Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology

Head:

Professor Małgorzata Filip

Research staff:

Professor Edmund Przegaliński MD PhD, Małgorzata Frankowska PhD, Karolina Wydra-Kolarska PhD,  Irena Smaga-Maślanka PhD, Dawid Gawliński, PhD


Technical staff / specialists:

Teresa Piwowarczyk, Agata Suder, Renata Pieniążek

PhD students:

Kinga Gawlińska MSc, Kacper Witek MSc

Research profile
The Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology (DAP) was founded in 2017 as a continuation of Drug Addiction Laboratory (established in 2006 as a unit in the Department of Pharmacology). The team is focused on studying various aspects of addiction to psychostimulants (amphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, cocaine), nicotine, alcohol and THC. Study areas of the DAP include molecular and neurochemical mechanisms of addiction and possibilities for pharmacological intervention.

In our research, we use virtually all available research methods that visualize different stages of drug addiction process (initiation, prolonged drug use, craving and other withdrawal symptoms, relapses). The scope of our research includes animal models (experimental depression, transgenic animals), pharmacological manipulations (e.g. lesions, intrastructural and peripheral drug application, injections of selective receptor ligands), biochemical analyzes (changes in receptor and enzyme expression, synaptic and tissue levels of neurotransmitters / neuromodulators) and molecular analysis (mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), gene and miRNA expression, epigenetic analysis).

We closely cooperate with a number of scientific units in Poland (Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy - Medical University of Warsaw, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy - Medical University of Lublin) and abroad (Department of Nervous System Research - Karolinska Institutet, Faculty of Pharmacy - University of Ferrara, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Research - University of Milan, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - University of Friedrich Alexander in Erlangen-Nürnberg).

Research methods
Behavioral methods and tests:
Measurement of locomotor activity in animals, intravenous self-administration of addictive substances, free choice alcohol consumption, natural reward self-administration, sucrose preference test, drug discrimination test, elevated zero maze, modified forced swim test

Molecular biology methods:
DNA / RNA isolation, PCR, RT-qPCRe, electrophoresis in agarose and polyacrylamide gels

Biochemical methods:
Protein isolation, BCA protein assay, Western blot, ELISA, in vivo microdialysis

Histological and histochemical methods:
Tissue fixation, receptor autoradiography, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence

Other:
Stereotactic implantation of intracerebral cannulas, intravenous cannulation, intracerebral drug administration, bulbectomy

The most important discoveries in the last 3 years
- Amide derivative of N-acetylcysteine inhibits cocaine relapse in rats with experimental depression.
- Tonic activation of A2A receptors located in the nucleus accumbens induces cocaine relapse.


















More publications
  • A popular-science article "From birth to old age - amorfrutin B in neuroprotection" Karolina Przepiórska

    Link to the article
  • Popular science article "Sunscreen cream - friend or foe?" Agnieszka Wnuk

    Link to the article
  • In search of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of hypoxia-ischemia-induced brain damages. An article in Polish.

    NAUKA, 2016, 3:55-73. Kajta M, Rzemieniec J, Rużyłło W.

  • How hormonally active environmental contaminants affect the brain? An article in Polish. Wszechświat, 2012, 113:10-13. Kajta M.
  • Molecular mechanisms of estrogen action in the central nervous system. An article in Polish. Chapter in the script: Cellular signaling pathways. Edited by I. Nalepa. XXI Zimowa Szkoła Instytutu Farmakologii PAN. Mogilany, 2004, 61-69. Kajta M.
  • Neuronal cell cultures. An article in Polish. Chapter XVII in the book: Cell and Tissue Cultures. Edited by S. Stokłosowa. PWN, Warszawa, 2004, 277-290. Kajta M.
More publications
  • Selective modulation of PPARγ signaling as a new therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease, Karolina Przepiórska-Drońska, MSc
    NCN PRELUDIUM Grant; 2022/45/N/NZ7/01418; 2023-2026. Ongoing.
    Principal Investigator of the grant: Karolina PrzepiórskaThe scientific supervisor of the grant: Professor Małgorzata Kajta
  • Maternal obesity as a risk factor of autism spectrum disorder in offspring - in search of the role of the gut microbiota and the prevention strategies, Dawid Gawliński, PhD
    GRANT NCN no. 2021/43/B/NZ5/02552 (OPUS 22)
  • New post-treatment strategy against stroke and perinatal asphyxia – a novel approach based on a selective activation of membrane estrogen receptors mERα and mERβ, Agnieszka Wnuk, , Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
    NCN SONATA Grant; 2021/43/D/NZ7/00633; 2022-2025. Ongoing.Principal Investigator of the grant: Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
  • Selective activation of non-nuclear Estrogen Receptor signaling with PaPE-1 as a novel therapeutic approach for sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease, Professor Małgorzata Kajta, PhD
    NCN OPUS Grant; 2020/39/B/NZ7/00974; 2021-2024. Ongoing.
    Principal Investigator of the grant: Małgorzata Kajta
  • The effect of omega-3 fatty acid-enriched diet on the myelination impairment and the depression-like phenotype induced by maternal high-fat diet during pregnancy and lactation in offspring. NCN, SONATA 16, UMO-2020/39/D/NZ5/02581, Irena Smaga-Maślanka, PhD

  • Transgenerational effects of maternal high-fat diet on morphological and epigenetic changes within the prefrontal cortex in offspring, Dawid Gawliński, PhD
    GRANT NCN no. 2020/04/X/NZ7/02058 (MINIATURA 4)
  • The effect of high-fat mother's diet during pregnancy and lactation on epigenetic changes within the gene encoding the cannabinoid receptor CB1 (CNR1) in the brain of offspring. NCN, MINIATURA 4, 2020/04/X/NZ7/00049 , Irena Smaga-Maślanka, PhD

  • Searching for effective strategies to protect neuronal cells against hypoxia and ischemia: Identification of neuroprotective mechanisms of the new ligands of AhR and PPARg in experimental models of stroke, Professor Małgorzata Kajta, PhD
    NCN OPUS Grant; 2018/31/B/NZ7/01815; 2019-2022. Ongoing.Principal Investigator of the grant: Małgorzata Kajta
  • , Professor Małgorzata Filip, PhD

  • , Professor Małgorzata Filip, PhD

  • Neurodevelopmental pathomechanisms of triclocarban-, and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE)-induced effects: the roles of apoptosis and autophagy as well as the receptor signaling for estrogens, aryl hydrocarbons and androstane. , Professor Małgorzata Kajta, PhD
    NCN OPUS Grant; 2015/19/B/NZ7/02449; 2016-2019.
    Principal Investigator of the grant: Małgorzata Kajta
  • Effects and potential mechanisms of action of dislufiram and nepicastat in morphine dependence in laboratory animal , Małgorzata Frankowska, PhD

  • Neurotoxic effects of benzophenone-3 : the role of estrogen receptors and retinoid X receptor alpha., Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
    NCN PRELUDIUM Grant; 2014/13/N/NZ4/04845; 2015-2018Principal Investigator of the project: Agnieszka Wnuk, MScThe Scientific Supervisor of the project: Małgorzata Kajta, PhD
  • , Professor Małgorzata Filip, PhD
  • The role of the mGlu5-D2 heterodimeric receptor complexes in the extinction of drug seeking behavior associated with dependents to psichostimulants (cocaine and MDMA): behavioral and biomolecular analyses in rats , Małgorzata Frankowska, PhD

more_grants
  • , Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
    Tuesday, 25 June 2024
  • , Irena Smaga-Maślanka, PhD
    Tuesday, 31 January 2023
  • , Małgorzata Frankowska, PhD
    Monday, 12 December 2022
  • Prof. Aleksander Szczygieł Prize of The Polish Society of Nutritional Sciences for the best research work published in 2021, Dawid Gawliński, PhD
    Friday, 21 October 2022
  • , Małgorzata Frankowska, PhD
    Monday, 10 January 2022
  • Research fellowship within Bekker Programme of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange for postdoctoral training at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Dawid Gawliński, PhD
    Sunday, 12 December 2021
  • The first place in the competition for a popular-science article "From birth to old age - amorfrutin B in neuroprotection" - the Organizer: board of Directors of the Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences., Karolina Przepiórska-Drońska, MSc
    Thursday, 30 September 2021
  • , Irena Smaga-Maślanka, PhD
    Tuesday, 9 June 2020
  • , Irena Smaga-Maślanka, PhD
    Monday, 3 June 2019
  • , Irena Smaga-Maślanka, PhD
    Tuesday, 19 March 2019
  • , Małgorzata Frankowska, PhD
    Thursday, 20 December 2018
  • Team Award of the V Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences for a series of publications., Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
    Thursday, 22 November 2018
  • A Team Award of the V Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences for a series of publications. , Professor Małgorzata Kajta, PhD
    Thursday, 22 November 2018
  • Stipends START 2018 granted by The Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) stipends for the young scientists, Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
    Saturday, 26 May 2018
  • The second place in the competition for a popular-science article "Sunscreen cream - friend or foe?"- the Organizer: Directorate of the IF PAS in Krakow , Agnieszka Wnuk, PhD
    Wednesday, 15 November 2017
more_awards
Head

Professor Małgorzata Filip, PhD

Phone number: +48 12 6623296
E-mail: ifpan@if-pan.krakow.pl

interests

techniques

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