of long-range proton-carbon coupling constants

Teodor Parella, SeRMN Director, receives GERMN-Bruker NMR Award

2012 GERMN-Bruker Award to Teo Dr. Teodor Parella, Director of the NMR Service and Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, received last September the GERMN-Bruker Award at the VI GERMN Bienal Meeting held in Aveiro, Portugal, for his contributions to the development and application of the NMR spectroscopy technique. Continue reading Teodor Parella, SeRMN Director, receives GERMN-Bruker NMR Award

Metabolic profiling for the detection of early effects of environmental and lifestyle exposure to cadmium.

“Metabolic Profiling Detects Early Effects of Environmental and Lifestyle Exposure to Cadmium in a Human Population” JK Ellis, TJ Athersuch, LDK Thomas, F Teichert, M Pérez-Trujillo, C Svendsen, D J. Spurgeon, R Singh, L Järup, JG Bundy and HC Keun.  BMC Medicine, February 2012.  DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-10-61

The ‘exposome’ represents the accumulation of all environmental exposures across a lifetime. Top-down strategies are required to assess something this comprehensive, and could transform our understanding of how environmental factors affect human health. Metabolic profiling (metabonomics / metabolomics)  defines an individual’s metabolic phenotype, which is influenced by genotype, diet, lifestyle, health and xenobiotic exposure, and could also reveal intermediate biomarkers for disease risk that reflect adaptive response to exposure. Continue reading Metabolic profiling for the detection of early effects of environmental and lifestyle exposure to cadmium.

Chiral secondary structure in β-peptides determined by NMR

“Secondary Structure of Short β-Peptides as the Chiral Expression of Monomeric Building Units: a Rational and Predictive Model”Esther Gorrea, Gabor Pohl, Pau Nolis, Sergio Celis, Kepa K Burusco, Vicenç Branchadell, András Perczel, and Rosa M. Ortuño. Journal Of Organic Chemistry. ACCEPTED 2012 DOI: 10.1021/jo302034b

Chirality of the monomeric residues controls and determines the prevalent folding of small oligopeptides (from di- to tetramers) composed of the 2-aminocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid (ACBA) derivatives with the same or different absolute and relative configuration. The cis-form of the monomeric ACBA gives rise to two conformers, namely Z6 and Z8, while the trans-form manifests uniquely as an H8 structure.  Continue reading Chiral secondary structure in β-peptides determined by NMR

Master thesis on NMR methods to mesure residual proton-carbon dipolar couplings in small molecules

Last September I defended my Master thesis entitled: “Medida de Acoplamientos Dipolares Residuales en Moléculas Orgánicas”

In recent years the use of Residual Dipolar Couplings (RDCs) has had a huge impact on the structure determination of biological macromolecules by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Its usefulness in determining the structure of small/medium-size organic compounds is increasingly more recognized. Continue reading Master thesis on NMR methods to mesure residual proton-carbon dipolar couplings in small molecules