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Romania
Citizenship:
Romania
Ph.D. degree award:
Not applicable
Mrs.
Alexandra-Maria
Bănică
MSc.
Research Assistant
-
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE
Researcher | PhD student
Personal public profile link.
Curriculum Vitae (26/01/2022)
Expertise & keywords
Biochemistry
Molecular biology
Cell biology
Pharmacology
Projects
Publications & Patents
Entrepreneurship
Reviewer section
Next generation of drugs targets for schizophrenia.
Call name:
EEA Grants - Proiecte Colaborative de Cercetare
EEA-RO-NO-2018-0535
2021
-
2024
Role in this project:
Coordinating institution:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE
Project partners:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO); University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine Institute of Clinical Medicine (NO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE MEDICO-MILITARA „CANTACUZINO” (RO)
Affiliation:
Project website:
https://nextdrug.eu/
Abstract:
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is one of the worst debilitating psychotic mental disorder affecting almost 1% of the human population. SCZ is a very complex syndrome with a heterogeneous etiology and it is diagnosed in terms of positive (e.g. hallucinations), negative (such as social withdrawal) and cognitive symptoms (IQ deterioration). The treatments used for SCZ have severe limitations, being efficient for only 50% of the patients. In addition, the current treatments involve severe neurological and metabolic side effects. The main reason for the insufficient effectiveness of current SCZ medication is the lack of alternative targets due to poor knowledge of the molecular origins of SCZ. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel molecular targets implicated in SCZ onset and development. Our joint project proposal aims to use an unprecedented level of interdisciplinarity, by combining concepts and techniques of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, pharmacology, drug discovery, and mouse genetics to identify novel molecular mechanisms in SCZ with potential translation as therapeutic targets. The present research proposal takes advantage of the Norwegian partner's outstanding expertise in transcriptomics and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and of the Romanian partners' expertise in proteomics, pharmacology, drug discovery, and animal genetics to identify next generation of drug targets for SCZ.
Our preliminary results indicate the existence of previously not described risk genes encoding proteins belonging to the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The identified GPCR genes encode three receptor proteins (GPR27, GPR75, and GPR173) with unknown endogenous ligands and functions, generically known as orphan GPCRs (oGPCRs). Importantly, these three receptors are expressed in relevant brain areas known to be involved in SCZ. Remarkably, quantitative transcriptomics revealed that all three oGPCRs are significantly downregulated in SCZ patients. Using state-of-the-art methods of cellular biology as well as reverse pharmacology technologies, we will initially identify endogenous ligands and compounds with modulatory activity for each receptor. In this way, we aim to understand GPR27, GPR75, and GPR173 roles in neuronal function as well as potential implications in SCZ. Following the identification of endogenous ligands and modulatory compounds, we aim to discover endogenously expressed intracellular proteins involved in receptor desensitization such as phosphorylating (protein kinases) and dephosphorylating proteins (protein phosphatases).
Finally, by using advanced mouse genetics, we plan to investigate the role of the identified ligand/receptor pairs in brain physiology and also in SCZ pathology.
We expect that identifying the biological roles of these receptors to open a new line of research from which both academia and the pharma industry will profit with the final aim to deliver better therapeutics for patients suffering from this horrendous disease.
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Drug repurposing as a source of novel medication for type-2-diabetes
Call name:
P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019-5179
2020
-
2022
Role in this project:
Coordinating institution:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE
Project partners:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO); UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO)
Affiliation:
Project website:
https://sorintunaru.wixsite.com/repodrug
Abstract:
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major global health problem, with increasing costs associated with the therapeutic strategies. In the treatment of T2D, a number of drugs are used, including metformin and sulphonylureas. Despite of the fact that nearly 10% of the world's population is affected by the T2D, there are a limited number of therapeutic solutions. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the largest super-family of membrane receptors and a successful drug target. More than 30% of FDA-approved drugs target this class of receptors. Within the GPCR superfamily there is a family of receptors that mediates the biological effects of dietary fatty acids. It is called the free-fatty acid receptor family (abbreviated as FFAR) and is composed of four members: FFAR1, FFAR2, FFAR3 and FFAR4. Of these, FFAR1 and FFAR4 stimulate glucose-induced insulin secretion (GSIS), either directly, due to expression in beta-pancreatic cells (such as FFAR1) or indirectly by stimulating incretin production (FFAR4). These receptors are endogenously activated by dietary fatty acids from the omega-3 and omega-6 series and are considered emerging T2D therapeutic targets. With all the efforts of pharma companies, to date no new drugs, targeting FFAR1 or FFAR4, have been developed until the final approval stage. In this project, we propose the identification of specific agonists of FFAR1 and FFAR4 by functional analysis of the drugs already approved by the FDA, by a process called drug repositioning. The success of this project would have major therapeutic implications because the drugs already approved by the FDA have well-studied pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, facilitating their use in the treatment of T2D.
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The development in oncology of novel radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear techniques for diagnostic imaging and personalized treatment at molecular level
Call name:
P 1 - SP 1.2 - Proiecte complexe realizate in consorții CDI
PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0769
2018
-
2021
Role in this project:
Coordinating institution:
INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA SI INGINERIE NUCLEARA " HORIA HULUBEI " - IFIN - HH
Project partners:
INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA SI INGINERIE NUCLEARA " HORIA HULUBEI " - IFIN - HH (RO); INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE MEDICO-MILITARA „CANTACUZINO” (RO); UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE IN DOMENIUL PATOLOGIEI SI STIINTELOR BIOMEDICALE "VICTOR BABES" (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "CAROL DAVILA" (RO); INSTITUTUL CLINIC FUNDENI (RO)
Affiliation:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO)
Project website:
https://www.nipne.ro/proiecte/pn3/9-proiecte.html
Abstract:
The ONCORAD project and the associated technological platform in Radiobiology, is built on the concepts of translational medicine and has as main objective the development of innovative targeted radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine techniques for diagnostic imaging and improved radiotherapy in cancer. ONCORAD is based on the unique expertise of the coordinator (IFIN Horia Hulubei, Magurele) ) in the field of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals, complemented by the exquisite know how of partner institutions in the field of biomedical research (INCD Victor Babes, Cantacuzino National Research Institute and Biochemistry Institute, Bucharest) and clinics (Fundeni Clinical Institute and Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest), along with the expertise of INCD for Isotopic and molecular Techniques, Cluj-Napoca in nanotechnologies/nanomedicine. The multidisciplinary effort is focused in 4 interconnected research projects in the field of oncology and nuclear medicine. Additionally, the ONCORAD project will sustain the development of the partner institutions by supporting new jobs for young researchers and their extensive training, infrastructure development, and transfer of knowhow, technologies and good laboratory practices among partners and towards interested third parties. ONCORAD will build an organizational structure for enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of radiobiology, in the benefit of research, patients and oncologists. The project is a premise for future participation of the consortium in large-scale projects and in European networks/platforms in the field of nuclear medicine and nanomedicine, enlarge the research services and technological transfer for clinical applications.
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Mobilitate cercetător Alexandra-Maria Banica
Call name:
P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de mobilitate pentru cercetatori, 2019
PN-III-P1-1.1-MC-2019-2421
1999
-
1999
Role in this project:
Coordinating institution:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE
Project partners:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO)
Affiliation:
INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO)
Project website:
Abstract:
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FILE DESCRIPTION
DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects
[T: 0.4866, O: 162]