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MENTORING committee
Chair
![]() Nathalia Chica BalagueraDepartment of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Norwegian Hospital University. |
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![]() Natalia Jimenez MorenoUniversity of Edinburgh |
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.
​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.
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E-Mentoring
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​Monthly ‘office hours’ hosted by mentors for mentees to discuss career-related questions
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Online Discussion forum - Members can access here.
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ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM committee
Faculty Chair
Faculty Co-chair
![]() Maho HamasakiOsaka University, Japan |
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![]() Rebecca SeredaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA |
![]() Sophie PattingreInserm, Paris, France |
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![]() Thabata-DuqueUniversity of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM, USA |
Fellow Chair
Fellow Co-chair
![]() Paloma LitonDuke University, North Carolina, USA |
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![]() Floralba GjergjovaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, New York |
![]() Susmita KaushikAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Thuy NguyenHarvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA |
![]() Malena Herrera LopezUniversity of Buenos Aires - CONICET - IBIMOL Buenos Aires, Argentina |
![]() Lorelei Ayala-GuerreroUniversidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico Mexico |
![]() Aurora ScrivoIlias Moraitis Spain |
![]() Amruta SinghNational Institute of Technology Rourkela, India |
![]() Mariana TadicUniversity of Buenos Aires, CONICET-IBIMOL Buenos Aires, Argentina |
![]() Eunice A. DomÃnguez-MartÃnNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)/NIH |
![]() Sandra PelkaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, New York |
![]() Zi GaoScripps, California, USA |
![]() Mika Minami |
![]() Saori YoshiiUniversity of Tokyo, Japan |
![]() Jing ZhangUniversity of Tokyo, Japan |
![]() Ayca Sezen UsIstanbul University, Turkey |
![]() Kaylee PetraccioneVirginia Tech, USA |
![]() Patricia Gonzalez RodriguezUniversity of Oslo, Norway |
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 5th WIA Annual Symposium.
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Expanding into Asia and Africa
​Abstracts committee:
Ana Maria Cuervo - Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York, USA)
Sophie Pattingre - Inserm (Paris, France)
Maho Hamasaki - Osaka University (Osaka, Japan)
Marja Jäättelä - University of Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Maria Ines Vaccaro - University of Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Patricia Boya - University of Fribourg (Fribourg, Switzerland)
Laura Delgui - National University of Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina)
Mondira Kundu - St Jude Children's Research Hospital (Tennessee, USA)
Tassula Proikas-Cezanne - University of Tübingen (Tübingen, Germany)
Sharon Tooze - The Francis Crick Institute (London, UK)
Salwa Sebti - UT Southwestern (Texas, USA)
Congcong He - Northwestern University (Evanston, USA)
Alicia Melendez - CUNY (New York, USA)
Comms Liason
![]() Kaylee PetraccioneVirginia Tech, Virginia, USA |
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SCIENTIFIC ADVICE committee
Chair
![]() Raquel Gomez-SintesCentro Investigaciones Biologicas Margarita Salas- CSIC- Madrid |
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![]() RUT VALDOR ALONSOUniversity of Murcia, Spain |
Co-chair
![]() Marta Martinez-VicenteFaculty Advisor, Vall d’ Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) Mediterranean Building, Lab 014-015, Pg. Vall d’ Hebron 119-129,08035 Barcelona (Spain) |
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Protocol and
Q&A Team
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.
![]() Muriel MariAarhus University, Denmark |
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![]() Ghada AlsalehUniversity of Oxford, NDORMS, Botnar Research Centre |
![]() Virginie HubertMedical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria |
![]() Shirin PourteymourUniversity of Oldenburg Oldenburg, Germany |
Workshop Team
![]() Caterina MiceliTelethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM). Naples, Italy. |
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![]() Assala PictureForschungszentrum Jülich Jülich, Germany |
Comm
Liaison
​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
![]() Karla Alvarez ValadezCentre de Recherche des Cordeliers Paris - France |
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![]() Aurore Claude-TaupinInstitut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM) - INSERM U1151 Paris |
Co-chair
![]() Myra ChavezUniversity of Bern |
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Head of Communications
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.
![]() Carlos AlarconPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile |
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![]() Rabia KhawajaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Prasoon JayaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Christin NaumannLeibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry Halle, Germany |
![]() Marie NolletBarts Cancer Institute London, UK |
![]() Pamela MattarUCLA |
![]() Carine JoffreInserm, CRCT |
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Faculty
Advisor
​Ongoing activities:
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Organizational meetings.
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Advertisement.
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Journal Club registration.
FUNDRAISING committee
Chair
![]() G-GhislatImperial College, London, United Kingdom |
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![]() Stephanie KermorgantBarts Cancer Institute, QMUL, London, UK |
Co-chair
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.
![]() Patricia Gonzalez RodriguezUniversity of Oslo |
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![]() Smriti ParasharImmunology Center of Georgia |
![]() Els-KuiperMax Planck Institute of Biophysics |
![]() 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 |
​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.
Comms Liason
![]() Mericka McCabeAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, NY |
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​Sponsors:

COMMUNICATIONS committee
![]() Élise JacquinInserm U1231 Universite de Bourgogne Dijon, France |
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![]() Laura PoilletUMR1037 Inserm - Université Paul Sabatier/CNRS - Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Toulouse, France |
Chair
Co-chair
![]() Ruheena JavedUniversity of New Mexico Health Science Center (New Mexico, USA) |
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![]() Marina GarcÃa MaciaUniversity of Salamanca (IBFG) |
![]() Azin AminFlorey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health Melbourne, Australia |
![]() Letizia BrogiScuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Italy |
![]() Beatriz DiasUT Southwestern Dallas, USA |
![]() Shruti GhaiToledo University Toledo, USA |
![]() Malena Herrera LopezUniversity of Buenos Aires - CONICET - IBIMOL Buenos Aires, Argentina |
![]() Ramya Lakshmana IyerInstitute of Biochemistry II, Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
![]() Swathy KrishnaIowa State University Ames, USA |
![]() Mericka McCabeAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Caterina MiceliInstitute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular diseases (I2MC) Toulouse, France |
![]() IMG_8521Virginia Tech and Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine Blacksburg, USA |
![]() Roxana ResnikUniversity of Buenos Aires, CONICET-IBIMOL Buenos Aires, Argentina |
![]() Eleonora StronatiChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, USA |
![]() Satya SurabhiAlbert Einstein College of Medicine New York, USA |
![]() Mariana TadicUniversity of Buenos Aires, CONICET-IBIMOL Buenos Aires, Argentina |
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.