Beyond research, the unseen work of scientists is the initiative to galvanize their field of work in an emerging scientific community.  This is done out of responsibility but also necessity, in order to secure a research based career in Panama.  Such is the case for interdisciplinary research and the reason for the creation of the B3 Symposium, which occurred for the third year this past November, 2017.  The mission of the event is to create awareness and consolidate the network for Bioinformatics, Biosciences and Bioengineering in Panama, Central America and the Caribbean.  Co-organizers, Dr. Rolando Gittens (INDICASAT AIP), Dr. Javier Sánchez-Galán (UTP), and Dr. Allan Orozco (Universidad de Costa Rica) aim to expose local and regional researchers and doctors to new interdisciplinary techniques such as genomics and regenerative medicine with the hope of promoting an educational and innovative environment.

The Event: Thanks to the institutional support of INDICASAT, Universidad Tecnologica de Panama and Ciudad del Saber (hosting venue and organizing committee) B3 has grown to be an anticipated event, as shown through the generous support from sponsors from the private sector (Bruker, RGH Panamá, Green Med and Casa del Médico) who helped take B3 2017 to the next level.  International speakers, some of whom had never been in Panama before, left with a surprising impression of the quality of research and the caliber of care they received as guests.  These international relationships are crucial for the growth of the field and lead to more opportunities for collaboration and funding.

The Science: For the first time, an inaugural event was hosted the night before the full day of talks commenced to give special recognition to some of the extraordinary international speakers.  Dr. Miguel Perez Pinzon, was recognized for his support of research in Panama.  Director of the Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Center in the University of Miami, Dr. Perez-Pinzon’s group focuses on understanding the mechanisms of neuroprotection by ischemic preconditioning (IPC) against cerebral ischemia (as elicited by a stroke or cardiac arrest).  More specifically, his research looks to define the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction following cerebral ischemia. It has been postulated that delayed cell death after brain ischemia may result from two different mechanisms: apoptosis and/or necrosis. In both pathways however, mitochondrial dysfunction appears to play a pivotal role. Dr. Perez-Pinzon is currently partnered with Dr. Rolando Gittens (INDICASAT Center for Neuroscience, and Drug Discovery & Biodiversity), on a project currently investigating the signaling pathways that lead to mitochondrial dysfunction following cerebral ischemia.  The project is funded through a two year exploratory R21 grant ($250,000) with the National Institutes of Health, the first research grant of this type in Panama.  INDICASAT’s status as a competitive research institute has benefited greatly from the experience of this NIH project.  We hope that it is the first of many more NIH grants to come and thanks to the support from University of Miami, INDICASAT is all the more prepared to compete and manage this level of international funding.  Perhaps the most noteworthy point of this project and the primary reason to honor Dr. Perez-Pinzon at B3 is the fact that, as a Panamanian who has spent his entire career in the US, he has found a tangible way to directly support science in Panama.  B3 was proud to provide the time and space for the entire Perez-Pinzon family, including his mother, to attend the inauguration and listen to Dr. Miguel give his keynote address (in Spanish!).

Recognition was also given to Dr. Manuel Rivas, a biomedical data scientist from Stanford University, whose research focuses on developing statistical methods and computational tools to analyze massive human genetic datasets to address fundamental questions in medicine and biology.  Dr. Rivas’ current research concentrates on four themes: 1) generating effective therapeutic hypotheses from human genetic data; 2) developing technologies for integrated learning healthcare systems; 3) inferring the global distribution of common and rare disease predisposition genes; and 4) developing statistical learning models and optimization algorithms for diseases like crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Other international speakers included, Dr. Maroun Khoury, Director of the Center for Cellular Therapy and the Stem Cell Innovation Laboratory at the Universidad de los Andes, Chile.Dr. Allan Orozco, University of Costa Rica, Professor and specialist in the field of ultrasequencing, genomics and liquid biopsies for the early diagnosis of cancer.  Dr. David Corr, Professor from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI, New York) whose field is biomedical engineering, biomechanics, and soft tissue mechanics. Dr. Corr presented his current work using 3D printing for treatment specialized in orthopedic soft tissue biomechanics; investigating the development of osteoarthritis, as well as wound healing in skin, ligament and skeletal muscle. Finally, B3 was lucky to include Dra. Anna Stewart-Ibarra, Director of the Latin America Research Program Center for Global Health & Translational Science at Upstate Medical University in New York. Dr. Stewart-Ibarra’s research focuses on public health and the ecology of tropical infectious diseases, climate, and social vulnerability affecting people in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition to the international speakers, there was a poster session and a special session of Science in Panama to share high impact publications made by Panamanian researchers.

The service: The highlight of B3 2017 was, somewhat unexpectedly, the student program.  For the first time, and thanks to the financial support from sponsors as well as the coordinating support from Yamibel Díaz from INDICASAT and Abitzel Guillén at SENACYT, B3 was able to host 10 high school students (and their adult chaperones) to attend the Symposium.  Based on essays written on the importance of science in Panama and the role of bioinformatics, students were selected to listen to and interact with speakers and symposium attendees.  A special break out session was held where Ciudad del Saber presented their mission and vision.  Dr. Gittens and Dra Stewart-Ibarra led a vibrant Q&A session where students, teachers and parents were able to speak freely about how to follow their passion for science.  Students came from Bocas del Toro, Colon, Herrera, Cocle, Veraguas, and Chiriqui.  Feedback from these young minds was perhaps the most inspiring part of B3 2017 and served as a reminder of why, in the end, we work so hard.

“Good morning dear doctors, There are no parallel words for the enormous gratitude that I feel for you, people of such intellectual and spiritual stature, who shared with humble students like us part of their knowledge and human character.  You have awakened us from the lethargy of the classroom! You infused us with cognitive vigor and now (at least with the companions with whom I shared the last 24 hours) in Herrera, Bocas del Toro and Coclé, where I am from, there are three embryo scientists with an intense desire to break from our shell.  Blessed be God and blessed be you for being magnificent people, for the B3 symposium, which has given us a more tangible idea of the systems established in nature, their interrelation and the human capacity to capitalize on their benefit.

Many thanks for selecting students for the B3 symposium.

Thank you, dear doctors. Hugs and Blessings”  Ruthnatalí T Campos Núñez.

We look forward to the next installment of the B3 Symposium, and want to thank everyone at INDICASAT who helped on the day of the event.