Official kick-off for PharmaTox

The PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative was established 1 January 2015 as a partnership between FAI, MI, IFI and IBV at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. October 16th 2015 all participants at the different departments were invited to come together and celebrate at PharmaTox's official kick-off. The goal of the day was to let the members of PharmaTox get to know each other and provide an overview on how the different departments contribute to the initiative.

Ragnhild Eskeland held a presentation on "Drugs in pregnancy – epigenetic outcomes of exposure to paracetamol in human embryonic stem cells". After giving a short introduction to the field of epigenetics Eskeland presented how one can do epigenetic studies in human embryonic stem cells upon exposure to paracetamol.

A renewal in research and education

Hedvig Nordeng, Head of the PharmaTox Research Initiative.

Head of PharmaTox Hedvig Nordeng introduced the day by welcoming everyone and told about the initiation process and goals of PharmaTox. She stated that PharmaTox represents a renewal in the approach to research and education by having a collaboration across departments and disciplines and will thereby contribute to educate students to meet tomorrow's challenges in pharmaceuticals.

"PharmaTox will be a cross-disciplinary arena for exchange of ideas and development of projects at the cutting edge of traditional disciplines." (Hedvig Nordeng)

With PharmaTox researchers will be joining forces across disciplines at The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences to generate innovative and new insights into the effects of pharmaceuticals on neurotoxicity and neurodevelopment.

An overview of different approaches

Ragnhild Paulsen began the presentations by giving an introduction to the "*Chick Embryo model*". This model is highly useful to gain more knowledge about how use of medicines during pregnancy can influence the embryo. An argument for using the Chick Embryo model in particular is because the embryo develops outside the mother. In other worlds the embryo will not be influenced by the mother's hormones after laying the egg, and one can see the effects of medicines in it's development.

After the general introduction the leader team presented their different fields contribution to the research initiative. The participants got an introduction in everything from how epigenetics can be used to investigate consequences of exposure to paracetamol in human embryonic stem cells - to the development of the HyperBrowser.

The following presentations were held:
- Ragnhild Paulsen (FAI); The chick embryo model

- Ragnhild Eskeland (IBV): Epigenetics and use of human embryonic stem cells

- Geir Kjetil Sandve (IFI): The HyperBrowser

- Hedvig Nordeng (FAI): The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study

- Sven Ove Samuelsen (MI): Case-control design in epidemiological studies

The presentations ended with a small quiz where the participants were asked questions about all the different fields involved in the PharmaTox Research Initiative,

Group photo of PharmaTox participants at the kick off

"How would you use your knowledge to address this research question?"

After the presentations everyone were divided into interdisciplinary groups to discuss if prenatal exposure to paracetamol can cause ADHD. Everybody were challenged to explain to the rest of the group "How would you use your knowledge to address this research question?". After an productive hour the kick off ended with dinner and socializing at Majorstuen. The main goal of the day: getting to know each other and each others fields was achieved.

Group 2 hard at work with their group discussion. Emil Aas Stoltenberg (MI), Katerina Nezvalova-Henriksen (FAI), Ragnhild Eskeland (IBV) and Ignacio Cuervo (IBV)

Published Oct. 27, 2015 5:05 PM - Last modified Apr. 1, 2019 3:38 PM