
WIA Committees
Mentoring
Annual
Symposium
Scientific Advice
Journal Club
Fundraising
Communications

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MENTORING committee
Chair
![]() Malene HansenBuck Institute for Aging Research Novato, USA |
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![]() Sharon ToozeThe Francis Crick Institute London, UK |
Co-chair
Goals
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Foster activities to promote careers of trainees and young scientists interested in autophagy.
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Generate a network of e-mentors all around the globe providing trainees with access to expert advice on autophagy-related topics, career development and work-family balance.
![]() Eileen WhiteRutgers Cancer Institute New Jersey, USA |
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![]() Mondira KunduSt. Jude Children’s Hospital Memphis, USA |
![]() Salwa SebtiUT Southwestern Dallas, USA |
![]() Patricia BoyaCentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas Madrid, Spain |
![]() Lisa FrankelDanish Cancer Society Research Center København, Denmark |
![]() Waleska Kerllen MartinsAnhanguera University of São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil |
![]() Muriel MariUniversity Medical Center Groningen Groningen, The Netherlands |
![]() Caroline MauvezinBellvitge Biomedical Research Institute Barcelona, Spain |
![]() Naomi OkugbeniStellenbosch University Stellenbosch, South Africa |
![]() Nesibe PekerKoc University Hospital Istanbul, Turkey |
![]() Luciana Rodrigues GomesInstituto Butantan São Paulo, Brazil |
![]() Anne SimonsenUniversity of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Oslo, Norway |
![]() Alejandra SuaresIFIBYNE-CONICET- University of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina |
![]() Surbhi VermaICGEB New Delhi, India |
![]() Alysia Vrailas-MortimerIllinois State University Normal, USA |
![]() G-GhislatINSERM, CIML Marseille, France |
![]() Stephanie KermorgantBarts Cancer Institute - Queen Mary University London London, UK |
![]() Evelina GattiINSERM CIML Marseille, France |
Ongoing / planned activities:
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Careers in Science Workshops & Panel Discussions
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Workshops and panel discussions on challenges for women in science, teaching, job search & lab start, grant- and manuscript writing, scientific editing, DEI, etc. Ongoing and in planning
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E-Mentoring
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Monthly ‘office hours’ hosted by mentors for mentees to discuss career-related questions - Beginning December 2021
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Online Discussion forum- Members can access here.
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ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM committee
Faculty Chair
![]() María Inés VaccaroUniversity of Buenos Aires - CONICET - IBIMOL Buenos Aires, Argentina |
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![]() Yuhong MaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
Fellow Chair
Goal
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Organization of the Annual Women in Autophagy Beth Levine's legacy network symposium.
Ongoing activities:
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Organizing the 3rd WIA Annual Symposium.
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Selecting speakers.
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Creating a new poster platform.
Abstracts committee:
Congcong He - Northwestern University (Evanston, USA)
Katja Simon - University of Oxford (Oxford, UK)
Laura Delgui - National University of Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina)
Ana Maria Cuervo - Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York, USA)
Alexandra Stolz - Goethe University Frankfurt (Frankfurt, Germany)
Rachel Ulferts - The Francis Crick Institute (London, UK)
Brunella Franco - University of Naples (Naples, Italy)
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE committee
![]() Kristina AmesAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
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![]() Ghada AlsalehThe Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology - University of Oxford Oxford, UK |
Chair
Co-chair
Faculty
Advisor
![]() Marta Martínez-VicenteVall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) Barcelona, Spain |
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Goals
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Coordinate the share-for-feedback platform of the WIA website member portal, where members ask questions about experimental setup, troubleshoot analysis and results.
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Organize workshops on specific aspects of autophagy.
Ongoing activities:
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Manage and coordinate the Scientific Advice Platform, which includes:
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Question and Answer Forum.
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Protocol-sharing platform.
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Workshops on Methods and Techniques.
JOURNAL CLUB committee
Chair
![]() Rabia KhawajaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
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![]() Ana Cecilia MestreCentro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue (CITAAC-CONICET) Neuquén, Argentina |
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![]() Pamela MattarAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
Co-chairs
![]() Eugenia AlmacellasThe Francis Crick Institute London, UK |
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![]() Karla Alvarez ValadezCentre de Recherche des Cordeliers Paris - France |
![]() Myra ChavezUniversity of Bern Bern, Switzerland |
![]() Aurore Claude-TaupinInstitut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM) - INSERM U1151 Paris, France |
![]() Veronica GranatieroWeill Cornell Medical College New York, USA |
![]() Sara HanleyRowan University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences New Jersey, USA |
![]() Prasoon JayaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Carine JoffreCancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT) - Inserm Toulouse, France |
![]() Christin NaumannLeibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry Halle, Germany |
![]() Marie NolletBarts Cancer Institute London, UK |
![]() Rebecca TadokeraStellenbosch University Stellenbosch, South Africa |
![]() Olatz PampliegaAchucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience Leioa, Spain |
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Faculty
Advisor
Goals
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To review articles to foster scientific discourse amongst WIA members
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To acquire deeper understanding of autophagy.
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To learn technical skills.
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To discuss review process of articles.
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To present and promote publications of WIA members.
Ongoing activities:
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Organizational meetings.
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Advertisement.
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Journal Club registration.
FUNDRAISING committee
![]() Ana Rosa SáezAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
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![]() G-GhislatINSERM, CIML, Marseille, France |
Chair
Co-chair
![]() Katharina BellSingapore Eye Research Institute-Singapore National Eye Centre (SERI/SENC) Singapore |
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![]() Marian FernandezCambridge Institute for Medical Research Cambridge, UK |
![]() Stephanie KermorgantBarts Cancer Institute, QMUL, London, UK |
![]() Dongfang LiSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, USA |
![]() Jetsy MonteroEssen University Hospital, Institute for Cell biology (Cancer Research) Essen, Germany |
![]() Valérie Pierrefite-CarleUMR E4320 CEA - Université Côte d'Azur Nice, France |
![]() Natalia RegleroQueen Mary University of London London, UK |
![]() Clara SoknIBioBA-CONICET-MPSP Buenos Aires, Argentina |
![]() Inmaculada TassetUniversity of Córdoba Córdoba, Spain Albert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Jin ZhouDuke NUS Medical School Singapore |
Faculty
Advisors
![]() Sophie PattingreINSERM U1194, Université de Montpellier Montpellier, France |
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![]() Esther WongResearch Assistant Professor Head (Preclinical Sciences), Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore Principal Investigator, Centre for Healthy Longevity, National University Health System |
Goal
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To find opportunities and plan activities to raise money in order to support WIA activities, including travel grants for fellows.
Ongoing activities:
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Identifying funding sources.
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Contacting research agencies, companies and journals.
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Planning activities for promoting private donations.
Sponsors:

COMMUNICATIONS committee
![]() Mericka McCabeAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA LinkedIn profile: |
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![]() Laura Cervera-CarlesAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
Chair
Co-chair
Faculty
Advisors
![]() Prof. Anne SimonsenUniversity of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences |
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![]() Prof. Yan ZhaoSouthern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen, China |
Goals
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Communicate and disseminate WIA activities across the scientific community, using the website, blog and social network tools.
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Connect scientists within the network to member resources through the webpage Member Portal.
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Coordinate with all other WIA committees through committee liaisons.
Ongoing activities:
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Webpage management development.
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Social media promotions (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram).
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WIA monthly newsletter and mailing list.
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WIA blog publications.
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Mentoring, Annual Meeting, Scientific Advice and Journal Club liaison organization.