Autophagy; Metabolism; Obesity

Since the beginning of my career as assistant professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (July 2014) I have been actively involved in the training of students in the laboratory.
Student mentoring and teaching are detailed below:
STUDENTS

Doctoral program in Biological Sciences of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, specialization in Physiology.

1. Maria Paz Hernandez “PALMITIC ACID-MEDIATED G PROTEIN–COUPLED RECEPTOR 40 (GPR40) ACTIVATION INHIBITS AUTOPHAGY AND PROMOTES INFLAMMATION IN HYPOTHALAMIC NEURONS”.
She joined the laboratory in march 2015, she performed the two investigation units required by her study program in the first year and she defended her qualifying exam in June 2016.

2. Lilian Toledo “GPR40 AS MEDIATOR OF PALMITIC-ACID INDUCED INFLAMMATION AND INSULIN RESISTANCE IN HYPOTHALAMIC NEURONS”.
She joined the laboratory in march 2016 and she will defend her qualifying exam in August 2017.

Biochemistry, biology and college undergraduate programs of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

1. Germán Arenas (4th year Biology Student). He performed a research unit in the laboratory entitled “Involvementof the protein GPR40 in hypothalamic autophagy”.

2. Javier Novoa (3rd year Biochemistry Student). He performed a research unit in the laboratory entitled “Exposure to high fat diet inhibits hypothalamic autophagy”.

3. Ana María Velásquez Alvarado (3rd year College Student). She performed a research unit in the laboratory entitled “ Effect of high fat diet on GPR40 hypothalamic expression”.

4. Camila Solar (3rd year Biochemistry Student). She performed a research unit in the laboratory entitled “Function of the protein GPR40 in neuronal autophagy”.

School of medicine of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Diana Fuentes Castillo. She joined the laboratory as recipient of a felloship financed by the school of medicine for medical students to get laboratory experience. Her project is entitled “Involvement of hypothalamic GPR40 in saturated fatty acids-mediated autophagy and inflammation”.

Genetics and Biotechnology program of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos – Perú.

Marion Fernández Berrocal. She is performing her undergraduate thesis project entitled “Preparation of rat primary hypothalamic neurons to determine if palmitic acid modulates autophagy".

• Interview on the Newspaper “El Mercurio” “Looking for a way to enhance the beneficial effects of estrogens in men”, July 22nd, 2015.
• Coffee with the Doctor (activity realized during the Biochemistry congress, Santiago 2015), July 23rd, 2015.
• Interview to “Canal 13” (TV program “Teletrece AM”) regarding the results published by the World Health Organization on the correlation between meat consumption and cancer, October 27th, 2015.
• Interview on the Newspaper “El Mercurio” “Vegans need a better balance in their diet and require vitamin supplies”, March 23rd, 2016.
• Interview on the Newspaper “El Mercurio” “Intermittent fasting or eating reduced amounts of food have a positive effect on health and state of mind” 4 de May 4th, 2016.

ORGANIZATION OF WORKSHOPS AND SIMPOSIA

- Organizer of the mini-simposium “Round Table: “Autophagy: Expanding the Knowledge”, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Abate Molina, Santiago, Chile, September 21st, 2015.

- Organizer of the Symposium “Key Roles Of Autophagy In Chronic Diseases”, (XXXVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Chile), Puerto Varas, Chile, Septiembre 25th 2015.

- Co-organizer of the Workshop “Autophagy: Physiological and Pathological Roles”, Facultad de Cs. Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, November 23rd and 24th, 2016. Workshop financed by the “International Cenre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)”.