Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology

Scientific profile

  • About department
  • Employees
  • Laboratories

Our research focuses on three areas: the reward system of the brain, the molecular mechanisms of drug action, and neuro-pharmacogenomics.

The reward system of the brain encompasses all brain areas involved in reward-driven behaviors, with the mesolimbic dopamine system at the core. We have been studying the mechanisms involved in the plasticity of dopaminergic and dopaminoceptive neurons, and also the role of endogenous opioids in signaling rewards.

As the name of the Department implies a large part of our research focuses on the cellular and the molecular mechanisms of actions of psychotropic drugs, also with an emphasis on opioids. We hope that elucidating molecular signatures of drug action will lead to the identification of mechanisms essential for their therapeutic effects.

In recent years we have also been involved in neuro-pharmacogenomics, searching for associations between genetic background, neuropsychiatric disorders, and the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy. We use next-generation sequencing to discover novel common as well as rare genetic variants associated with drug effectiveness and safety. This is of particular interest in psychiatry due to large interindividual differences in therapy responses.

Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, dr hab.

Head

+48 12 6623316
room 210

Pracownicy zakładu

Professor Ryszard Przewłocki, dr hab.

+48 12 6623218
room 140

Michał Korostyński, dr hab.

+48 12 6623259
room 134

Marcin Piechota, dr

+48 12 6623259
room 134

Ganna Shayakhmetova, dr

Małgorzata Borczyk, dr

Sławomir Gołda, dr

+48 12 6623259
room 134

Zofia Harda, dr

+48 12 6623328
room 127

Alla Voronina, dr

Barbara Ziółkowska, dr hab.

+48 12 6623238
room 131

Łukasz Szumiec, mgr

+48 12 6623328
room 127

Lidia Radwan, mgr

+48 12 6623238
room 140

Jacek Hajto, mgr

+48 12 6623259
room 131

Klaudia Misiołek, mgr

+48 12 6623328
room 127

Magdalena Ziemiańska, mgr

+48 12 6623328
room 127

Mateusz Zięba, mgr

+48 12 6623259
room 131

Pracownicy pracowni

Michał Korostyński, dr hab.

+48 12 6623259
room 134

Marcin Piechota, dr

+48 12 6623259
room 134

Małgorzata Borczyk, dr

Jacek Hajto, mgr

+48 12 6623259
room 131

Mateusz Zięba, mgr

+48 12 6623259
room 131

Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics

Headdr hab. Michał Korostyński

Achievements

  • Publications
  • Grants
  • Awards

Grant

The developmental changes in the endogenous opioid system associated with altered sensitivity to reward during adolescence

Klaudia Misiołek, MSc

Grant

Kappa opioid receptors integrate neuronal signaling involved in social behavior

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, PhD

Award

The Jerzy Konorski Team Award for the best study in neurobiology conducted in Poland awarded every year by the Polish Neuroscience Society and Committee of Neurobiology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, PhD

The dissection of transcriptional modules regulated by various drugs of abuse in the mouse striatum.

Piechota M, Korostynski M, Solecki W, Gieryk A, Slezak M, Bilecki W, Ziolkowska B, Kostrzewa E, Cymerman I, Swiech L, Jaworski J, Przewlocki R

DOI: 10.1186/gb-2010-11-5-r48

A polymorphism in exon 2 of the delta-opioid receptor affects nociception in response to specific agonists and antagonists in mice selectively bred for high and low analgesia.

Sacharczuk M, Lesniak A, Korostynski M, Przewlocki R, Lipkowski A, Jaszczak K, Sadowski B

DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2010.03.017

Gene expression profiles in human ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms: what is the role of inflammation?

Pera J, Korostynski M, Krzyszkowski T, Czopek J, Slowik A, Dziedzic T, Piechota M, Stachura K, Moskala M, Przewlocki R, Szczudlik A

DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.109.562009

Differential activation of spinal microglial and astroglial cells in a mouse model of peripheral neuropathic pain.

Mika J, Osikowicz M, Rojewska E, Korostynski M, Wawrzczak-Bargiela A, Przewlocki R, Przewlocka B

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.09.030

Local peripheral opioid effects and expression of opioid genes in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia in neuropathic and inflammatory pain.

Obara I, Parkitna JR, Korostynski M, Makuch W, Kaminska D, Przewlocka B, Przewlocki R

DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2008.12.006

Regulation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation by acute and chronic morphine - implications for the role of cAMP-responsive element binding factor (CREB)-dependent and Ets-like protein-1 (Elk-1)-dependent transcription; small interfering RNA-based strategy.

Ligeza A, Wawrzczak-Bargiela A, Kaminska D, Korostynski M, Przewlocki R

DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06531.x

Identification of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6-responsive genes in human monocyte-derived macrophages using microarrays.

Jura J, Wegrzyn P, Korostyński M, Guzik K, Oczko-Wojciechowska M, Jarzab M, Kowalska M, Piechota M, Przewłocki R, Koj A

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2008.04.006

Interleukin-1 alpha has antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic activities in a rat neuropathic pain model.

Mika J, Korostynski M, Kaminska D, Wawrzczak-Bargiela A, Osikowicz M, Makuch W, Przewlocki R, Przewlocka B

DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2008.02.015

Morphine effects on striatal transcriptome in mice.

Korostynski M, Piechota M, Kaminska D, Solecki W, Przewlocki R

DOI: 10.1186/gb-2007-8-6-r128

Comparison of gene expression profiles in neuropathic and inflammatory pain.

Rodriguez Parkitna J, Korostynski M, Kaminska-Chowaniec D, Obara I, Mika J, Przewlocka B, Przewlocki R

DOI:

Head

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, dr hab.

+48 12 6623316
room 210

See also