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

CREB activity in dopamine D1 receptor expressing neurons regulates cocaine-induced behavioral effects.

Bilbao A, Rieker C, Cannella N, Parlato R, Golda S, Piechota M, Korostynski M, Engblom D, Przewlocki R, Schütz G, Spanagel R, Parkitna JR

Neuroprotective effects of metabotropic glutamate receptor group II and III activators against MPP(+)-induced cell death in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells: the impact of cell differentiation state.

Jantas D, Greda A, Golda S, Korostynski M, Grygier B, Roman A, Pilc A, Lason W

Novel drug-regulated transcriptional networks in brain reveal pharmacological properties of psychotropic drugs.

Korostynski M, Piechota M, Dzbek J, Mlynarski W, Szklarczyk K, Ziolkowska B, Przewlocki R

Controlling complexity: the clinical relevance of mouse complex genetics.

Schughart K, Libert C, SYSGENET consortium, Kas MJ

Full inhibition of spinal FAAH leads to TRPV1-mediated analgesic effects in neuropathic rats and possible lipoxygenase-mediated remodeling of anandamide metabolism.

Starowicz K, Makuch W, Korostynski M, Malek N, Slezak M, Zychowska M, Petrosino S, De Petrocellis L, Cristino L, Przewlocka B, Di Marzo V

Gene expression profiling of blood in ruptured intracranial aneurysms: in search of biomarkers.

Pera J, Korostynski M, Golda S, Piechota M, Dzbek J, Krzyszkowski T, Dziedzic T, Moskala M, Przewlocki R, Szczudlik A, Slowik A

Astrocytes are a neural target of morphine action via glucocorticoid receptor-dependent signaling.

Slezak M, Korostynski M, Gieryk A, Golda S, Dzbek J, Piechota M, Wlazlo E, Bilecki W, Przewlocki R

Association between the A107V substitution in the δ-opioid receptors and ethanol drinking in mice selected for high and low analgesia.

Sacharczuk M, Lesniak A, Lipkowski AW, Korostynski M, Przewlocki R, Sadowski B

Training-induced acceleration of O(2) uptake on-kinetics precedes muscle mitochondrial biogenesis in humans.

Zoladz JA, Grassi B, Majerczak J, Szkutnik Z, Korostyński M, Karasiński J, Kilarski W, Korzeniewski B

Genotype-dependent consequences of traumatic stress in four inbred mouse strains.

Szklarczyk K, Korostynski M, Golda S, Solecki W, Przewlocki R

Head

Professor Jan Manuel Rodriguez Parkitna, dr hab.

See also