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

Down-regulation of cortical β-adrenoceptors by chronic treatment with functional NMDA antagonists

Paul, I.A., Trullas, R., Skolnick, P., Nowak, G.

The acute effect of sertindole on brain 5-HT<inf>2</inf>, D<inf>2</inf> and α<inf>1</inf> receptors (ex vivo radioreceptor binding studies)

Hyttel, J., Nielsen, J.B., Nowak, G.

Pharmacological profile of the atypical neuroleptic sertindole.

Hyttel, J., Arnt, J., Costall, B., Domeney, A., Dragsted, N., Lembøl, H.L., Meier, E., Naylor, R.J., Nowak, G., Sánchez, C.

N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, an irreversible receptor inactivator, as a tool for measurement of α<inf>2</inf>-adrenoceptor occupancy in vivo

Pilc, A., Nowak, G., Zak, J.

N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, an irreversible receptor inactivator, as a tool for measurement of α2-adrenoceptor occupancy in vivo

Pilc, A.

N-ETHOXYCARBONYL-2-ETHOXY-1,2-DIHYDROQUINOLINE, AN IRREVERSIBLE RECEPTOR INACTIVATOR, AS A TOOL FOR MEASUREMENT OF ALPHA-2-ADRENOCEPTOR OCCUPANCY INVIVO

NOWAK, G, PILC, A, ZAK, J

Captopril lacks the antidepressant-like activity in animal models

Baran, L., Siwanowicz, J., Nowak, G., Przegalinski, E.

Effect of repeated treatment with electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on serotonin receptor density and turnover in the rat cerebral cortex

Nowak, G., Dulinski, J.

Role of Dopaminergic Neurons in Denervation‐Induced α<inf>1</inf>‐Adrenergic Up‐Regulation in the Rat Cerebral Cortex

Nowak, G., Zak, J., Superata, J.

Down-regulation of dopamine<inf>1</inf> (D<inf>1</inf>) receptors by chronic imipramine is species-specific

Nowak, G., Skolnick, P., Paul, I.A.

Head

Bernadeta Szewczyk, dr hab.

See also