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.

Scientific profile

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, dr hab.

Head

Pracownicy zakładu

Professor Ryszard Przewłocki, dr hab.

Michał Korostyński, dr hab.

Marcin Piechota, dr

Ganna Shayakhmetova, dr

Małgorzata Borczyk, dr

Sławomir Gołda, dr

Zofia Harda, dr

Alla Voronina, dr

Barbara Ziółkowska, dr hab.

Łukasz Szumiec, mgr

Lidia Radwan, mgr

Jacek Hajto, mgr

Klaudia Misiołek, mgr

Magdalena Ziemiańska, mgr

Mateusz Zięba, mgr

Pracownicy pracowni

Michał Korostyński, dr hab.

Marcin Piechota, dr

Małgorzata Borczyk, dr

Jacek Hajto, mgr

Mateusz Zięba, mgr

Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics

Achievements

Grant

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

Grant

Kappa opioid receptors integrate neuronal signaling involved in social behavior

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

Gastrointestinal peptides in children before and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Skoczeń, S., Rej, M., Kwiecińska, K., Pietrys, D., Tomasik, P.J., Wójcik, M., Strojny, W., Dłużniewska, A., Klimasz, K., Fijorek, K., Korostyński, M., Piechota, M., Balwierz, W.

Opposite regulation of piRNAs, rRNAs and miRNAs in the blood after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Morga, R., Borczyk, M., Korostynski, M., Piechota, M., Hoinkis, D., Golda, S., Dziedzic, T., Slowik, A., Moskala, M., Pera, J.

Cocaine administration and its abstinence conditions modulate neuroglia

Gawlińska, K., Frankowska, M., Gawliński, D., Piechota, M., Korostyński, M., Filip, M.

Genetic Signature of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Netherton Syndrome Co-incidence—First Report in the Literature

Skoczen, S., Stepien, K., Mlynarski, W., Centkowski, P., Kwiecinska, K., Korostynski, M., Piechota, M., Wyrobek, E., Moryl-Bujakowska, A., Strojny, W., Rej, M., Kowalczyk, J., Balwierz, W.

Inflammatory Responses Induced by the Rupture of Intracranial Aneurysms Are Modulated by miRNAs.

Korostynski M, Morga R, Piechota M, Hoinkis D, Golda S, Dziedzic T, Slowik A, Moskala M, Pera J

Astrocytes determine conditioned response to morphine via glucocorticoid receptor-dependent regulation of lactate release.

Skupio U, Tertil M, Bilecki W, Barut J, Korostynski M, Golda S, Kudla L, Wiktorowska L, Sowa JE, Siwiec M, Bobula B, Pels K, Tokarski K, Hess G, Przewlocki R

Systemic response to rupture of intracranial aneurysms involves expression of specific gene isoforms.

Korostynski M, Piechota M, Morga R, Hoinkis D, Golda S, Zygmunt M, Dziedzic T, Moskala M, Slowik A, Pera J

Decoding the transcriptional programs activated by psychotropic drugs in the brain

Magdalena Zygmunt, Marcin Piechota, Jan Rodriguez Parkitna, Michał Korostyński

Genetic Profile and Clinical Implications of Hepatoblastoma and Neuroblastoma Coexistence in a Child.

Skoczen S, Stepien K, Krzysztofik M, Luszawska T, Hnatko-Kolacz M, Korostynski M, Piechota M, Kolanek K, Wyrobek L, Wysocka K, Gorecki W, Balwierz W

Expression of alternatively spliced variants of the Dclk1 gene is regulated by psychotropic drugs

Magdalena Zygmunt, Dżesika Hoinkis, Jacek Hajto, Marcin Piechota, Bożena Skupień-Rabian, Urszula Jankowska, Sylwia Kędracka-Krok, Jan Rodriguez Parkitna, Michał Korostyński

Head

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, dr hab.

See also