Placzek, Marysia, Professor

Professor Marysia Placzek

School of Biosciences

Professor of Developmental Neurobiology

m.placzek@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2353

Firth Court

Full contact details

Professor Marysia Placzek
School of Biosciences
Firth Court
Western Bank
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S10 2TN

Profile

Marysia is a Wellcome Trust Investigator and Professor of Developmental Neurobiology in the School of Biosciences. She has inspired staff and students alike with her pioneering leadership.

A driving force behind one of our University’s key research facilities, Marysia directed the MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics for many years and oversaw its evolution into the Bateson Centre.

Her initiative and outstanding commitment to her colleagues and students contributed to the ongoing success of research in the Department and the strong focus on developmental biology, and its translation, at the University.

Marysia’s research focuses on the development of the vertebrate hypothalamus and she has earned international acclaim for her work in this field. In 2023 she was awarded the British Society for Developmental Biology Waddington Medal, in recognition of her outstanding research performance as well as services to the subject community.

In 2012 she was awarded an MRC Suffrage Science Heirloom in recognition of her achievements as a leading female scientist.

Like many women, she balances the demands of world-leading research with family commitments, and has been celebrated by The Royal Society’s ‘Parent Carer Scientist’ project.

Colleagues agree that “Marysia is not just a role model for female scientists, but for all those with an aspiration to become a leader in their field.”

Research interests

How the brain develops remains one of the greatest mysteries in science. Research in the lab focus on the development of a fascinating part of the brain - the hypothalamus – the master-controller of physical, behavioural and emotional homeostasis.

Lay summary

In the developing embryos, the hypothalamus is built with precision. This ordered assembly underlies its key role in life. Our research focuses on characterising the stem and progenitor cells that build the hypothalamus and characterising the molecular networks that direct hypothalamic morphogenesis, growth and differentiation. Our work will contribute to understanding the importance of the hypothalamus to robust long-term health and will shed light on diseases and disruptions of homeostasis.

Research summary

The functions of the hypothalamus in mediating homeostasis, and ensuring that brain and body function optimally, are well-known. By contrast, little is understood of how the hypothalamus develops. This knowledge is important, because early indications suggest that deregulation of developmental programmes may underlie complex human pathological conditions, including stress and eating disorders. Our goal is therefore to understand how the hypothalamus develops in the embryo and how the proper embryonic assembly of the hypothalamus holds the key to robust adult function.

We focus in particular on five key areas:

The role of adjacent tissues in inducing multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor cells
The characterisation of multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor cells, and identification of cues that maintain progenitor cells, or promote their differentiation
The self-organisation and morphogenesis of hypothalamic progenitor cells through integrated growth and differentiation
The cellular and molecular events that underlie the integrated assembly of the hypothalamo-pituitary neuraxis
The characterization of stem/progenitor-like tanycytes in the adult hypothalamus

We use a range of animal model systems (chick, mouse, zebrafish) and combine in vivo and ex vivo approaches with state-of-the-art transcriptomic, imaging, and gain-and loss-of-function approaches.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Chinnaiya K, Burbridge S, Jones A, Kim DW, Place E, Manning E, Groves I, Sun C, Towers M, Blackshaw S & Placzek M (2023) . eLife, 12.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Groves I, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2022) . Cell Reports, 38(3).
Brown SJ, Boussaad I, Jarazo J, Fitzgerald JC, Antony P, Keatinge M, Blechman J, Schwamborn JC, Krüger R, Placzek M & Bandmann O (2021) . Scientific Reports, 11(1).
Tait CM, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Alves CH, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS , Furley A et al (2020) . PLOS Biology, 18(3).
Placzek M & Briscoe J (2018) . International Journal of Developmental Biology, 62(1-3), 221-230.
Fu T, Towers M & Placzek M (2017) . Development, 144, 3278-3288.
Burbridge S, Stewart I & Placzek M (2016) . Comprehensive Physiology, 6(2), 623-643.
Robins SC, Stewart I, McNay DE, Taylor V, Giachino C, Goetz M, Ninkovic J, Briancon N, Maratos-Flier E, Flier JS , Kokoeva MV et al (2013) . Nat Commun, 4, 2049.
Groves I, Holmshaw J, Furley D, Manning E, Chinnaiya K, Towers M, Evans BD, Placzek M & Fletcher AG () . Development.
Frith TJR, Granata I, Stout E, Wind M, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Hackland JOS, Anastassiadis K , Gouti M et al () .

Chapters

Placzek M, Fu T & Towers M (2020) , Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology (pp. 3-30). Springer International Publishing

Preprints

Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2021) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Tait C, Chinnaiya K, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Henrique Alves C, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS, Das RM , Rashbass P et al (2019) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

All publications

Journal articles

Beal S, Stewart I, Hatton P, Placzek M & Ortega I (2024) . Engineered Regeneration, 5(1), 11-20.
Chinnaiya K & Placzek M (2023) . BIO-PROTOCOL, 13(23).
(2023) . Development, 150(23).
Chinnaiya K, Burbridge S, Jones A, Kim DW, Place E, Manning E, Groves I, Sun C, Towers M, Blackshaw S & Placzek M (2023) . eLife, 12.
Eachus H, Ryu S, Placzek M & Wood J (2022) . Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 26.
Moore A, Chinnaiya K, Kim DW, Brown S, Stewart I, Robins S, Dowsett GKC, Muir C, Travaglio M, Lewis JE , Ebling F et al (2022) . Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Groves I, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2022) . Cell Reports, 38(3).
Brown SJ, Boussaad I, Jarazo J, Fitzgerald JC, Antony P, Keatinge M, Blechman J, Schwamborn JC, Krüger R, Placzek M & Bandmann O (2021) . Scientific Reports, 11(1).
Wind M, Gogolou A, Manipur I, Granata I, Butler L, Andrews PW, Barbaric I, Ning K, Guarracino MR, Placzek M & Tsakiridis A (2021) . Development, 148(6).
Groves I, Placzek M & Fletcher AG (2020) . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1809).
Jones A, Barker‐Haliski M, Ilie AS, Herd MB, Baxendale S, Holdsworth CJ, Ashton J, Placzek M, Jayasekera BAP, Cowie CJA , Lambert JJ et al (2020) . Epilepsia.
Tait CM, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Alves CH, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS , Furley A et al (2020) . PLOS Biology, 18(3).
de Souza FSJ & Placzek M (2020) . The International Journal of Developmental Biology.
Fu T, Pearson C, Towers M & Placzek M (2019) . Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 31(5).
Placzek M & Briscoe J (2018) . International Journal of Developmental Biology, 62(1-3), 221-230.
Fu T, Towers M & Placzek M (2017) . Development, 144, 3278-3288.
Eachus H, Bright C, Cunliffe VT, Placzek M, Wood JD & Watt PJ (2017) . Human Molecular Genetics, 26(11), 1992-2005.
Muthu V, Eachus H, Ellis P, Brown S & Placzek M (2016) . Development, 143(14), 2651-2663.
Burbridge S, Stewart I & Placzek M (2016) . Comprehensive Physiology, 6(2), 623-643.
Ellis PS, Burbridge S, Soubes S, Ohyama K, Ben-Haim N, Chen C, Dale K, Shen MM, Constam D & Placzek M (2015) . Development, 142(22), 3821-3832.
Liua F, Placzekb M & Xu H (2014) . Neuroscience Letters, 562, 107.
Christou YA, Ohyama K, Placzek M, Monk PN & Shaw PJ (2013) . BMC Neurosci, 14, 126.
Liu F, Placzek M & Xu H (2013) . Neurosci Lett, 553, 104-109.
Robins SC, Stewart I, McNay DE, Taylor V, Giachino C, Goetz M, Ninkovic J, Briancon N, Maratos-Flier E, Flier JS , Kokoeva MV et al (2013) . Nat Commun, 4, 2049.
Liu F, Pogoda H-M, Pearson CA, Ohyama K, Löhr H, Hammerschmidt M & Placzek M (2013) . Development, 140(5), 1111-1122.
Placzek M & Anton ES (2013) . CELL STEM CELL, 12(1), 10-11.
Pearson CA & Placzek M (2013) . Curr Top Dev Biol, 106, 49-88.
Liu F & Placzek M (2013) . Neuroscience Letters.
Pearson CA, Ohyama K, Manning L, Aghamohammadzadeh S, Sang H & Placzek M (2011) . Development, 138(12), 2613-2624.
Van Hateren NJ, Das RM, Hautbergue GM, Borycki A-G, Placzek M & Wilson SA (2011) . Development, 138(10), 1893-1902.
Blackshaw S, Scholpp S, Placzek M, Ingraham H, Simerly R & Shimogori T (2010) . J Neurosci, 30(45), 14925-14930.
Ohyama K, Das R & Placzek M (2008) . Development, 135(20), 3325-3331.
Placzek M (2008) . Methods Mol Biol, 461, 325-335.
Manning L, Ohyama K, Saeger B, Hatano O, Wilson SA, Logan M & Placzek M (2006) . Dev Cell, 11(6), 873-885.
Ingham PW & Placzek M (2006) . NAT REV GENET, 7(11), 841-850.
Das RM, Van Hateren NJ, Howell GR, Farrell ER, Bangs FK, Porteous VC, Manning EM, McGrew MJ, Ohyama K, Sacco MA , Halley PA et al (2006) . Dev Biol, 294(2), 554-563.
Chu J, Ding J, Jeays-Ward K, Price SM, Placzek M & Shen MM (2005) . Development, 132(24), 5539-5551.
Ohyama K, Ellis P, Kimura S & Placzek M (2005) . Development, 132(23), 5185-5197.
Jeays-Ward K & Placzek M (2005) Molecular control of area a cell specification to anterior floor plate fate. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, 122, S164-S165.
Pearson CA, Manning L, Ohyama K & Placzek M (2005) Neurogenesis in the chick hypothalamus. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, 122, S177-S177.
Placzek M & Briscoe J (2005) . Nat Rev Neurosci, 6(3), 230-240.
Pevny L & Placzek M (2005) . Curr Opin Neurobiol, 15(1), 7-13.
Patten I, Kulesa P, Shen MM, Fraser S & Placzek M (2003) . Development, 130(20), 4809-4821.
Patten I & Placzek M (2002) . Curr Biol, 12(1), 47-52.
Patten I & Placzek M (2001) . Curr Biol, 11(15), R616-R619.
Patten I & Placzek M (2000) . Cell Mol Life Sci, 57(12), 1695-1708.
Ingham PW & Placzek M (2000) Introduction: preface to the Hedgehog family of proteins review volume. CELL MOL LIFE SCI, 57(12), 1671-1671.
Ellis S, Patten I, Vesque C, Shen M, Doddì J & Placzek M (2000) . Biochemical Society Transactions, 28(5), A139-A139.
Vesque C, Ellis S, Lee A, Szabo M, Thomas P, Beddington R & Placzek M (2000) Development of chick axial mesoderm: specification of prechordal mesoderm by anterior endoderm-derived TGFbeta family signalling.. Development, 127(13), 2795-2809.
Placzek M, Dodd J & Jessell TM (2000) . Curr Opin Neurobiol, 10(1), 15-22.
Soubes SC & Placzek M (2000) Rostro-ventral patterning of the neural tube ventral midline. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 12, 12-12.
Placzek M & Ingham PW (2000) Developmental genetics in ��«Ӱҵ: a meeting point for Hedgehog researchers.. Int J Dev Biol, 44(1), 65-72.
Placzek M & Skaer H (1999) . Curr Biol, 9(14), R506-R510.
Dale K, Sattar N, Heemskerk J, Clarke JD, Placzek M & Dodd J (1999) Differential patterning of ventral midline cells by axial mesoderm is regulated by BMP7 and chordin.. Development, 126(2), 397-408.
Placzek M & Dale K (1999) . Methods Mol Biol, 97, 293-304.
Dodd J, Jessell TM & Placzek M (1998) . SCIENCE, 282(5394), 1654-1657.
Dodd J, Jessell TM & Placzek M (1998) . Science, 282(5394), 1654-1657.
Pevny LH, Sockanathan S, Placzek M & Lovell-Badge R (1998) A role for SOX1 in neural determination.. Development, 125(10), 1967-1978.
Tessier-Lavigne M & Placzek M (1998) . Principles of Medical Biology, 11(C), 153-165.
Dale JK, Vesque C, Lints TJ, Sampath TK, Furley A, Dodd J & Placzek M (1997) . Cell, 90(2), 257-269.
Placzek M & Furley A (1996) . Curr Biol, 6(5), 526-529.
Ruiz i Altaba A, Placzek M, Baldassare M, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1995) . Dev Biol, 170(2), 299-313.
Placzek M (1995) . Curr Opin Genet Dev, 5(4), 499-506.
ERICSON J, MUHR J, PLACZEK M, LINTS T, JESSELL TM & EDLUND T (1995) SONIC HEDGEHOG INDUCES THE DIFFERENTIATION OF VENTRAL FOREBRAIN NEURONS - A COMMON SIGNAL FOR VENTRAL PATTERNING WITHIN THE NEURAL-TUBE (VOL 81, PG 747, 1995). CELL, 82(1), U11-U11.
Ericson J, Muhr J, Placzek M, Lints T, Jessell TM & Edlund T (1995) . Cell, 81(5), 747-756.
Roelink H, Augsburger A, Heemskerk J, Korzh V, Norlin S, Ruiz i Altaba A, Tanabe Y, Placzek M, Edlund T & Jessell TM (1994) . Cell, 76(4), 761-775.
Wilson SW, Placzek M & Furley AJ (1993) . Trends Neurosci, 16(8), 316-323.
Placzek M, Jessell TM & Dodd J (1993) Induction of floor plate differentiation by contact-dependent, homeogenetic signals.. Development, 117(1), 205-218.
Tessier-Lavigne M & Placzek M (1991) . Trends Neurosci, 14(7), 303-310.
Yamada T, Placzek M, Tanaka H, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1991) . Cell, 64(3), 635-647.
Placzek M, Yamada T, Tessier-Lavigne M, Jessell T & Dodd J (1991) Control of dorsoventral pattern in vertebrate neural development: induction and polarizing properties of the floor plate.. Dev Suppl, Suppl 2, 105-122.
Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M, Yamada T, Jessell T & Dodd J (1990) . Science, 250(4983), 985-988.
Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M, Jessell T & Dodd J (1990) Orientation of commissural axons in vitro in response to a floor plate-derived chemoattractant.. Development, 110(1), 19-30.
Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M, Yamada T, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1990) . Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, 55, 279-289.
Peters G, Brookes S, Smith R, Placzek M & Dickson C (1989) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 86(15), 5678-5682.
Peters G, Brookes S, Placzek M, Schuermann M, Michalides R & Dickson C (1989) . J Virol, 63(3), 1448-1450.
Jessell TM, Bovolenta P, Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M & Dodd J (1989) . Ciba Found Symp, 144, 255-276.
Tessier-Lavigne M, Placzek M, Lumsden AG, Dodd J & Jessell TM (1988) . Nature, 336(6201), 775-778.
Brookes S, Placzek M, Moore R, Dixon M, Dickson C & Peters G (1986) . Nucleic Acids Res, 14(21), 8231-8245.
Peters G, Placzek M, Brookes S, Kozak C, Smith R & Dickson C (1986) . J Virol, 59(3), 535-544.
Placzek M, Chinnaiya K, Kim DW & Blackshaw S () . Nature Reviews Endocrinology.
Groves I, Holmshaw J, Furley D, Manning E, Chinnaiya K, Towers M, Evans BD, Placzek M & Fletcher AG () . Development.
Sedas Perez S, McQueen C, Stainton H, Pickering J, Chinnaiya K, Saiz-Lopez P, Placzek M, Ros MA & Towers M () . Nature Communications, 14(1).
Eachus H, Oberski L, Paveley J, Bacila I, Ashton J-P, Esposito U, Seifuddin F, Pirooznia M, Elhaik E, Placzek M , Krone N et al () . Disease Models & Mechanisms.
H E, C B, VT C, M P, JD W & PJ W () . Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology.
Frith TJR, Granata I, Stout E, Wind M, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Hackland JOS, Anastassiadis K , Gouti M et al () .

Chapters

Manning E & Placzek M (2024) , Current Topics in Developmental Biology (pp. 83-123). Elsevier
Placzek M, Fu T & Towers M (2020) , Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology (pp. 3-30). Springer International Publishing
Albertine KA, Alvarez IS, Bally-Cuif L, Barald KF, Bersu E, Brothman A, Byrne JLB, Capel B, Carey JC, Chen Y , Edlund H et al (2009) , Larsen's Human Embryology (pp. v-v). Elsevier
Placzek M (2006) , Imaging the Central Nervous System of the Fetus and Neonate (pp. 3-12). CRC Press
Jessell TM, Bovolenta P, Karagogeos D, Placzek M, Tessier-Lavigne M & Dodd J (1990) , Brain Repair (pp. 199-211). Macmillan Education UK

Conference proceedings papers

Bandmann S, Keatinge M, Placzek M & Bandmann O (2018) Adult neurogenesis is impaired in pink1-/- zebrafish (Danio rerio). MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Vol. 33 (pp S605-S605)
Stokes S, Mani N, Bahl A, O'Connor-Read L & Placzek M (2013) Adult stem cells in the human and mouse spinal cord: What are their characteristics and can they migrate and replicate upon exposure to growth factors. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Vol. 100 (pp 38-39)
Hoggar EC, Placzek M & Chico TJ (2012) . HEART, Vol. 98 (pp A4-A4)
Hoggar EC, Placzek M & Chico TJ (2011) . HEART, Vol. 97(20) (pp 15-15)
Hoggar E, Pugh S, Wilson S, Placzek M, Crossman D & Chico T (2009) . HEART, Vol. 95(22)
Placzek M (2009) . MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S8-S8)
Ohyama K, Wilson S, Briscoe J & Placzek M (2009) . MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S210-S210)
Muthu V & Placzek M (2009) . MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S220-S220)
Parkin C, Baxendale S, Smith S & Placzek M (2009) . MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S142-S142)
Pearson CA, Ohyama K & Placzek M (2009) . DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, Vol. 331(2) (pp 467-468)
Hoggar EC, Pugh SD, Wilson S, Placzek M, Crossman DC & Chico TJA (2009) A NOVEL CHICK EMBRYO MODEL REVEALS ENDOTHELIN RECEPTOR B IS ESSENTIAL FOR COLLATERAL VESSEL DEVELOPMENT. HEART, Vol. 95 (pp A65-A65)
Manning L, Ohyama K, Soubes S & Placzek M (2003) A role for BMPs in the formation of the ventral hypothalamus.. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, Vol. 259(2) (pp 492-492)

Preprints

Chinnaiya K, Burbridge S, Jones A, Kim DW, Place E, Manning E, Groves I, Sun C, Towers M, Blackshaw S & Placzek M (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Groves I, Holmshaw J, Furley D, Towers M, Evans BD, Placzek M & Fletcher AG (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S (2021) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Tait C, Chinnaiya K, Murtaza M, Ashton J-P, Furley N, Hill CJ, Henrique Alves C, Wijnholds J, Erdmann KS, Das RM , Rashbass P et al (2019) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Moore A, Chinnaiya K, Kim DW, Brown S, Stewart I, Robins S, Dowsett G, Muir C, Travaglio M, Lewis JE , Ebling F et al () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Kim DW, Place E, Chinnaiya K, Manning E, Sun C, Dai W, Ohyama K, Burbridge S, Placzek M & Blackshaw S () .
Wind M, Gogolou A, Manipur I, Granata I, Butler L, Andrews PW, Barbaric I, Ning K, Guarracino MR, Placzek M & Tsakiridis A () .
Eachus H, Subramanya D, Jackson HE, Wang G, Berntsen K, Ashton J-P, Esposito U, Seifuddin F, Pirooznia M, Elhaik E , Krone N et al () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Research group

Current lab members:

Dr Sarah Burbridge (Research Assistant)
Dr Kavitha Chinnaiya (Research Associate)
Dr Elizabeth Manning (Research Associate)
Dr Elsie Place (Research Associate)
Mr Ian Groves (PhD student; joint with Dr Alex Fletcher)
Ms Bethany James (PhD student; joint with Professor Andrew Furley and Dr Ivana Barbaric)

Teaching activities

I lecture and teach on several undergraduate and MSc courses, including second, third year and masters courses in developmental biology, developmental neurobiology and stem/ regenerative biology. I am module co-ordinator for Developmental Neurobiology (second year module).

My group annually takes several undergraduate and masters students into the lab for their final dissertation/research projects and most years we have summer students working with us.

I am an invited editor of ‘Principles of Development Biology’ (7th ed).

Professional activities and memberships

Chair: Wellcome Trust Expert Review Group: Cell and Developmental Biology
Scientific Advisory Board member: GW4 Biomed MRC DTP

Presentations

I am invited to present research talks at international meetings in numerous fields, including Developmental biology, Neuroscience, Neuroendocrinology, Endocrinology

Examination bodies

External Examiner for Development, Regeneration and Stem Cells, University of Edinburgh (2016-2019)
External Examiner for Part 2 Zoology, University of Cambridge (2013-2015)

Professional societies

British Society for Developmental Biology
Society for Endocrinology
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Anatomy

Peer review activity

I am an ad hoc reviewer for many journals (including Cell, Nature Neuroscience, Current Biology, Development, Developmental Cell, PLoS Biology) and for Grant awarding bodies (including Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, MRC, ERC, Hong Kong Research Council, Human Science Frontiers Program; NIHR). I have been involved in many promotion reviews for scientists in my field of research in the UK, USA and elsewhere, act as a Content Expert (eg Larsen’s Human Embryology 4th Ed (Ed: G. Schoenwolf)) and editor (Wolpert’s Principlels of Developmental Biology 7th Ed).

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School of Biosciences

School of Biosciences

Professor Marysia Placzek

Lay summary

Research summary

Featured publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Preprints

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Preprints

Presentations

Examination bodies

Professional societies

Peer review activity

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