Advanced School in Neurodegenerative and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

November 19th - 22nd, 2016

Do, Qatar

Welcome Message
Welcome to Doha, Qatar

The primary goal of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the
neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, and to encourage them to pursue careers
in research and academia. Through a series of lectures, workshops, and discussion sessions, we
hope to expose students to advanced courses ranging from molecular, cellular and pathological
to behavioral and clinical levels. The courses will provide (equip) students with three general skill
sets:

Advanced neuroscience education

(Lectures)

Communication skills

(Student oral presentations)

Professional development

(Discussions)

We hope this course will ignite students curiosity about the brain as an intricate physical
organ, and how its underlying components can work together in synchrony to give rise to
complex behavior and cognition.
Best wishes,
Organizing committee
Prof. Omar El Agnaf
Prof. Mohamed Akaaboune
Prof. Hilal Lashuel
Prof. Basem Othman

COURSE MODULES
MODULE 1:
MODULE 2:
MODULE 3:
MODULE 4:
MODULE 5:

SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL/ DISEASES (AUTISM)
AXONAL DEGENERATION/DEVELOPMENT
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

COURSE LOGISTICS

Lecture notes will be distributed at the beginning of the school. The notes should be
read prior to the lectures.

Students will be asked to give 10-15 minute presentation about their research projects.
The presentations will be scheduled during afternoon/evening sessions throughout the
course.

Students will be asked to complete a lecture evaluation form. The forms must be filled out
for each lecture session. All forms should be submitted anonymously, so do not write your
name on the form. Please be frank in telling us what you thought about each instructor
and session. Completed forms should be handed to the organizers before the end of the
school.

Do not hesitate to contact the course organizers if you have any questions or
suggestions. We are here for you!

INSTRUCTORS
Prof. Omar El Agnaf,
QBRI, HBKU, Education City, Doha, Qatar
Prof. Mohamed Akaaboune,
HBKU, Education City, Doha
Prof. Hilal Lashuel,
EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
Prof. Basim Uthman,
WCMC-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Farah Zahir,
QBRI, HBKU, Education City, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Tariq Ahmed,
QBRI, HBKU, Education City, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Fouad Alshaban,
QBRI, HBKU, Education City, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Mohamed Emara,
QBRI, HBKU, Education City, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Abdelilah Arredouani,
QBRI, HBKU, Education City, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Tissir Fadel,
Universit Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
Dr. Ashraf Al-Amoudi,
DZNE, Bonn, Germany
Dr. Rafiqa Ameziane,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
Dr. Mahmoud Abeida,
CDC, Rumaila Hospital, HMC, Doha, Qatar
Prof. Mimoun Azzouz,
Sheffield University, UK
Dr. Wilma van der Berg,
VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dr. Kostas Vekrellis,
Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens
Prof. Lucilla Parnetti
Universit degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Dr. Ronald Melki
Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, France
Dr. Mohamed Salama
Mansoura University, Egypt

PROGRAM
Day 1

Saturday, November 19 th, 2016

OPENING SESSION

Welcome Address
08:00 09:00 AM Omar El-Agnaf, Neurological Disorders Research Center, QBRI, HBKU
MODULE 1: SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY
MORNING SESSION
Neuroscience Education
09:00 10:00 AM

Overview of synaptic transmission

Mohammed Akaaboune

10:00 11:00 AM

Mechanisms of synaptic release

Mohammed Akaaboune

11:00 - 11:15 AM

Coffee Break

11:15 - 12:15 AM

Neural development
Tissir Fadel

12:15 - 13:30 PM

Lunch Break
AFTERNOON SESSION

13:45 - 14:45 PM

Synaptic plasticity: Learning and Memory

Tariq Ahmed

14:45 15:45 PM

Molecular architecture of synapses in situ by cryo-electron tomography

Ashraf Al-Amoudi

15:45 - 16:15 AM

Coffee Break

Professional Development
16:15 - 18:15 PM

How to communicate scientific ideas effectively in oral presentations

Mohamed Emara

18:15 - 19:30 PM

Why pursue a career in neuroscience? What are the steps needed? What
are the benefits/disadvantages? What kind of person do you need to be to
be successful?
Hilal Lashuel

19:30 - 20:30 PM

Dinner

Day 2

Sunday, November 20th, 2016

MODULE 2: NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
MORNING SESSION

Neuroscience Education
08:00 - 9:00 AM

History of neurodevelopmental disorders

Rafiqa Ameziane

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Epigenetic and neurodevelopmental disorders

Farah Zahir

10:00 - 10:30 AM

Coffee Break

10:45 - 11:45 PM

Neurogenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders

Farah Zahir

12:00 - 13:30 PM

Lunch Break
AFTERNOON SESSION

13:45 - 14:45 PM

Autism in Qatar
Fouad Alshaban

14:45-15:45 PM

Case studies of neurodevelopmental disorders

Mahmoud Abeida

15:45 - 16:15 AM

Coffee Break

Professional Development
17:00 - 19:00 PM

Student presentations
Ashraf Al-Amoudi, Tissir Fadel, Mohammed Akaaboune

19:00 - 20:00 PM
Day 3 Tuesday

Dinner

Monday, November 21st, 2016

Day 3

MODULE 3: NEURAL DEVELOPEMNT AND AXONAL DEGENERATION

MORNING SESSION
Neuroscience Education
08:00 - 9:00 AM

Axonal degeneration/animal mouse model

Mimoun Azzouz

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Axonal pathfinding
Tissir Fadel

10:00 - 10:30 AM

Coffee Break

10:45 - 11:45 AM

The biology of the peripheral neuromuscular synapses: from

development to aging
Mohammed Akaaboune

12:00 - 13:30 AM

Lunch Break
AFTERNOON SESSION

13:30 - 14:30 PM

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Mimoun Azzouz

Professional Development
14:30-15:30 PM

Ethical issues in biomedical research

Abdelilah Arredouani

15:30 - 16:00 AM

Coffee Break

16:00 - 18:30 PM

Student Presentations
Farah Zahir, Mohamed Emara, Mimoun Azzouz

19:00 - 20:00 PM

Free night

Day 4

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016

MODULE 4: NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES
MORNING SESSION

Neuroscience Education
08:00 - 10:00 AM

Neuropathology of Alzheimers & Parkinsons diseases

Wilma van der Berg

10:00 - 11:00 AM

Molecular and cellular biology of Parkinsons disease

Omar El-Agnaf

11:00 - 11:30 AM

Coffee Break

11:30 - 12:30 AM

In vivo models in neurodegenerative diseases

Kostas Vekrellis

12:30 - 13:30 PM

Lunch Break
AFTERNOON SESSION

13:30 - 14:30 PM

Gene- environment interaction in Egyptian Parkinson's

disease patients
Mohamed Salama

14:30 - 15:30 PM

Pathology spreading in neurodegenerative diseases

Ronald Melki

15:30 - 16:30 PM

Case studies of neurodegenerative disorders

Lucilla Parnetti

Professional Development
16:30 - 18:30 PM

Student Presentations
Ashraf Al-Amoudi, Tariq Ahmed, Lucilla Parnetti, Roland
Melki

19:00 - 20:00 PM

Dinner