Medicine seminars

This practical presentation examines neuronavigation workflows for precise, reproducible targeting with transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS). Romain Duprat demonstrates the dedicated functions introduced in visor2 version 2.9: calibrating a transducer, creating its target, adjusting beam settings for the three-dimensional transducer representation, and performing target sonication. The session connects treatment planning and targeting with subsequent session review and data export, showing how the software supports the workflow from initial preparation through post-session analysis.

Virtual and fragment-based screening, including weak affinity chromatography, can identify promising compounds, but progressing those hits into drug-discovery programmes remains difficult. Björn Borgström presents practical workflows developed by RG Discovery to make effective use of available data and advance projects with limited resources. Case studies involving CDK9 and SMARCA4 illustrate strategies for early hit identification and project decisions. The talk also examines how cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) selectivity profiling can expose liabilities and reveal new opportunities early in a programme.

Marcus Altfeld and Molly Ingersoll examine how biological sex influences susceptibility to infection, disease severity and treatment outcomes. The discussion focuses on mucosal immune responses, interferon signalling and their downstream effects. It brings together research at the intersection of sex biology and immunology to distinguish current understanding from unresolved questions and consider implications for infectious-disease research and treatment.

Jenna Traynor examines how personality-disorder assessments, cognitive measures and neuroimaging can describe and predict changes in suicidal ideation among high-risk psychiatric populations, including people with borderline personality disorder. The talk presents findings linking these different measurements to outcomes and considers emerging brain-based treatments that target neural networks involved in cognitive control and emotion regulation.

Subcallosal cingulate stimulation for resistant depression needs objective biomarkers beyond stress-sensitive clinical ratings. Sankaraleengam Alagapan uses variational autoencoders to address high-dimensional longitudinal local-field potentials and unreliable labels. Supervised models track depressive states; a generative causal explainer identifies interpretable, low-dimensional features, advancing actionable biomarkers for stimulation management.

Amber Smith examines immune mechanisms underlying respiratory infections using mechanistic mathematical models combined with multimodal data. Using influenza, the seminar shows how models can expose biological processes that measurements alone do not reveal, explain why similar biomarker profiles can reflect different disease states, and improve predictions of outcomes. The approach links otherwise inaccessible mechanisms to a foundation for predictive, mechanism-based precision medicine.

Tuberculosis remains a European public-health challenge because of continuing transmission, unequal health outcomes and drug resistance. Wouter Arrazola de Oñate examines tuberculosis across the complete prevention continuum, from primordial through quaternary prevention. The presentation links social and environmental determinants with measures to reduce transmission, support early diagnosis and effective treatment, and avoid unnecessary interventions or treatment-related harm. Although most general practices see relatively few cases, primary-care teams contribute at every prevention level. The seminar develops the knowledge needed for general practitioners to participate in tuberculosis prevention and control, emphasizing access for vulnerable populations and integration between public-health services and primary care.

Biomarkers and disease-modifying therapies make the biological cause of cognitive decline increasingly consequential. This seminar examines when an etiologic dementia diagnosis changes treatment, prognosis, counselling or eligibility for targeted therapy, and when a syndrome-based approach centred on symptoms, function and quality of life is more useful. Autopsy evidence illustrates the prevalence of mixed brain pathologies and informs diagnosis during life, including newer neuropathologic entities LATE and PART.

Jenny Shan presents engineered mice that produce human-framework single-domain antibodies while retaining camelid-like solubility and stability. Deleting CH1 enables heavy-chain expression without a light chain; selected framework-2 residues support autonomous VHH folding. The talk follows immunization, affinity maturation and binder recovery, comparing this approach with camelid and other transgenic platforms. Validation includes repertoire diversity, immune-cell profiling, target binding and thermal stability. Examples address DLL3, ANG2, CD8 and transferrin-receptor targets, with applications to multispecific antibodies, T-cell engagers, antibody-drug conjugates, CAR-T cells and brain delivery. Platform access and development options are also discussed.

Josh Levendis examines how N6-methyladenosine RNA modification controls gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing and GLORI-seq reveal enrichment near transcript ends. Inducible mislocalisation of methyltransferase depletes this modification and produces readthrough and chimeric transcripts, implicating methylation in correct polyadenylation and transcription termination. Stage-dependent modification of exons and retained introns may also regulate early termination during sexual development. Alex Harris investigates why protection from RTS,S malaria vaccination and seasonal chemoprevention declines despite annual boosters. Analyses of plasma from 1,929 West African children followed over four years assess antibody responses to different antigen regions and their variation with host factors, coinfections and micronutrients. The work examines declining booster responses and aims to inform strategies for durable vaccine protection.

Bessel van der Kolk examines how psychedelics may facilitate integration of disparate experiences and changes to established habits. The webinar explores self-compassion, neuroplastic windows and critical periods, asking how therapeutic support and integration relate to these opportunities for change. The discussion connects potential increases in flexibility with the opening of therapeutic windows and includes audience questions.

Automatic analysis of affective and social signals creates opportunities for collaboration between computer scientists and behavioral researchers. Albert Ali Salah examines the field’s main research directions and challenges, including differences between computational and statistical methods, their goals and assumptions, and data-driven versus theory-driven approaches. Examples include automated analysis of children’s interactive play-therapy sessions and the use of multimodal cues in bipolar-disorder diagnosis. Facial expression, body movement, gesture and speech illustrate how AI can support human monitoring and decision-making in behavioral and clinical science. The talk considers human–AI collaboration and the roles of explainability and interpretability in developing trustworthy computational tools.

The brain adjusts its internal activity to direct visual and auditory attention and regulate responses to external stimuli. Appropriate endogenous activity may support normal cognition and behaviour, while its modulation can also produce dysfunction. Beginning with mathematical models of general anaesthesia, this talk examines how changes in noisy endogenous activity can fragment functional brain organization and account for loss of consciousness. Anaesthesia experiments in ferrets support the theoretical result. Further experimental examples are discussed to show how underlying internal noise may help explain observed transitions between brain states.

Scott J. Russo presents cross-species research on how immune cells outside the brain influence neural circuits implicated in anxiety and depression. The session examines stress-related disruption of neuroimmune communication, including inflammation and increased monocyte abundance. It connects these mechanisms with translational efforts to develop targeted interventions for major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Kuan Hong Wang examines how dopaminergic, cannabinoid, and neuroimmune signaling regulate circuit plasticity across development, experience, and disease, and how cross-species work may inform selective therapies.

This webinar examines evidence on climate-related health risks, emphasizing vulnerable populations, maternal and child health, and the Asia-Pacific region. It explores effects on pregnancy, early childhood and longer-term outcomes, and how extreme events disrupt access to care and increase pressure on healthcare services. Discussion connects community adaptation with resilient health systems and the role of health professionals in preparedness and response. Digital information, community priorities and practical cooperation inform approaches to protecting health as the climate changes. Interactive activities and a live discussion invite participants to consider priorities and ask questions.

Nicole Provenza discusses deep brain stimulation for people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder whose symptoms persist despite available treatments. Recordings from implanted devices allow researchers to examine neural activity associated with symptom changes, responses to stimulation and recovery. The talk connects these measurements with the longer-term goal of developing more precise, personalised treatments, using real-world recordings to understand how neuromodulation affects brain activity and behaviour.

John Constantino and Jeffrey Borenstein examine how schools can support children with developmental and behavioural challenges. Teachers, counsellors and other education professionals are often among the first to recognise difficulties, and sustained school experience can strongly influence development. The discussion considers the design of individualised education plans and how educators and clinicians can apply more precise, child-specific approaches to make daily learning environments effective supports for maturation and mental health.

Amy Bastian examines why rehabilitation responses differ so widely among people with neurological injuries. Drawing on discoveries about movement control and motor learning, she connects differences in brain damage with variation in therapeutic benefit. The session traces the clinical questions that led from physical therapy to neuroscience and considers how research on the human motor system can inform more individualized rehabilitation.