1. Principals of Biomedical Research
Guri Tzivion, PhD
PBMR 611: Winter 2016
Windsor University School of Medicine

2. Journal Club Instructors
Dr. Soumitra Chakravarty
Biochemistry
Group 1
Dr. Vivek Joshi
Group 2
Dr. Bikramajit Singh Saroya
Pathophysiology
Group 3
Dr. Samuel Taiwo
Pre Med Program
Group 4
Dr. Fatai Oluyadi
Pathophysiology
Group 5
Dr. Kusai Salhanie
Group 6

3. Course Description The Journal Club aims to:
Train the students in critical reading of biomedical research papers
Provide a venue for discussing recent scientific advances in the biomedical research field
Improve the scientific communication skills of our students

4. Journal Club Presentation format: Introduction to the subject area:
General review of the subject
What was known before the authors started their work
The declared hypothesis and objectives of the study
Methodologies used in the study
Results:
Present the actual results of the study
Discuss each of the figures in detail

5. Journal Club Presentation format:
Discuss the significance of the study and its contributions to advancing the subject area/field (as presented by the authors)
Your critical analysis of the study:
Strengths and weaknesses
If you were the reviewer of the paper, what would be your critique?

6. Journal Club Other points to consider in preparing your presentation:
Have a simple title for each slide
Fonts should be large enough to be seen clearly from the back of the room
Figures: for multi-panel figures, enlarge and show each panel separately

7. Journal Club Presentation skills:
Be familiar with the presentation content
Speak loudly and clear
Speak with excitement, don’t be monotone
Do not read the slides – use the text as reference
Face the audience, make eye contacts
Use body language (facial expression, gesture)
Do not abuse the pointer

8. Student evaluations Journal Club Paper presentation: 35%
Block Exam 1: 25%. Will cover topics 1-2 and material from the journal club
Block Exam 2: 25%. Will cover topics 3-4 and material from the journal club
Journal Club Paper presentation: 35%
15%: instructor evaluation of student participation in journal club discussions

9. Journal Club Presentation evaluation grid:
Familiarity with the subject (20%):
Presentation skills (20%):
Stimulation of group discussion (20%):
Preparedness (20):
Overall presentation quality (20):
Final evaluation:
Comments for the student:

10. Journal Club 1st theme: longevity research and sirtuin activators
1. Howitz KT, et al. Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan. Nature Sep 11;425(6954):191-6.
2. Baur JA, et al. Resveratrol improves health and survival of mice on a high-calorie diet. Nature Nov 16;444(7117):
3. Hubbard BP and Sinclair DA. Small molecule SIRT1 activators for the treatment of aging and age-related diseases. Trends Pharmacol Sci Mar;35(3):

11. Journal Club
2nd theme: B-Raf mutations and their targeting in Melanoma
4. Davies H, et al. Mutations of the BRAF gene in human cancer. Nature Jun 27;417(6892):
5. Tsai J, et al. Discovery of a selective inhibitor of oncogenic B-Raf kinase with potent antimelanoma activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Feb 26;105(8):
6. Bollag G, et al. Clinical efficacy of a RAF inhibitor needs broad target blockade in BRAF-mutant melanoma. Nature Sep 30;467(7315):596-9.
7. Sosman JA et al. Survival in BRAF V600–Mutant Advanced Melanoma Treated with Vemurafenib. N Engl J Med 2012; 366:
Full text link:

12. Journal Club 3rd theme: Diabetes and high cholesterol management
8. Knowler WC, et al. "Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin". The New England Journal of Medicine (6):
Full text link:
9. Patel A, et al. "Intensive Blood Glucose Control and Vascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes". The New England Journal of Medicine (24):
Full text link:
10. Kastelein JJ, et al. "Simvastatin with or without ezetimibe in familial hypercholesterolemia". The New England Journal of Medicine (14):
Full text link:

16. Enzymatic activity of sirtuins

17. Regulation of Sir2 during calorie restriction in yeast
Resveratrol
Bordone and Guarente
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2005

18. Mammalian sirtuin isoforms

19. Subcellular localization of Sirtuin isoforms
De Oliveira et al, Frontiers
in Pharmacology 2012

20. Sirt1 functions and regulation

21. The diverse physiological roles of the sirtuins
Finkel et al. Nature 460, 2009

23. Structure of sirtuin activators used in the study

26. Effects of resveratrol and caloric restriction on yeast life span and its dependency on sir2 and pnc1