Research topics

Basic research in molecular neurobiology, with a focus on cellular and molecular basis of neurodegeneration and neuroprotection in physiological and pathological conditions of the central nervous system as a consequence of impaired blood-brain barrier, neuro-inflammation, oxidative stress, abuse of various drugs, etc.

Our activities are directed to the examination:

• regulation/modulation of purinergic signaling system components (ectonucleotidases, purinergic receptors) during postnatal development, adulthood and different pathological stages of the central nervous system;
• molecular and cellular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and neuron-glia interactions in animal models of brain ischemia and neurotoxicity;
• molecular and cellular mechanisms of zaleplon and alprazolam (non- and benzodiazepine hypnotics) that act on GABA receptors, and their association with potential changes in the glutamate system, and side effects that occur during chronic use
• (neuro)modulatory potential of steroid hormones, their precursors and phytosterols/nutrients and supplements with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential as well as micro-particles at the cellular and molecular levels.

Using known animal models: cerebral hypoperfusion, neurotoxicity, brain aging, etc., we routinely applied a brain dissection, isolation and purification of tissue and subcellular fractions (membrane, synaptic, gliosomal, cytosolic, nuclear fraction, etc.), cell and molecular biological methods (electrophoresis, Western blot, immunoprecipitation, RT- PCR and qPCR), biochemical tests and histological, immunohisto-/ cytochemical methods.

Our main goal is to investigate the potential of known compounds in recovery after brain damage in well-defined animal models with different progression of neurodegenerative changes, and thus open-up new possibilities for designing and testing various therapeutic approaches.