Michał Ślęzak, Ph.D., principal investigator

Michał graduated from the Université Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, from the lab of Dr. Frank W. Pfrieger, where he developed a set of novel transgenic mice for astrocyte-specific, inducible gene ablation. Afterwards, he joined Inst. Pharmacology, PAS, in Kraków, where he obtained Young Investigator Award from Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. During his stay, he found that astrocytes are an important cellular target in the brain of systemic glucocorticoids. He accomplished his postdoctoral training during Marie Curie IEF fellowship at VIB, KU Leuven. At this time, he obtained the direct evidence for the functional sensory tripartite synapse using in vivo imaging. Simultaneously, he developed a novel methods for flexible genetic manipulation of astrocytes in wild-types animals. His first independent position was at BioMed X in Heidelberg, where he led a project sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Within four years the team has obtained the comprehensive evidence supporting the dysfunction of astrocytes in depression. The project resulted in a new drug discovery program launched by the sponsor.

Bartosz Zglinicki, Ph.D.

Bartek graduated from University of Warsaw and then began his PhD studies at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology in Warsaw. In both places he was involved in projects focused on metabolism, especially adipose tissue metabolism and it’s regulation by miRNAs. The work has led to discovery of several miRNAs, that were associated with the process of non-shivering thermogenesis. Additionally, Bartek was also involved in side projects within the cognitive neuroscience field, where he grew interest in non-invasive methods of animal behavior assessment and data analysis. Experience in these methods and being influenced by the system of metabolic cages from the previous project, led Bartek to work on automated T-maze system combined with analysis of animals with deep learning. Using deep neural networks allowed for analysis on the level that would be hard to achieve otherwise. Currently, at Łukasiewicz – PORT, Bartek is moving these concepts further and is responsible for implementation of a tool known as a social box, which allows for characterization of more complex animal behavior.

Katarzyna Terejko, Ph.D.

Katarzyna graduated from Jagiellonian University in Cracow and accomplished her Ph.D. degree in the Department of Biophysics and Neuroscience at Wrocław Medical University. In her research, Katarzyna focused on electrophysiological properties of the fast inhibitory synaptic transmission in the adult mammalian brain and she investigated molecular mechanisms underlying the activation process and modulation by benzodiazepines of the GABAA receptor. During her Ph.D. and a short postdoctoral training at Wrocław Medical University, while she continued her research on the relationship between the structure of pentameric ion channels and their kinetics, she discovered an intersubunit interaction and characterized long-range molecular interactions within the GABAA receptor.

Anna Lech, Ph.D.

Anna graduated from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology and accomplished her Ph.D. at the Department of Molecular Physiology and Neurobiology at the University of Wrocław. During her research, Anna focused on molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal GABAergic synapses. As a result, she identified a specific role of matrix metalloproteinases and trans-synaptic interaction between neuroligin-2 and neurexin in inhibitory long-term potentiation. In our team Anna will be responsible for in vivo imaging.

Beata Tepper, Ph.D.

Beata graduated in Neuroscience from Jagiellonian University in Cracow and accomplished her Ph.D. at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS in Warsaw. During her master’s studies, she focused on the influence of stress and beta-adrenergic antagonists on G-protein-coupled receptor signaling in the brain. After moving to Warsaw, she switched to developmental neuroscience and began to study neurogenesis and neurotrophins. In our research group, Beata is mostly interested in sex differences in the molecular basis of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Viorica Raluca Contu, Ph.D.

Raluca received her B.S. and M.Sc. from Hiroshima University, where she studied toxic dopamine metabolites involved in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease. For her Ph.D. journey, Raluca joined Dr. Tomohiro Kabuta’s group at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry in Tokyo as part of a collaborative program with the University of Yamanashi. Her projects focused on the molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of RN/DNautophagy, a non-canonical form of autophagy that targets nucleic acids. Raluca received a Research Fellowship for Young Scientists from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) during her PhD and was also awarded an International JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship to investigate lysosomal acidification and ATP consumption during cargo delivery in autophagy afterwards. While a postdoc at Rutgers University – Newark, Raluca established iPSC-derived 2D and 3D culture models of Alzheimer’s disease and studied autophagy-associated disease phenotype. In our group, Raluca aims to decipher GR-dependent cell type-specific mechanisms through which chronic stress contributes to the development of psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder. Do well to do good – yoga and local culture lover.

Joanna Sikorska, M.Sc.

In our group, Asia works as a Lab manager and is responsible for orders, budget control, documentation and laboratory work organization. She graduated in Biotechnology from the University of Wrocław and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. She gained laboratory experience at the Brandenburg University of Technology in Germany, where she spent a few months as a part of the Erasmus+ program, and at the Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy PAS, where she was responsible for sequencing of bacteriophages and SARS-CoV-2.

Aleksandra Herud, M.Sc.

Ola graduated in Biomedical Engineering at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. She gained experience working as a bioinformatician at Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy PAS, where she analysed data from Next-Generation Sequencing and third-generation sequencing of bacteria, bacteriophages and SARS-CoV-2. Ola joined Biology of Astrocytes Group to take responsibility of RNA-seq data analysis.

Tansu Göver, M.Sc.

Tansu obtained her BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Uskudar University, Turkey. During her undergraduate degree, she completed various research periods at University of Oxford, as part of the Erasmus+ Traineeship Programme.  Afterwards, she accomplished her MSc in Neuroscience and proceeded to begin her PhD with a keen interest on investigating the role and molecular mechanisms of astrocytes in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Patrycja Ziuzia, M.Sc.

Patrycja acomplished her M. Sc. in Biotechnology with applied microbiology specialization at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. She has experience in biocatalysis and technological processes optimization. As a part of EEA School she had an opportunity to visit Iceland and help local agri-food industries in achieving sustainable production. She joined our lab in 2021 as a trainee to acquire knowledge in neuroscience. Nowadays, she is responsible for research and development, particularly in behavioral analysis field. She is interested in psychology and fiction-fantasy literature as well as in growing houseplants.

Paweł Hanus, M.Sc.

Paweł obtained his MSc in degree in Genetics and Experimental Biology at University of Wrocław, where he was identifying astrocytal receptor for transthyretin. Currently in our team he is investigating role of astrocyte’s metabolism in central effects of chronic stress. His main research interest is astrocytal regulation of synaptic plasticity. Privately committed floorball player and hitchhiker.