Julia Senserrich is a graduate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Rovira y Virgili University (2018). She obtained the Master's degree in "Initiation to Research in Mental Health" by the University of Barcelona, in 2019. Since September 2019, she belongs to the research group of Professor Ángel Pazos, in the Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC), with a predoctoral contract of the Biomedical Research Networking Centres (CIBER). Her PhD project is dealing with the role of metaloproteinases in the pathogenesis of depression/anxiety, and their implication in the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs.
Neurobiological Basis of the Mechanism of Action of Drugs acting at the Central Nervous System
Research lines
The main research line of the group deals with the neurochemical and neuroplastic signals involved in the pathogeny of neuropsychiatric diseases (major depression, schizophrenia) and, associated to that, in the mechanism of action of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs. The goals of our neuropharmacological research include the study of:
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Modulation of neuroproliferation and neuroplasticity pathways as a mechanism of action of antidepressants.
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Involvement of the aminergic and cannabinoid systems in depression.
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Preclinical evaluation of potential antidepressants in animal models.
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Involvement of neuroinflammation in depression and antidepressant actions.
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Mechanism of action of molecules with rapid antidepressant effect.
For this purpose, studies in laboratory animals, models of depression and psychosis, and in blood and postmortem samples from depressed and schizophrenic patients are carried out. Behavioural, pharmacological (in vivo assays, receptor labeling), cell biology (immunocytochemistry, neurogenesis), biochemical (second messengers, G proteins), electrophysiological (in vivo and slice recordings) and molecular approaches (gen silencing, transfected receptors) are used.
Other sublines of research of the group include:
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The neurobiological basis of the analgesic responses induced by antidepressants
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The identification of the intracellular signaling mechanisms associated to 5-HT receptor subtypes
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The analysis of polymorphisms for proteins of relevance for the etiopathogeny of depressive disorders
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The characterization of animal models of psychiatric disorders
Funding
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CICYT, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Cannabidiol como acelerador de la respuesta farmacológica antidepresiva: una vía hacia la identificación de los mecanismos celulares implicados en la depresión (SAF2015-67457-R). Enero 2016-Diciembre 2018.
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CICYT, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Fármacos antidepresivos y dianas de señalización intracelular: implicación de mecanismos de proliferación (SAF07-61862). Octubre 2007-Septiembre 2012
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Neuroplasticity mechanisms involved in the fast antidepressant response of 5-HT4 receptor agonists: role of the Wnt-b-catenin and mTOR pathways (SAF2011-25020 ). Enero 2012-Diciembre 2014.
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Instituto de Salud Carlos III. CIBER de Salud Mental, 2009-
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Programa ZENIT, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (con BrainCo y FaesFarma SA).Nuevas aproximaciones en el tratamiento de las enfermedades del sistema nervioso. Enero 2010-Diciembre 2012
