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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.
The Department also conducts studies regarding the anxiolytic activity of drugs and the mechanisms of action of these compounds.
Employees
Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, dr hab.
+48 12 6623288 
nfpaluch@cyf-kr.edu.pl 
room 313 Joanna Wieronska, dr hab.
+48 12 6623288
wierons@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 313 Professor Gabriel Nowak, dr hab.
+48 12 6623215
nowak@if-pan.krakow.pl
room Ojcowska Professor Andrzej Pilc, dr hab.
+48 12 6623284
pilc@if-pan.krakow.pl
room Ojcowska Professor Maria Śmiałowska, dr hab.
+48 12 6623270
nfsmialo@cyf-kr.edu.pl
room 32 ul. Ojcowska Helena Domin, dr hab.
+48 12 6623315
domin@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 312 Bartłomiej Pochwat, dr
pochwat@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 312 Anna Rafało-Ulińska, dr
+48 12 6623292
rafalo@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 318 Katarzyna Stachowicz, dr hab.
+48 12 6623315
stachow@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 312 Dorota Bederska-Łojewska, dr
bederska@if-pan.krakow.pl Piotr Brański, dr
+48 12 6623295
nfbransk@cyf-kr.edu.pl
room 3.20 Grzegorz Burnat, dr
+48 12 6623295
burnat@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 320 Barbara Chruścicka-Smaga, dr
+48 12 6623362
chruscic@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 319 Łukasz Gąsior, dr
gasior@if-pan.krakow.pl Michał Santocki, dr
santocki@if-pan.krakow.pl Yana Babii, mgr
+48 12 6623292
babii@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 318 Agata Machaczka, mgr
+48 12 6623362
machacz@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 319 Employees
Achievements
- Publications
- Awards
Award
L'OREAL For Women in Science
Katarzyna Stachowicz, PhD
Award
Scientific Team Award WUM
Katarzyna Stachowicz, PhD
Award
Postdoc Research position Vanderbilt University
Katarzyna Stachowicz, PhD
7-3-Chlorophenypiperazinylalkyl derivatives of 8-alkoxy-purine-2,6-dione as a serotonin receptor ligands with potential antidepressant activity
Zygmunt, M., Sapa, J., Chłoń-Rzepa, G., Zagórska, A., Siwek, A., Pawłowski, M., Nowak, G.
DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2013.12.014
Stress-induced alterations in 5-HT1A receptor transcriptional modulators NUDR and Freud-1
Szewczyk, B., Kotarska, K., Daigle, M., Misztak, P., Sowa-Kucma, M., Rafalo, A., Curzytek, K., Kubera, M., Basta-Kaim, A., Nowak, G., Albert, P.R.
DOI: 10.1017/S146114571400100X
Prolonged administration of antidepressant drugs leads to increased binding of [<sup>3</sup>H]MPEP to mGlu5 receptors
Nowak, G., Pomierny-Chamioło, L., Siwek, A., Niedzielska, E., Pomierny, B., Pałucha-Poniewiera, A., Pilc, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.04.016
Anxiolytic- but not antidepressant-like activity of Lu AF21934, a novel, selective positive allosteric modulator of the mGlu<inf>4</inf> receptor
Sławińska, A., Wierońska, J.M., Stachowicz, K., Pałucha-Poniewiera, A., Uberti, M.A., Bacolod, M.A., Doller, D., Pilc, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.05.001
A selective mGlu7 receptor antagonist MMPIP reversed antidepressant-like effects of AMN082 in rats
Pałucha-Poniewiera, A., Pilc, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.10.004
Is the mGlu5 receptor a possible target for new antidepressant drugs?
Palucha-Poniewiera, A., Wieroñska, J.M., Brañski, P., Burnat, G., Chruoecicka, B., Pilc, A.
DOI: 10.1016/S1734-1140(13)71511-1
MGlu2/3 and mGlu5 receptors: Potential targets for novel antidepressants
Chaki, S., Ago, Y., Palucha-Paniewiera, A., Matrisciano, F., Pilc, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.05.022
Involvement of mGlu5 and NMDA receptors in the antidepressant-like effect of acamprosate in the tail suspension test
Pałucha-Poniewiera, A., Pilc, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.05.015
Authors' response: The differences in AMPA receptor dependence on antidepressant-like activity
Szewczyk, B., Pałucha-Poniewiera, A., Poleszak, E., Pilc, A., Nowak, G.
DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2012.667399
Investigational NMDA receptor modulators for depression
Szewczyk, B., Pałucha-Poniewiera, A., Poleszak, E., Pilc, A., Nowak, G.
DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2012.638916
