Projects / Programmes
Poškodba, plastičnost in regeneracija živčevja in mišic (Slovene)
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.03.00 |
Medical sciences |
Neurobiology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B640 |
Biomedical sciences |
Neurology, neuropsychology, neurophysiology |
| B740 |
Biomedical sciences |
Pharmacological sciences, pharmacognosy, pharmacy, toxicology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.01 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Basic medicine |
Researchers (28)
Organisations (2)
Significance for science
1. Central nervous system research The proposed research contributes toward improved understanding of mechanisms involved in nervous system injury and disease (e.g., prion diseases, tauopathies, secundary injury following trauma or stroke...), toward development of new diagnostic procedures (e.g., FDDNP, curcumin, specific antibodies) and toward new therapeutic approaches (e.g., curcumin, specific antibodies, erythropoetin...). Discovery of an intrinsic factor, with a considerable influence on the biological behaviour of CNS tumors, that could be a potential therapeutic target is of great importance for science. Our research will identify new basic pathophysiological mechanisms involved in synaptic plasticity using models of neurodegeneration, neuroregeneration and in pharmacotherapy of neurodegeneration, adverse symptoms of antiparkinsonic treatment and the development and relapse of drug-addiction. This will enable the identification of novel molecular target for the treatment of parkinsonism, excitotoxic brain injury and drug-addiction. We will develop LA-ICPMS for quantification and vizualization of elemental content in brain slices and for quantification of emulsion autoradiography. By identifying couplings between respiratory, cardiac and cortical oscillations during anesthesia we will be able to determine the level of general anesthesia in human and to reduce the incidence of awareness among patients undergoing surgery. 2. Peripheral nervous system research The planned research on the model of end-to-side nerve coaptation will explain the nature of the outgrowth of axons from the donor nerve and their ingrowth into the recipient nerve. It will also contribute to the understanding of plasticity of the peripheral nervous system after injury. Analogue computer simulations can guide the development of experimental hypotheses and can considerably decrease animal experimentation. In addition, some experiments that cannot be performed in animal or human can be readily performed as a simulation. 3. Muscle research Investigations of muscle fiber plasticity, which reflects nerve-muscle interactions, involve different model muscle proteins: contractile proteins, calcium transport proteins and metabolic enzymes. Our investigations add a new dimension to this spectrum: plasticity of the components of the neuromuscular transmission like acetylcholinesterase and collagen Q. We perform original basic research on the international level, to reveal the synaptic plasticity of muscle, i.e. how the expression of essential components of the neuromuscular junction adapts to the use of this synapse. The results of our study on delayed muscle reinnervation will contribute to a better understanding of the reversibility of denervation changes in fast and slow skeletal muscles.
Significance for the country
1. Sustainable socio-economical and cultural development Collaborations with excellent laboratories in Slovenia and abroad, within the framework of the proposed research, contributes toward the progress of graduate and postgraduate medical education and public health system, research infrastructural development, knowledge transfer and education of future researchers in Slovenia. It represents the basis for doctoral study and education of young medical scientists, medical specialists and university teachers in the field of medicine. Some applied aspects of our research may become important for the development of future treatments of peripheral motor nerve injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, drug dependence and prion diseases. The proposed research also contributes towards the dissemination of hig-tech neurobiological methods by the exchange of doctoral and postdoctoral students and researchers in the field of biomedicine, thus creating opportunities for international scientific collaboration and transfer of foreign know-how. 2. Technological development We helped to develop some potentially useful new therapeutic substances, as well as diagnostic reagents and procedures for different neural disorders. Analogue computer simulation of physiological and pathophsiological conditions of the heart and blood vessels enables the testing of cardiovascular drugs and also predicts the consequences of different physiological and pathophysiological states on the cardiovascular system thus facilitating treatment. Our research paves the way towards the long-term objective of a reliable device for measurement of depth of anesthesia which, if realised, would have widespread applications in Slovenia and world-wide. 3. National identity and indirect importance for society With internationally recognized research work and international connections and cooperation we contribute to the positive image of Slovenia abroad.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
