Laboratory for Molecular Neurodegeneration

• We have found prototypes of medications against neurodegenerative diseases that normalize concentration of calcium in neurons. Research of potential medications against Alzheimer's disease have entered the pre-clinical stage.
• We have determined a promising chemical compound for future development of a therapeutic agent against spinocerebellar ataxia type 2.
• A method has been developed for controlling functional activity of nerve cells that allows to track single neurons both in cell cultures and whole animals.
• Our researchers have found new mechanisms responsible for aging-related changes of calcium signaling in neurons of transgenic mice with illnesses modeling Huntington disease, Alzheimer's disease and spinocerebellar ataxia type 2.

Implemented results of research:

• We have obtained a patent for our invention: «Application of piperazine derivatives for treatment of Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer type dementia with disruption of intracellular calcium signaling».
• Research of calcium signaling in neurons gives an opportunity to determine specific targets for creating new medications against neurodegenerative diseases. Subsequently, producing medications that are able to normalize calcium homeostasis of nerve cells attracts high interests from the world pharmaceutical industry.

Education and career development:

• The Laboratory has become the base of the «Neurobiological engineering» masters program.
• 1 doctoral dissertation, 5 candidate dissertations, 11 bachelors and masters dissertations have been defended.

Organizational and structural changes: The Laboratory has been completely integrated into educational structure of the Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University.

Collaborations:

• B. P. Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russia): joint research and student exchanges
• I. M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (USA): joint research and publications
• I. M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia), Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia), Ataxion (USA), Teva (Israel), Garmoniya Ltd (Russia): joint research