Claudio Jorge Conti

Claudio Jorge Conti - University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center (EEUU)

Dr Claudio J. Conti received a degree in Veterinary Medicine and a doctorate in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires. He carried out post-graduate training in the Department of Pathology of the University of Colorado.

He has been Professor of Molecular Carcinogenesis for 27 years in the University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center where he held the HEB professorship and was also Associate Director of the M. D. Anderson Smithville Campus. He is presently Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine in Texas A&M University and Distinguished lecturer in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (Houston, Tx).

Dr Conti is the author of more than 200 peer-review publications, 26 book chapters and has edited two books. His major research interest is environmental causes of disease and particularly the effect of diet, and diabetes in cancer development. He has received numerous grants from the NIH, the American Cancer Society, the Department of Defense and private foundations.

In addition to his research and administrative activities, Dr Conti has dedicated a major effort to education, including training graduate students and post-doctoral fellows as well as formal classroom teaching for graduate students in the fields of Anatomy, Histology, Pathology and Cancer Biology.

Research stay at UC3M: DEPARTMENT OF BIOENGINEERING AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Project: The main theme of the research carried out in UCIII will be to study the patho-physiological bases of diabetic and pressure ulcers and the use of tissue bioengineering strategies for their treatment. We will specifically look at the role of ROS and mitochondrial dysfunction as the etiology of this condition that affects a great number of senior patients as well as younger patients suffering from diabetes and lack of mobility.

For these studies, we will use state of the art microscopic technologies to determine the functional aspects of the metabolism of the mitochondria in the cells from affected areas. We will also look at metabolic pathways affecting mitochondrial functionality.

Regarding research on improving treatment of the ulcers and based on knowledge gained in our pathophysiologic studies, as well as in our previous extensive expertise in the field, we plan to develop biopolymer scaffolds containing genetically engineered fibroblasts that will secrete into the environment, ROS scavengers in a first phase, anti-inflammatory cytokines and probably VEGF at later stages when the environment can support the development of a new vasculature.

Stay Period: FEB 13 - AUG 13