VIRTUAL PGM PUBLIC LECTURES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH JSBSEMINAR SERIES 2021

Date: 1st October 2021 (Friday)Time: 0900 - 1130 (MYT)

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/99306468054?

pwd=Ti93WCtwWUlSSU5ua3hQSVBwVlgyQT09 Meeting ID: 993 0646 8054

Passcode: 242784

PROGRAMME BOOKLET

VIRTUAL PGM PUBLIC LECTURES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH JSBSEMINAR SERIES 2021

Tentative

Professor Ts. Cheah Yoke Kqueen: Head, Biomedical

Sciences Department (JSB), Faculty of Medicine & Health

Sciences, UPM.

Professor Abd Rahman Milan: President, Genetics Society

of Malaysia (PGM)

Welcoming remarks by: 0900

Moderator: Associate Professor Michael Ling King Hwa

(Universiti Putra Malaysia)

Speaker 1: Associate Professor Philip Gregory

(University of South Australia)

Title: MicroRNA and Alternative Splicing Networks as

Regulators of Cancer Progression

Moderator: Professor Zilfalil Alwi

(Universiti Sains Malaysia)

Speaker 2: Associate Professor Carsten W. Lederer

(Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics)

Title: Gene Editing for Therapy and Reverse Genetics of

Blood Diseases

Closing & photography session

0915

1015

1115

VIRTUAL PGM PUBLIC LECTURES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH JSBSEMINAR SERIES 2021

Speakers' Profile and Abstract

Associate Professor Philip GregoryHead, Gene Regulation in Cancer Laboratory,Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia

Biography

Associate Professor Philip Gregory leads the Gene Regulation in Cancer Laboratory at theCentre for Cancer Biology (an alliance of University of SA and SA Pathology). His researchfocuses on uncovering molecular pathways that influence cell plasticity and the metastasis ofbreast and prostate cancers. He pioneered the identification of microRNA feedback loops askey regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. More recently, his research hasdemonstrated the importance of alternative splicing networks (including circular RNAs) ininfluencing cell plasticity. His work has been published in journals including Nature Cell Biology,Cell, and EMBO Journal and has been widely cited.

Abstract

MicroRNA and Alternative Splicing Networks as Regulators of CancerProgressionMicroRNAs are important regulators of gene expression, strongly repressing some targetgenes and orchestrating changes within whole gene networks. Here, I will discuss our findingson two miRNAs involved in cancer metastasis. MiR-200 strongly represses key proteinsinvolved in gene transcription and RNA splicing with downstream consequences on cellplasticity. In contrast, miR-342 exerts modest but broad effects on gene networks thatpromote breast cancer metastasis. These studies highlight the diverse functions of miRNAs incancer progression.

VIRTUAL PGM PUBLIC LECTURES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH JSB SEMINARSERIES 2021

Speakers' Profile and Abstract

Associate Professor Carsten W. LedererHead of Gene Therapy and Editing Unit,Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia Department,Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine,The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics

Biography

Dr Lederer received his PhD from the University of East Anglia for work in plant virology at the JohnInnes Centre, Norwich, UK. He now holds the position of Scientist at the Molecular GeneticsThalassaemia Department (MGTD; head: Marina Kleanthous) of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology andGenetics, where he heads the MGTD Gene Therapy and Editing unit. Dr Lederer is Associate Professorand course coordinator at the Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, associate editor of Frontiers inGenome Editing and MDPI Genes, executive board member of the Global Globin Network, curator of theITHANET Portal, member of the ClinGen-recognised Variant Curation Expert Panel forHaemoglobinopathies, vice president of the Cyprus Society of Human Genetics and a board member ofthe Hellenic Society of Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine. His overriding research interest is thegene therapy of haematopoietic disorders and particularly of β-thalassaemia, based on mutation-specific RNAi-supplementation of gene addition, genome editing of disease modifiers and homology-independent gene repair. Current associated research activities also include the model development forhaematopoietic disorders and investigating the role of miRNAs in erythropoiesis. Dr Lederer is author of46 peer-reviewed articles with over 2400 literature citations and an h index of 19 (i10 index 29).

Abstract

Gene Editing for Therapy and Reverse Genetics of Blood DiseasesGene editing is increasingly taking centre stage for both basic research and translational studies. A keydriver of this development is the rapidly growing adoption of editing technology and, in particular theuse of fast-evolving and easily applied RNA-guided CRISPR/Cas tools, include a new generation ofdouble-strand-break-independent editors. Overall, the versatility of genome editors has already helpedexplore a cornucopia of research and therapeutic approaches based on targeted precision editing, genedisruption, or the inversion, deletion and insertion of sequences. In this context, blood biology anddisorders are a favourite focus of gene editing, motivated by relatively high prevalence ofhaematopoietic diseases and helped by the accessibility of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells(HSPCs) for manipulation. This has already contributed fundamental insights into developmentalregulation and disease mechanism of the haematopoietic system and has led to the first clinicalapplication of gene editing for non-malignant blood disorders, even as ongoing developments seek toaddress efficiency and precision of HSPC modification, tolerability of treatment and the distribution andaffordability of corresponding therapies. This presentation gives an overview of recent progress in thefield of genome editing for the research and therapy of blood diseases, with reference to significantrecent findings, clinical trials and our own work on therapy development for hematopoietic disordersand in particular β-hemoglobinopathies.

VIRTUAL PGM PUBLIC LECTURES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH JSBSEMINAR SERIES 2021

Organising Committee Member

Patron:Advisor:

Chairman:

Co-Chairman:Secretariat:

Emcee:

Moderator:

Technical:

Professor Zamberi SekawiProfessor Abd Rahman MilanProfessor Ts. Cheah Yoke KqueenAssociate Professor Michael Ling King HwaAssociate Professor Norshariza NordinAssociate Professor Thilakavathy KaruppiahMadam Fariza Zainul AbidinDr. Melati KhalidAssociate Professor Michael Ling King HwaProfessor Zilfalil AlwiAssociate Professor Syahril AbdullahDr. Chau De MingMr. Izarul Hakim RahmadMr. Muhammad Ameer Shafiq bin Awang @ Ali

PGM Council Members 2021/2023President:

Vice President:Honorary Secretary:Assistant Secretary:

Honorary Treasurer:Members:

Professor Abd Rahman Milan (PGM)Associate Professor Norshariza Nordin (UPM)Ts. Dr. Azzreena Mohamad Azzeme (UPM)Ts. Dr. Nor’Aishah Hasan (UiTM)Ms. Sharifah Azween Syed Omar (UKM)Professor Zilfalil Alwi (USM)Professor Thong Meow Keong (UM)Professor Zarina Abdul Latiff (UKM)Associate Professor Zarina Zainuddin (IIUM)Associate Professor Azwan Awang (UMS)Dr. Mohd Din Amiruddin (MPOB)Dr. Norwati Muhammad (FRIM)