SynHealth Unites in Zagreb: Our First In-Person Consortium Meeting

The SynHealth project successfully held its first in-person consortium meeting and workshop in Zagreb, Croatia during the first week of July. The two-day event brought together our dedicated team and invited experts, all focused on advancing preventive medicine through research and collaboration.

Day 1: Deep Dives into Science and Strategy

The first day was packed with insightful sessions designed not only to equip PhD students, early-career researchers, but also to provide the consortium with a comprehensive 360-degree view of achieved milestones and upcoming activities. 

CV and interview essentials

The meeting kicked off with a practical lecture from Marianna Bevova (University of Luxembourg). She shared invaluable advice on maximizing chances for PhD students and early-career researchers in the life sciences. Around 24 attendees and 15 consortium members gained insights into common pitfalls to avoid, how to enhance CV portfolios, and strategies for navigating the administrative and pragmatic aspects of entering the academic ecosystem.

Polygenic Risk Scores 

Next, Arina Nostaeva (University of Liège) provided a detailed overview on polygenic risk scores, GWAS (Genome-Wide Association Studies), and the build of individual profiles (SNP associations). Aimed at advanced students and early-career researchers, the presentation used numerous examples to illustrate the application of genetic research techniques in de-risking and observing risk trajectories for diseases like cancer. 

Glycan Biomarkers in Personalized Medicine

The afternoon began with Coordinator Gordan Lauc (Genos Ltd), who shed light on personalized medicine and how to approach it beyond genetics. Dr. Lauc introduced glycans as the ultimate layer of molecular complexity, with over 250,000 glycans already studied globally. He explained how glycome composition differs significantly between individuals and how IgG glycans change remarkably with age, making glycome composition an excellent biomarker for chronological and biological age. The session also described GlycanAge, a test based on inflammation-regulating molecules.

Autoantibody Profiling in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Ioannis Parodis (Karolinska Institutet) addressed the challenges of homogeneous treatment in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), noting that a “one size fits all” approach often results in only a 50% response rate. He explored the similarities in inflammation across various diseases and health states, emphasizing the high heterogeneity of systemic autoimmune diseases. The discussion delved into whether clusters can predict treatment response and how autoantibodies relate to SLE activity.

Lifestyle and Biological Age: Monitoring Changes with GlycanAge Index

Lucija Gosak (University of Maribor) closed the open sessions with a presentation on monitoring changes in lifestyle and biological age using the GlycanAge Index. She detailed the methodology for gathering health status data among intervention groups and compared Glycan Age with a Lifestyle score (HLPCQ).