BrainMap

Mr. Tudor Constantin Badea

MD MA PhD

Senior Investigator (CSI) Scientific Director - UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV

Researcher | Teaching staff | Scientific reviewer | Manager | Civil servant

MD (University of Cluj, Romania), MA (Columbia University, NY), PhD (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore), with 25 years of biomedical research experience with expertise in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Pathology, Immunology. Management experience (14 + years) in leading a group of students, fellows and technical staff towards answering questions in the field of visual development and function. Expert in genetic manipulations, animal models, tissue culture, behavior analysis.

Web of Science ResearcherID: B-1654-2018

Curriculum Vitae (17/05/2024)

Expertise & keywords

Development and Function of High Acuity Central Vision Call name: P 4 - Proiecte de cercetare exploratorie - PCE-2021
PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0333 2022 - 2024

Role in this project: Project coordinator

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: http://www.transilvanianeurogenetics.ro/funding_and_projects.html

Abstract:

We aim to understand the development, function, and pathology of central high acuity vision. In humans, high visual acuity is provided by the fovea, a specialized retinal structure, in which visual information flows in one-to-one fashion from cone photoreceptors to bipolar cells and high-resolution Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs). The modest progress in understanding the fovea and treating its disorders is due in part to the lack of a genetically accessible mammalian model. We have recently discovered an area of high visual acuity (Area Centralis, ArCe) in the mouse, and will explore its function and development, to establish it as a pathogenetic and therapeutic model for central vision and high visual acuity RGC defects. We will use unique genetically modified mouse lines we developed to identify the RGCs of the ArCe, determine their brain projections and participation in binocular vision, and study the developmental history and molecular mechanisms of ArCe formation. We will apply visually guided behavior tests to mice with genetic ablation of the ArCe in order to identify its involvement in visual function. The results will provide us with an animal model for studying pathogenetic mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for high visual acuity central visual defects. In addition, the gained insights will pave the way for current efforts in retina repair based on stem cell or reprograming efforts, by discovering the necessary developmental steps and molecular requirements.

New protein hybrid nanostructures for specific targeting in colon tumor cells Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-1323 2022 - 2024

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO); UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA BRASOV (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA MATERIALELOR BUCURESTI RA (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: http://fpce7.fizica.unibuc.ro/biomol/1323.htm

Abstract:

The project proposes an interdisciplinary collaboration between research teams from the University of Bucharest, the Faculty of Physics (UB, CO), the Transilvania University of Brașov, the Faculty of Medicine and the Research-Development Institute (UT, P1), and the National Institute of Materials Physics Magurele, Romania (NIMP, P2).

One way to facilitate the entry into cells of protein hybrid nanostructures, which encapsulate or are coated with drugs or other structures of medical interest, is the use of folic acid (FA) as a molecule that specifically targets tumor cells receptors.

The main goal of this project is to synthesize and characterize a new type of hybrid nanoparticles (NPs), consisting of serum proteins (albumin, transferrin), functionalized with FA and loaded with the flavonoid rutin (Ru). These hybrid NPs are stable, reproducible, highly effective, and specifically, target HT-29 colon cancer cells.

The objectives of the project will be achieved by: 1) the use of synthesis methods involving nanoprecipitation, desolvation, and stabilization of new nanoparticles of serum proteins loaded with Ru, functionalized with FA, 2) characterization of the morphology and properties of new NPs by structural (SEM, AFM, DLS), spectroscopic (UV-Vis, FT-IR, SPR) and electrochemical (EIS) methods and 3) application of synthesized nanohybrid on HT-29 cells.

The new hybrid nanostructures have not been the subject of other studies published in the literature, and the effect of these nanohybrids on the viability and proliferative capacity of HT-29 cells is not reported in the literature. In the future, the results of this project may be clinically useful in the design and use of nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects