Hungarian Brain Research Program

Neurodegenerative disorder, developmental neurobiology, cell migration, neuronal differentiation.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Weblink: https://semmelweis.hu/anatomia/research/laboratories/400-2/

Molecular mechanisms and clinical biomarkers in neurodegenerative disorders (mitochondrial diseases, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase mutants, glycerophosphate shunt, glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA ligase, methylene blue, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex).
Providing genomic and biochemical examinations in neurodegenerative diseases (dementia and Parkinson disease), and comparison of the results and the phenotype.  Research of the molecular basics of the disease, and identification of new therapy targets.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Weblink: https://semmelweis.hu/biokemia/scientific-research-2/neurobiochemistry-research-divisions/

The research group tries to identify new drug targets for the treatment of depression. They are mapping the entire genome searching for unknown genetic variants that could lead to the development of the disease. Keywords: depression, anxiety, genetics, antidepressants, personality traits, temperaments, environmental stress, financial difficulties, drug discovery, NewMood, GWAS, microarray.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Weblink: https://semmelweis.hu/gyogyszerhatastan/nap-a-research-group/

To gain better insight into the neurobiological underpinnings of mental disorders, we propose to build on our prior infrastructure and EEG source localization results with a further extension of the established methodology. Planning to build on a collaboration with other research groups, including the SE MR Kutató központ (MRKK), our general aim is to augment the EEG-source localization approaches, with a combined, multimodal imaging using EEG and fMRI simultaneously. This would offer a unique opportunity to gain further insights, at an enhanced spatial resolution, into the impairments of brain processes and structures we have identified in the initial project phase. The complementarity of these approaches, and the fusion of their data, is considered critical for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of psychiatric conditions, neurologic, neurovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Extension of the donor program, the microdissection capacity and the scientific collaboration activity with Hungarian research laboratories participating in the NAP project. Providing microdissected human brain samples suitable exploratory and clinical research studies.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Weblink: https://semmelweis.hu/hbtb/nap-project/

Establishment of a cognitive test battery with high translational value, CNS drug research.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Weblink: https://semmelweis.hu/pharmacology/establishment-of-a-cognitive-test-battery-with-high-translational-value/

The aim of the research group is to identify migraine specific biomarkers and new drug targets by investigating the neural response (brain activity) and genetics of people with migraine, tension headache and in healthy control subjects.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Weblink: https://semmelweis.hu/gyogyszerhatastan/nap-2-research-groups/se-nap-2-genetic-brain-imaging-migraine-research-group/

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the most frequent degenerative disorders of the central nervous system. Both disorders develop slowly, starting with a preclinical phase, followed by mild symptoms progressing to dementia and movement disorders, respectively.
Factors influencing the progression of the disease development and the efficacy of the cholinergic and dopaminergic therapy are scarcely known. Most of the data are about the coexisting vascular risk factors, mainly in AD, but the distinction between macro- and microvascular risk factors is rare. Clinical parameters and factors influencing the progression of AD and PD in their different stages, markers of co-existing Lewy-body pathology in AD, the effect of coexisting vascular factors and factors modifying the effect of cholinergic and dopaminergic therapies are planned to be studied by clinical and neuropathological research methods.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

Schizophrenia, exome sequencing, induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), in vitro disease modelling, psychiatric genetics, epigenetics.

Duration: 01.01.2018 – 31.12.2021

Next generation sequencing of tumour brain metastases, whole exome sequencing, whole genome sequencing. In this project we establish a brain metastasis biobank in lung-, colorectal-, breast cancers and malignant melanoma as the most frequent causes. Sources will be collection of samples from brain metastasis surgeries (from collaborating Neurosurgery Departments), autopsies (from collaborating Pathology Departments) and from our own retrospective pathology archives. We will analyse the genomic evolution of brain metastasis of lung-, breast-, colorectal cancers and malignant melanoma. Next generation sequencing will be used to compare brain metastases to the primary tumour of the four cancer types in order to identify the genetic mechanisms enabling various tumours to establish brain metastasis.

Duration: 01.12.2017 – 30.11.2021

High-resolution ultrasound of peripheral nerves.

Duration: 22.04.2014 – 31.12.2017