Department of Neurobiology

Scientific profile

About department
Employees
Laboratories

The Department of Neurobiology consists of separate research teams and the independent Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology. Research teams conduct complementary studies in areas such as metabotropic receptors for glutamate and the search for new sites of action for psychotropic drugs.

The team consisting of the following members: dr hab. Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera (PhD), Karolina Podkowa (MPharm) and Szymon Rzeźniczek (MSc) takes part in the study of potential antidepressant properties of glutamate metabotropic ligands and their mechanisms of action.

The team consisting of the following members: Piotr Brański (PhD), Grzegorz Burnat (PhD), Paulina Chorobik (PhD), Marcin Marcinak (PhD), Barbara Chruścicka (MSc) deals with an identification and pharmacodynamic characteristics of biologically active chemical compounds. Their studies are focused on metabotropic receptors, in particular mGluR and GABA B.

The methodology and experimental procedures

Mammalian cell cultures
Analysis of protein expression using RT-PCR and Western Blot
Immunofluorescence (microscopy and FACS)
Measurement of metabotropic receptors-mediated GTPase activity in isolated cell membranes
Cyclic ATP measurement (cells, tissue sections) using HTRF
Kinetic luminometric measurement of intracellular cAMP levels using a molecular sensor (Glo)
Measurement of the IP1 accumulation (cells, tissue sections) using HTRF
Measurement of intracellular mobilization of calcium ions (fluorescence)
Molecular cloning (propagation of bacterial vectors, modification of DNA sequence, transfer into mammalian cells [including tetracycline-inducible gene expression system], selection of cell clones)
Point mutations
Experiments on transgenic animals (PCR, electrophoretic separation of products)
Evaluation of sperm quality parameters (evaluation of: motility, vitality – eosinophilic test, maturity – presence and location of cytoplasmic droplets, integrity of cytoplasmic membrane – hyposmotic test and morphology of spermatozoids)

Dr hab. Joanna Wierońska (PhD), Monika Woźniak (MSc) and Paulina Cieślik (MSc) form a team whose main research direction are antipsychotics and their mechanisms of action. We use animal models of positive, negative and cognitive symptoms as well as techniques to determine the level of specific proteins and mRNA. Our studies oscillate around metabotropic receptors for glutamate and GABA B receptors.

The Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection (no formal status), whose members are prof. dr hab. Maria Śmiałowska and Dr. Helena Domin, is involved in:

Research on neurodegeneration and neuroprotection in experimental models of ischemia
Study of neuroprotective and antidepressant mechanisms of glutamate group III receptor ligands and neuropeptide Y receptor ligands
Study of anatomical and histochemical interactions between different types of neurons and astrocytes in the cerebral cortex and limbic structures. We pay special attention to GABA and NPY neurons.

Methods used

Histology (Nissl, HE, Kluver-Barrera staining)
Histochemistry and immunohistochemistry (NPY-ir, GAD67-ir, GFAP-ir, CRF-ir, NeuN-ir, TH-ir, TrpH-ir, immunohistochemical staining of selected receptors, and others)
Stereological quantification in microscopic images
Intracerebral administration of substances
Behavioral observations and tests
Western blot analysis of selected proteins or peptides.

The team closely collaborates with Laboratories of the Department of Neurobiology and other researchers in the Institute, especially in the field of behavior, Western blotting, neural cell cultures, and assessment of neurodegenerative changes in Parkinson’s disease models.

Scientific profile

The methodology and experimental procedures

Methods used

Bernadeta Szewczyk, dr hab.

Head

Employees

Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, dr hab.

Joanna Wieronska, dr hab.

Professor Gabriel Nowak, dr hab.

Professor Andrzej Pilc, dr hab.

Professor Maria Śmiałowska, dr hab.

Helena Domin, dr hab.

Bartłomiej Pochwat, dr

Anna Rafało-Ulińska, dr

Katarzyna Stachowicz, dr hab.

Dorota Bederska-Łojewska, dr

Piotr Brański, dr

Grzegorz Burnat, dr

Barbara Chruścicka-Smaga, dr

Łukasz Gąsior, dr

Michał Santocki, dr

Yana Babii, mgr

Agata Machaczka, mgr

Employees

Joanna Wieronska, dr hab.

Michał Santocki, dr

Laboratory of Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders

Achievements

Award

L'OREAL For Women in Science

Award

Scientific Team Award WUM

Award

Postdoc Research position Vanderbilt University

Depression-like effects induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in mice are rapidly reversed by a partial negative allosteric modulator of mGlu5 receptor, M-5MPEP

Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, Bartosz Bobula, Anna Rafało-Ulińska, Katarzyna Kaczorowska

Subchronic administration of scopolamine reverses UCMS-induced behavior in mice via eEF2 protein dephosphorylation

Yana Babii, Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, Anna Rafało-Ulińska, Piotr Brański, Andrzej Pilc

Repeated Sulforaphane Treatment Reverses Depressive-like Behavior and Exerts Antioxidant Effects in the Olfactory Bulbectomy Model in Mice

Patrycja Pańczyszyn-Trzewik, Katarzyna Stachowicz, Paulina Misztak, Gabriel Nowak, Magdalena Sowa-Kućma

Partial mGlu5 receptor NAM, M-5MPEP, induces rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects in the BDNF-dependent mechanism and enhances (R)-ketamine action in mice

Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, Anna Rafało-Ulińska, Michal Santocki, Yana Babii, Katarzyna Kaczorowska

Partial mGlu5 Receptor NAM, M-5MPEP, Induces Rapid and Sustained Antidepressant-like Effects in the BDNF-dependent Mechanism and Enhances (R)-Ketamine Action in Mice

Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, Anna Rafało-Ulińska, Michał Santocki, Yana Babii, Katarzyna Kaczorowska

The Antidepressant-like Activity and Cognitive Enhancing Effects of the Combined Administration of (R)-Ketamine and LY341495 in the CUMS Model of Depression in Mice Are Related to the Modulation of Excitatory Synaptic Transmission and LTP in the PFC

Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, Bartosz Bobula, Anna Rafało-Ulińska

Zinc Deficiency Blunts the Effectiveness of Antidepressants in the Olfactory Bulbectomy Model of Depression in Rats

Anna Rafało-Ulińska, Bartłomiej Pochwat, Paulina Misztak, Ryszard Bugno, Agata Kryczyk-Poprawa, Włodzimierz Opoka, Bożena Muszyńska, Ewa Poleszak, Gabriel Nowak, Bernadeta Szewczyk

Alterations of Serum Magnesium Concentration in Animal Models of Seizures and Epilepsy—The Effects of Treatment with a GPR39 Agonist and Knockout of the Gpr39 Gene

Urszula Doboszewska, Jan Sawicki, Adam Sajnóg, Aleksandra Szopa, Anna Serefko, Katarzyna Socała, Mateusz Pieróg, Dorota Nieoczym, Katarzyna Mlyniec, Gabriel Nowak, Danuta Barałkiewicz, Ireneusz Sowa, Piotr Wlaź

Combined Administration of (<i>R</i>)-Ketamine and the mGlu2/3 Receptor Antagonist LY341495 Induces Rapid and Sustained Effects in the CUMS Model of Depression via a TrkB/BDNF-Dependent Mechanism

Anna Rafało-Ulińska, Piotr Brański, Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera

Antidepressant-like Effects of Combined Fluoxetine and Zinc Treatment in Mice Exposed to Chronic Restraint Stress Are Related to Modulation of Histone Deacetylase

Paulina Misztak, Magdalena Sowa-Kućma, Patrycja Pańczyszyn-Trzewik, Bernadeta Szewczyk, Gabriel Nowak

Head

Bernadeta Szewczyk, dr hab.

See also