Marcelo Luis Berthier | Neuroscience| Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Marcelo Luis Berthier | Neuroscience| Best Researcher Award

 

Unversidad de Málaga, Spain

Profile

Education

Marcelo Luis Berthier obtained his degree in Medicine (1972-1976) and completed residency training in Neurosurgery (1977-1980), later specializing in Neurology (1980). He served as a staff neurologist at the Institute of Neurological Research, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1980-1989), before becoming a research fellow in the Department of Neurology at Clinic Hospital of Barcelona, Spain (1989-1990). From 1991 to 2000, he was a staff neurologist and physician in charge of the Behavioural Neurology Unit at the Clinic University Hospital of Malaga. He earned a PhD in Neuroscience (cum laude) from the University of Malaga and coordinated the Group of Behavioural Neurology and Dementia of the Spanish Neurological Society (2004-2006). In 2004, he founded and directed the Unit of Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia at the Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, leading it until 2023. Additionally, he served as the director of the Consolidated Research Group on Cognitive Neuroscience: Aphasia and Related Disorders (UNCA, C-12) at the Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA – Plataforma BIONAND).

Work experience

Dr. Marcelo L. Berthier Torres has led and contributed to several groundbreaking research projects in cognitive neurology and aphasia. As a co-investigator, he participated in the Telerehabilitation in Aphasia project (2021-2023), which evaluated the effectiveness of telerehabilitation compared to face-to-face therapy and identified predictive biomarkers of response, funded by the Junta de Andalucía. He also served as the principal investigator for a study on the efficacy of combined treatment with donepezil, intensive rehabilitation, and transcranial direct current stimulation in chronic post-stroke aphasia (2016-2019), funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Additionally, he has contributed to the Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento “Frontera”, an initiative under the FEDER Andalucía 2014-2020 program, which investigates brain biomarkers for individualized treatment approaches in chronic post-stroke aphasia

Areas of Research

Dr. Marcelo L. Berthier Torres has made significant contributions to the treatment of post-stroke aphasia and speech-language disorders. He conducted the first open-label and randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials investigating the use of cognitive-enhancing drugs (donepezil and memantine) alone and in combination with standard aphasia therapy or intensive language-action therapy (ILAT) in chronic post-stroke aphasia. His pioneering studies stimulated international research on aphasia pharmacotherapy, leading to clinical translation. Today, donepezil and memantine, alone or combined with therapy, are widely used off-label for post-stroke aphasia and language disturbances associated with neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and primary progressive aphasia.

Publication

  • Revisiting the boundaries of different altered accents profiles

    Cortex
    2025-03 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.001
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marcelo L. Berthier; Ignacio Moreno-Torres; Jo Verhoeven; Guadalupe Dávila

  • Turning the Spotlight to Cholinergic Pharmacotherapy of the Human Language System

    CNS Drugs
    2023-07 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1007/s40263-023-01017-4
    CONTRIBUTORS: Guadalupe Dávila; María José Torres-Prioris; Diana López-Barroso; Marcelo L. Berthier

  • Pharmacotherapy for post-stroke aphasia: what are the options?

    Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
    2023-07-24 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2023.2221382
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marcelo L. Berthier; Guadalupe Dávila

  • Brain structural and functional correlates of the heterogenous progression of mixed transcortical aphasia

    Brain Structure and Function
    2023-05-31 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02655-6
    CONTRIBUTORS: Diana López-Barroso; José Paredes-Pacheco; María José Torres-Prioris; Guadalupe Dávila; Marcelo L. Berthier

  • Controlling the past, owning the present, and future: cholinergic modulation decreases semantic perseverations in a person with post-stroke aphasia

    Aphasiology
    2022-11-02 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1080/02687038.2021.1957082
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marcelo L. Berthier; Daniel Santana-Moreno; Álvaro Beltrán-Corbellini; Juan C. Criado-Álamo; Lisa Edelkraut; Diana López-Barroso; Guadalupe Dávila; María José Torres-Prioris

Emmanuel Kaboja Magna | Cognitive | Cognitive Rehabilitation Impact

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Dr. Emmanuel Kaboja Magna | Cognitive | Cognitive Rehabilitation Impact

CSIR-Water Research Institute, Ghana

Dr. Emmanuel Kaboja Magna is a Research Scientist at the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Water Research Institute (CSIR-WRI). He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences (Oceanography and Fisheries) from the University of Ghana in 2007, followed by a Master’s degree in Health Informatics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, in 2014. He completed his PhD in Environmental Science in 2020 at the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana. His doctoral research focused on the ecological and human health implications of contaminants linked to cage aquaculture on the Volta Basin of Ghana. He investigated the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and heavy metals in water, sediment, and cage tilapia, highlighting the ecological risks and pollution status of sediment, as well as the health risks of consuming such fish. Dr. Magna has also conducted research on solid waste, the impact of climatic variables on crop yield, malaria distribution, and a review of Ghana’s mental health policy. His research has resulted in thirteen publications in reputable international journals. Apart from his work at WRI, he has participated in various research activities focusing on pesticides, antibiotics, PBDEs, and PAHs in different environmental matrices, wastewater quality treatment, and reuse. He is known for his innovation, intellectual acumen, and high research curiosity. Dr. Magna has jointly supervised undergraduate students at several Ghanaian universities and serves as a reviewer for the international journal Food Chemistry Advances. He also has about eight years of teaching experience at the senior high school level.

 

Profile

Education

Dr. Emmanuel Kaboja Magna holds a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Ghana, which he completed between 2016 and 2020. His doctoral thesis focused on the ecological and human health implications of contaminants linked to cage aquaculture in the Volta Basin of Ghana. He earned a Master’s degree in Health Informatics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in 2014, with his thesis exploring the implementation of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems at Tema General Hospital, addressing the potential benefits and challenges. Dr. Magna obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Oceanography and Fisheries from the University of Ghana in 2007, where he completed his dissertation on the application of GIS to coastal tourism in Ghana. He also completed his SSSCE in General Science at St. Mary’s Seminary Secondary School in 2001. In addition to his academic qualifications, Dr. Magna has earned several professional certificates, including a certificate in System Thinking for Sustainable Development in Ghana from the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana, and North Carolina State, in June 2017. He also completed training on pesticide, PAH, PCB, and antibiotic analysis using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS at the Ghana Standard Authority in Accra from December 2017 to April 2018.

MERITORIOUS AWARDS

Dr. Emmanuel Kaboja Magna has received several meritorious awards and recognitions for his academic and professional achievements. In 2000, he was awarded the Distinguished Award for being the 3rd Year Best Mathematics Student at St. Mary’s Seminary Secondary School in Lolobi, Ghana. He has also been actively involved in outreach and community service. In 2023, he earned a Certificate of Excellence as the 1st Runner-up for a poster presentation at the FDA Scientific Forum, where he presented on the risk assessment of antibiotics in cultured Nile tilapia at Tema Roundabout. Additionally, he served as a panel discussant at the 2023 National Fish Festival on promoting safe fish consumption, as well as at the 2023 National Budget Dialogue on Agro-Based Policy Interventions focusing on Fisheries and Aquaculture. Dr. Magna has contributed to the review of manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals such as Food Chemistry Advances, Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, and Heliyon. His co-supervision of student dissertations includes work on the physicochemical and heavy metals analysis of the Birim River impacted by illegal small-scale mining, completed by Cecelia Asimah at the University for Development Studies in 2023.

Research Project

Dr. Emmanuel Kaboja Magna is currently involved in several research projects, including assessing the impact of environmental change on freshwater species in River Oti, studying algal dynamics in freshwater ecosystems in the Saboba districts, and conducting a comparative analysis of the nutritional composition of different fish species cultured in Ghana, all under the CSIR-WRI, Ghana. His coursework and research modules cover a wide range of topics, including coastal ecology, freshwater ecology, aquatic biology, aquaculture, biodiversity and conservation, fish stock assessment, coastal hydrology, marine biogeochemistry, environmental management, and coastal management, with a particular focus on community aspects. He has also studied advanced quantitative research methods, emerging environmental issues for the 21st century, coastal ecosystems of West Africa, and the applications of remote sensing and GIS to fisheries and marine science. Dr. Magna is affiliated with the Ghana Chemical Society (GCS) since 2017 and was a member of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) from 2009 to 2016. He holds leadership positions as the Deputy Secretary of the CSIR-Research Staff Association of Ghana since November 2023 and was the President of the St. Mary’s Old Boys Association (UG Charter) from September 2006 to May 2007.

Publications

Wei Jiang | Cognitive and neuropathology | Women Researcher Award

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 Dr. Wei Jiang | Cognitive and neuropathology | Women Researcher Award

Medical University of South Carolina , United States

Her academic focus includes microbiome, B cell/autoantibody interactions, and disease pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on HIV, addictive drugs, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). She is involved in several clinical and translational research projects, including R01DA059854 (Jiang & Sheng), investigating the impacts of drug abuse on autoantibodies and immune reconstitution in HIV. She also works on CSRD Merit I01 CX002422, exploring B cell-mediated immunological failure in HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy. Additionally, she contributes to NIDA-funded studies, such as R01DA055523, examining the oral microbiome’s effect on cognition in HIV-infected cannabis users, and R01DA059538, investigating HIV persistence in cocaine users. Furthermore, she collaborates on a Translational Science Award project exploring the oral microbiome’s impact on cognition in Alzheimer’s disease.

 

 

Profile

Education:

She earned her M.S. in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Case Western Reserve University, Medical School, Cleveland, USA, in 2012. Prior to that, she completed a Postdoctoral fellowship at Case Western Reserve University, Medical School, Cleveland, USA, in 2008. She holds an M.S. in Immunology from Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, which she completed in 2001. She also received her M.D. in Internal Medicine from Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, in 1997.

BRIEF RESEARCH INTEREST STATEMENT:

She has 8 years of clinical experience in infectious diseases and 22 years of translational research experience in disease immunopathogenesis. As a corresponding author, she has published 52 peer-reviewed articles on microbiome and disease immunopathogenesis in high-profile journals like Microbiome, Arthritis & Rheumatology, J Autoimmunity, and EbioMedicine, bringing her total number of peer-reviewed publications to 101. As a physician-scientist, she has served as Principal Investigator on five R01 grants from NIAID or NIDA, along with a VA clinical merit grant, focusing on microbiomes, drug abuse, autoimmunity, and HIV immunopathogenesis. Her research primarily focuses on two major areas. The first is understanding the role of B cell perturbation and autoantibodies in disease pathogenesis, particularly in HIV and SLE. In 2017, her team first determined that autoimmunity impacts antiretroviral therapy outcomes in HIV without inducing autoimmune disease. This concept was later corroborated in studies on COVID-19. Her team is currently developing monoclonal autoantibodies and inhibitors to prevent anti-CD4 autoantibody binding, aiming to improve CD4+ T cell recovery and reduce morbidity in HIV patients. The second area of focus is the role of microbiomes in disease pathogenesis, including HIV, SLE, and drug abuse. She has identified the impact of disease-associated pathobionts on immune perturbations and disease progression, with findings validated in animal models. Her microbiome research is supported by R01DA055523.

TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

She currently serves on the Appointment, Promotion & Tenure (APT) committee in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina, a position she has held since 2024. She was promoted to Full Professor with tenure in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine at the same institution in 2023. She has been a Faculty Senator for the College of Medicine and a Research Health Scientist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center since 2022. Additionally, she is a member of the Translational Science Laboratory IAC (2020-2022) and the MUSC College’s Curriculum Committee (2019-Present). She has held various positions at MUSC, including Associate Professor (2018-2022) and Assistant Professor (2012-2018) in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Hollings Cancer Center at MUSC and has served on the award committee for the Advancement, Recruitment, and Retention of Women in Science. Her academic career began as an Instructor (2008-2012) and Research Associate (2002-2008) at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH.

AWARDS

She received her Chinese Board of Internal Medicine certification in Infectious Diseases in July 1997 and was certified as an Attending Medical Doctor in Infectious Diseases in November 1999 (No: 10203C089758). In July 1997, she also earned a Teacher Qualification from the Educational Institute, National Educational Committee in China (No: 971100071069382). Her licensure is from Beijing, China.

She has received several awards throughout her career, including the Laboratory Travel Grant from the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) in 2019, the MUSC High Impact Research Publication Award in 2019, and multiple travel grants from AAI for various international immunology congresses. She was awarded the Early Career Faculty Travel Grant by AAI and ECI in 2018 and 2017, and received the Travel Award and HIV Section Chair recognition at the 2016 International Congress of Immunology. In 2015, she was honored with the MUSC Foundation Developing Scholar Award and an Early Career Faculty Travel Grant from AAI. Her earlier achievements include multiple Young Investigator Awards from the 13th and 15th Conferences on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (2006, 2008) and the Keystone Meeting on HIV Pathogenesis (2006, 2008). Additionally, she was recognized as an Outstanding Student Leader for five consecutive years during her medical school years from 1986 to 1991.

OTHER EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

She has held several key professional roles and memberships throughout her career. Since 2024, she has been serving as a mentor for the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Future Leaders Mentorship Fellowship (FLMF) Program. She is a member of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology 2024 committee and has been a Treasurer Elect for the Association of Chinese Virologists in America from 2022 to 2024. She has been a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) since 2021 and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) since 2020. She has also been serving on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology since 2019 and is a member of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology. Additionally, she has been part of the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America (SCBA) and the American College of Rheumatology since 2018. She has contributed as an award committee member for the Advancement, Recruitment, and Retention of Women in Science at the Medical University of South Carolina since 2017 and is an associate member of the Hollings Cancer Center at MUSC.

She is also an active member of the MUSC Oral Health Center, College of Dental Medicine, and the Medical University of South Carolina College of Graduate Studies. Her previous memberships include being part of the American Association of Immunologists from 2011 to 2021, the Center for AIDS Research from 2008 to 2012, and the AIDS Clinic Trial Group since 2008. Her certification in Chinese Board of Internal Medicine in Infectious Diseases dates back to 1997, along with her teacher qualification from the Educational Institute, National Educational Committee, China.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

She is currently leading several impactful research projects. As the Principal Investigator (PI) on R01DA059854 (9/30/2024-5/31/2029), funded by NIDA with a total of $3,924,302, she is studying the impacts of drug abuse-mediated inflammatory perturbations on affinity maturation of anti-CD4 autoantibodies and poor immune reconstitution from ART in HIV. This project aims to understand the role of cocaine in autoimmunity and immune recovery in HIV patients. Her role in this project is as PI (25% effort).

She is also a multiPI on R01DA059538 (9/30/2023-7/31/2028), with a total of $1,724,585 from NIDA, investigating host gene isoforms contributing to HIV persistence in cocaine users. The study focuses on identifying gene isoforms associated with HIV infection in elite controllers and its implications for cocaine users. Her role is PI (25% effort).

In addition, she is the PI on I01CX002422 (3/1/2022-2/28/2026), funded by the VA Medical Center CSRD Merit with a total of $1,195,899. This project examines the mechanism of autoreactive B cell-mediated immunological failure in HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy despite virologic suppression. She is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of anti-CD4 IgG-producing B cells and the pathologic effects of anti-CD4 autoantibodies. Her role is PI with 62.5% effort.

Additionally, she is involved as multiPI on R01DA055523 (9/30/2022-7/31/2027), with a total funding of $1,731,992, where she is working alongside Fitting to investigate the effects of microbiome-related mechanisms on H

 Publication