The
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology is
composed of eight independent laboratories headed by
Professors: Anna Filipek, Leszek Kaczmarek, Małgorzata
Kossut, Katarzyna Łukasiuk, Katarzyna Nałęcz, Krzysztof
Pawłowski, Jolanta Skangiel-Kramska and Krzysztof Turlejski.
Individual research programs in the laboratories are all
complementary and interdependent within the common research
area of molecular and cellular neurobiology
The group of
Prof. Filipek studies the signal transduction processes leading to cell
proliferation and differentiation via a calcium binding protein – S100A6
and its targets: Sgt1, CacyBP/SIP and p53. In particular, the laboratory is
focused on studying the role of these proteins in ubiquitination, cytoskeleton
rearrangement, cell response to stress factors as well as on studying the
regulation of genes encoding S100A6, Sgt1 and CacyBP/SIP.
Prof. Kaczmarek
and his colleagues study the molecular bases of persistent neuronal responses
such as: neural plasticity, including learning and memory formation, and
neurodegeneration bearing features of apoptosis. Transcription factors and their
target genes are the major focus of this investigation.
The group of
Prof. Łukasiuk works on molecular mechanisms of epileptogenesis and is
interested in the role of alterations in gene expression leading to epilepsy and
in designing new strategies for modifying disease development and severity. This
laboratory is a member of Network of European Neuroscience Institutes ENI-NET.
The research of
Prof. Małgorzata Kossut and her team is focused on visualization of systemic and
neuronal mechanisms of learning and plasticity in adult and ageing brain. The
models of plasticity developed in this laboratory serve to measure the effects
of genetic modifications, brain disease and trauma upon functioning of the
cerebral cortex.
Research in Prof.
Nałęcz's laboratory is focused on differences in function and expression of
various transport systems. In particular, the expression of carnitine and amino
acids in highly specialized brain cells, including those making the blood-brain
barrier. Other research topics cover carnitine and palmitoylcarnitine and their
role in signal transduction pathways in differentiating neural cells.
The laboratory of
Dr Pawłowski works on structure and function predictions for proteins implicated
in human disease, in particular uncharacterised transmembrane proteins. Another
field of work is applying systems biology approaches to analysis of gene
expression data and evolutionary analysis of gene expression profiles.
The laboratory of
Prof. Skangiel-Kramska focuses on cortical plasticity during postnatal
development and in the adult brain using neurochemical markers. The barrel
cortex of rodents is used as a model system, and plastic changes are induced by
modifications in sensory input patterns (sensory deprivation, sensory
stimulation, and learning). Another area of focus is on the neuronal plasticity
that occurs after cerebral stroke in the adult brain. Specific research concerns
the study of neurotransmitter receptors, synaptic zinc and markers of
presynaptic terminals and perineuronal nets.
Prof. Turlejski's
group investigates the development of the nervous system in a laboratory opossum
(Monodelphis domestica),
division of its neocortex into various areas, and connection of these areas.
Another research interest of the group is the comparative investigation of
neurogenesis and its regulation in adult mammals (opposum, insectivores,
rodents, carnivores, bats).
The Department
holds weekly seminars and journal clubs. It is also actively involved in the
organization of scientific symposia, meetings, workshops and research schools,
including the schools of International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).
Members of our
Department take on extensive additional responsibilities to serve the wider
scientific community. These responsibilities include serving on a plethora of
international and national committees and scientific societies. Prof. Leszek
Kaczmarek is a member of the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN), the
Committee for Aid and Education in Neurochemistry and the European Molecular
Biology Organization (EMBO) Fellowship Committee. He is a member of the
editorial boards of Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, Onkologia Współczesna
(deputy Editor-in-Chief), Psychologia-Etologia-Genetyka, Folia Morphologica (Warsz.),
Folia Biologica (Praque), Neural Plasticity, Nonlinear Biomedical Physics,
Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia. Prof. Katarzyna Nałęcz is a member of the
IBRO Nominating Committee and a member of the European Society for
Neurochemistry (ESN) council. She is also a member of the editorial board of
Journal of Neurochemistry. Prof. Jolanta Skangiel-Kramska is a President of
Polish Neuroscience Society and a member of the editorial board of Acta
Neurobiologiae Experimentalis. Prof. Małgorzata Kossut is a member of the
executive council of European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB). Dr. Izabela
Figiel-Ożóg is a secretary for the Committee of Cytobiology at the Polish
Academy of Sciences. Prof. Krzysztof Turlejski is the chair of a Local
Commission on the Ethics of Animal Experimentation and is also a member of the
IBRO Ethics Committee. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Acta Neurobiologiae
Experimentalis, a scientific journal edited by the Polish Neuroscience Society.
Selected publications of the Department
Schneider G., Nieznanski K., Kilanczyk E., Bieganowski P., Kuznicki J., Filipek A. (2007) CacyBP/SIP interacts with tubulin in neuroblastoma NB2a cells and induces formation of globular tubulin assemblies Biochim.Biophys Acta – Mol. Cell Res. 1773: 1628-1636.
Lesniak W., Slomnicki L.P., Kuznicki J. (2007) Epigenic Control of the S100A6 (Calcyclin) Gene Expression. J. Invest. Dermatol. 127:2307-2314.
Michaluk P., Kolodziej L., Mioduszewska B., Wilczynski G.M., Dzwonek J., Jaworski J., Gorecki D.C., Ottersen O.P., Kaczmarek L. (2007) β-dystroglycan as a target for MMP-9, in response to enhanced neuronal activity. J. Biol. Chem., 282:16036-16041.
Okulski P., Jay T.M., Jaworski J., Duniec K., Dzwonek J., Konopacki F.A., Wilczynski G.M., Sánchez-Capeli A., Mallet J., Kaczmarek L. (2007) TIMP-1 abolishes MMP-9-dependent long-lasting LTP in the prefrontal cortex. Biol. Psych., 62: 359-362.
Knapska E., Radwanska K., Werka T., Kaczmarek L.(2007) Functional internal complexity of amygdala: focus on gene activity mapping following behavioral training and drugs of abuse. Physiol. Rev., 87: 1113-1173.
Tokarski K., Urban-Ciećko, Kossut M., Hess G. (2007) Sensory learning-induced enhancement of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the barrel cortex of the mouse. Eur.J. Neurosci. 26:132-144.
Kozlowska H., Jablonka J., Janowski M, Jurga M., Kossut M., Domanska-Janik K. (2007) Transplantation of human cord blood-derived neural-like stem cell line in a rat model of cortical infarct. Stem Cells Dev. 16:481-488.
Łukasiuk K., Pitkanen A. (2007) Gene and protein expression in experimental status epilepticus . Epilepsia 48 (Suppl. 8): 28-32.
Liguz-Lecznar M., Skangiel-Kramska J.( 2007) Vesicular glutamate transporters VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 in the developing mouse barrel cortex. J. Devl. Neurosci. 25:107-114.
Djavadian R.L., Bisti S., Maccarone R., Bartkowska K.,Turlejski K. (2006) Development and plasticity of the retina in opossum Monodelphis domestica. Acta Neurobiol. Exp. 66:179-188
Siucińska E., Kossut M. (2006) Short-term sensory learning does not alter parvalbumin neurons in the barrel cortex of adult mice: a double-labeling study. Neurosci. 138(2): 715-24
Miecz D., Januszewicz E., Czeredys M., Hinton B.T., Berezowski V., Cecchelli R., Nalecz K.A. (2007)Localization of organic cation? Carnitine transporter (OCTN2) in cell forming the blood-brain barrier. J. Neurochem. 103,doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.05024.x
top of the page
