Anna Krzyżewska
Speaker: Anna Krzyżewska, Department of Experimental Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Białystok, Poland
Talk title: Is the cardiovascular system a therapeutic target for cannabidiol? – antifibrotic/antiproliverative potential of cannabidiol
Biography: Anna Krzyżewska graduated in Medical Analytics at Medical University of Bialystok (MUB, Poland) in 2020. She has been employed at Department of Experimental Physiology and Pathophysiology (MUB, Poland) since 2020, where she is doing her PhD in medical sciences (entitled: Evaluation of the effect of cannabidiol on inflammatory and fibrosis parameters in lung tissue and right ventricle in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension) under supervision of Prof. Hanna Kozłowska and Dr. Marta Baranowska-Kuczko, (MUB, Poland).
In 2023 she was at internship in the Department of Physiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands where, under the supervision of Dr. Kondababu Kurakula, she learned the latest molecular biology techniques (e.g. gene silencing) and explored the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension.
Her scientific interests are cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology, including understanding of the mechanisms regulating the vascular tone by cannabinoids during physiological and pathological conditions, identification of novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disorders associated with increased pulmonary arteries resistance, identification of the molecular mechanisms of actions of cannabis in cardiovascular disorders, including the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antifibrotic properties of the cannabinoids. She is a member of Polish Cardiology Society and recipient of several awards (i.e. the Poster Award in the XXV Symposium of the Experimental Cardiology Section, Kazimierz Dolny, Poland, educational grant for an abstract submitted to the World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension (Pulmonary Hypertension Association, Barcelona, Spain).
Anna Krzyżewska is specialized in performing biochemical analyses using ELISA and Western blot methods, measurements of changes in isometric tension and vascular tone of isolated arteries, measurement of blood pressure and hemodynamic parameters using the non-invasive and invasive methods (rats), performing procedures related to the care and research of animals (e.g., injections, gavage administration, tissues/organ isolation) as well as working on cell cultures. She has also been involved in teaching human physiology and pathophysiology at the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Dr Marta Baranowska-Kuczko
Speaker: Dr Marta Baranowska-Kuczko, Department of Experimental Physiology and Pathophysiology, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Medical University of Białystok, Poland
Talk title: Is the cardiovascular system a therapeutic target for cannabidiol? – antifibrotic/antiproliverative potential of cannabidiol
Biography: Dr. Marta Baranowska-Kuczko graduated in pharmacy at Medical Academy of Bialystok (Poland) in 2005. She has been employed at Department of Experimental Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Bialystok (MUB, Poland) since 2005, where she completed her PhD in pharmaceutical sciences in 2009 under supervision of Prof. Barbara Malinowska (MUB, Poland) and Prof. Margaret MacLean (Glasgow University, Scotland). From 2011 up to date she is the action head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy (MUB, Poland). In 2016 she finalized specialization in Clinical Pharmacy (Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland), in 2023 awarded habilitation and from 2024 have served as provincial consultant in clinical pharmacy.
In 2007 she awarded one year Long Term Training Fellowship by the European Respiratory Society and worked in the laboratories of Professor Mandy MacLean from Research Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Dr. Baranowska-Kuczko is an associate editor of Pharmacological Reports, member of Polish Pharmaceutical Society, Polish Physiological Society, Polish Clinical Pharmacy society, Polish Cardiology Society (President-elect of Experimental Cardiology Section of the Polish Society of Cardiology), International Cannabinoid Research Society, Member of The Faculty Team for Ensuring and Improving the Quality of Education and Faculty Team for Animal Welfare at MUB.
She is specialized in in vitro experiments, i.e. mounting vessels in organ baths and in wire myography and measurements of changes in isometric tension and vascular tone of isolated arteries, including human pulmonary arteries; rat mesenteric, renal and pulmonary arteries and mice mesenteric and pulmonary arteries. Moreover, she has been involved in small animal echocardiography measurements.
She has authored over 40 articles and five chapters books on pathophysiology and pharmacology. She is a recipient of several awards received from the Rector of the MUB and poster presentations, i.e. by British Physiological Society. Baranowska-Kuczko has contributed as co-promotor to the success of three PhD students and as the supervisor of master theses. She has been involved also in teaching human physiology, pathophysiology and clinical pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Dr Katie Sloper
Speaker: Dr Katie Sloper, Ananda Developments
Talk title: TBC
Biography: Katie graduated from the University of New England with a BSc in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Nutrition, receiving several university Prizes for Excellence. Katie was then the recipient of the University Medal at the Australian National University (ANU) for her Honours thesis on DNA damage repair pathways. Katie subsequently completed her PhD at ANU with a focus on cancer research, before completing postdoctoral fellowships in both Australia and the USA. In addition to her medical research Katie has over 15 years working in healthcare across both public and private sectors, including as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Queensland Minister for Health and a Member of the Pharmacy Board of Australia. As a medical researcher at Ananda Development, Katie is currently focussed on understanding the therapeutic profile of medicinal cannabis.
Dr Andrejs Sitvos
Speaker: Dr Andrejs Sitvos, Riga Stradins University
Talk title: Challenges of oral cannabidiol delivery
Biography: Andrejs Sitovs, PhD. Certified Pharmacist. Researcher, lecturer at the Riga Stradins University (Riga, Latvia) since 2015.
Scientific interests: bioavailability, ex vivo permeability studies, pharmacokinetics, veterinary pharmacology and solid dosage forms
Internships and trainings: University at Buffalo, USA, 2022, University of Pisa, Italy, 2021, 2017, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Japan, 2016.
Expert of the Latvian Science Council (Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Sciences of Medicine, including Pharmacy) since 2024.
Professor Oliver Werz
Speaker: Professor Oliver Werz, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Talk title: Mechanisms of anti-inflammatory effects of cannabidiol
Biography: I am a full Professor for Pharmaceutical Chemistry at University of Jena (Germany), and my research is focused on the cellular regulation of inflammation and on the pharmacological modulation of inflammatory pathways related to lipid mediators. I have a broad background in pharmaceutical biochemistry, with specific training and expertise in the development and pharmacological characterization of small molecules that are employed as tools for studying cellular processes or used as potential drugs for the treatment of inflammation. Especially, we are interested in the regulation and pharmacological modulation of lipid mediator networks in innate immune cells.
Professor Marie Fallon
Speaker: Professor Marie Fallon, University of Edinburgh
Talk title: CBD for the management of chronic chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy - early insights from the ACTION Trial
Biography: Marie Fallon is Professor of Palliative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and is an Honorary Consultant in Palliative Medicine based at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre. She has played a significant role in research both nationally and internationally. She has led a translational research programme in palliative care in Edinburgh which has resulted in a number of clinical studies, including large RCTs for cancer induced bone pain, neuropathic pain and peripheral neuropathy. Her clinical studies include novel biomarkers. She has led successful RCTs looking at bedside cancer pain assessment and linked management (EPAT). The results led to a special communication by NICE promoting the use of the EPAT tool in routine clinical care. She is interested in the complex and multifaceted area of implementation science in relation to supportive and palliative care. She co-leads a £6.3 million project looking at implementation of patient-centred care into routine oncology care. She has led international palliative care guidelines such as ESMO for cancer pain and ASCO for cachexia. She has been Joint Editor of four editions of the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine which is the reference textbook in the specialty. She has edited several other books and sits on numerous grant committees, as well as being an editorial board member of the BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care. Finally, of note, much of her research in recent years and currently relates to Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). She strives to help with the thorny issue of opioid availability in LMICs underpinned by an MRC grant and international collaborations. She received the Ventafridda award from the EAPC in 2024 for excellence in science and research in palliative care
