RESEARCH GROUP LEADER: Dr. David Sandor Kiss, PhD
CONTACT: [Click to see email]
RESEARCH GROUP MEMBERS:
Associate professor: Dr. Attila Zsarnovszky
Assistant professor: Dr. Dávid Sándor Kiss
Assistant lecturer: Dr. István Tóth
Assistant research fellow: Dr. Gergely Jócsák
Assistants: Zsuzsanna Kinálné Szikora, László Ákos, Ildikó Horváth
PhD student: Dr. Zoltán Bárány
RESEARCH AREAS:
hypothalamic regulation of reproductive mechanisms, food-intake, and circadian rhythms
integration of hypothalamic information processing on neuronal and subcellular level
role of neuronal energy expenditure and synaptic plasticity in the hypothalamic control of the physiological mechanisms
Recent results:
We found a novel regulatory mechanism in the hypothalamus through examining the ATP hydrolyzing activity of NTPDase3 enzyme. We provided remarkable evidence on functional asymmetry in the neuroendocrine hypothalamus related to the estrous cycle. Our preliminary data also indicate that this functional asymmetry might affect other regulatory centers of physiological processes in the hypothalamus.
Available equipment:
- electron microscope (together with other research groups)
- fluorescent microscope
- vibratome for tissue preparation/slicing
- oxygen electrode for mitochondrial measurements, bench top centrifuges
- equipment for subcellular fractionation
- ELISA plate reader for quantitative protein/enzyme/hormone/etc. measurements
- PCR equipment
- Nanodrop for RNA, DNA and protein measurements
- thermostat and laminar box for cell cultures
- animal house (for rodents and rabbit)
MEMBERSHIPS:
Hungarian Physiological Society (MÉT)
Hungarian Society of Animal Protection and Animal Walfare (MÁÁT)
Hungarian Neuroscience Society
Research and Technological Innovation Council
LONG-TERM COLLABORATIONS:
Yale University, Connecticut, USA
University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany
Hohenheim University Stuttgart, Germany
Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary
Semmelweis University, Hungary
University of Oxford, MRC, UK
University of Kaposvár, Hungary
Purdue University, Indiana, USA
GRANTS:
Funding source | Project title and topic (date) | Amount (HUF) |
OTKA 81745 National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary (NRDIO) | Regulation of neuronal energy levels in the hypothalamus: NTPDases as possible energy regulators of the positive gonadotrophin feedback | 19.938.000 |
NKB 15971
| Preparation of purified mitochondrial fractions from relatively small hypothalamic brain samples | 200.000 |
NKB 15739
| Hypothalamic sidedness in mitochondrial respiration: rediscovering decade-old observations and creating new perspectives. | 301.000 |
Research Faculty (Ministry of Human Capacities) | Hypothalamic sidedness: the main neuroendocrine centre from a new aspect (2013) | 2.000.000 |
NKB TI 15930
| Determination of region-specificity of mitochondrial metabolism according to distinct hypothalamic functions | 737.000 |
OTKA 115613 National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary (NRDIO) | Mitochondrial dynamics mediate endocrine disruptors' impact on nuclear receptors | 53.785.000 |
Research Faculty (Ministry of Human Capacities) | Functional asymmetry of the hypothalamus in male rats (2016) | 1.500.000 |
Research Faculty (Ministry of Human Capacities) | Establishment and characterization of primary hypothalamic cell cultures from mice (2016) | 1.500.000 |