Moszczynka Lab
Tagline:Lab of Dr. Anna Moszczynska, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Detroit, MI, USA
About Dr. Moszczynska
Dr. Anna Moszczynska is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Wayne State University's Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She earned her B.Sc and M.Sc in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Lodz, Poland, and went on to complete an M.Sc in Cell Biology and a Ph.D. in Neurochemistry from the University of Toronto. She further honed her expertise through postdoctoral fellowships in Molecular Neurobiology, Molecular Genetics, and Pharmacology at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, the University of Guelph, and Boston University.
Dr. Moszczynska has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the prestigious Career Development Chair Award (2019-2021) and the Academy of Scholars Junior Faculty Award (2015). She has also been recognized with competitive fellowships from the Parkinson Society Canada and the Ontario Mental Health Foundation. In 2021, she was elected president-elect of the Society for Neuroscience Michigan Chapter, highlighting her dedication to advancing the neuroscience field through leadership and community outreach.
In addition to her research and leadership roles, Dr. Moszczynska is a passionate educator, teaching courses such as "Principles of Pharmacotherapy V: Neurology, Psychiatry" and "Pharmacy Seminar" at Wayne State University. Her teaching philosophy centers on building curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of the intersection between science and healthcare.
Lab Research Interests
- Investigating the molecular mechanisms behind methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and identifying potential therapeutic interventions.
- Exploring the roles of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, particularly parkin, as potential therapeutic targets for substance use disorders.
- Identifying novel drug targets and pathways for the treatment of substance use disorders.
Lab Techniques Used
- Western Blotting: Used to detect specific proteins within a sample. Helps identify/quantify proteins that play roles in neurodegeneration.
- Proteomic Analysis: Involves studying a set of proteins produced by a cell/tissue to identify novel targets related to neurodegenerative processes.
- Rat Model of Self-Administration: Mimics how humans self-administer substances and is commonly used to study substance use behavior.
- Conditioned Place Preference: Used to assess the rewarding effects of a drug by observing the animal’s preference for the drug-paired compartment.
Lab Members
- ZN
Zeinab Najafi
Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Parkin in Methamphetamine Use Disorder
date: 2024 - presentDegree: Doctoral Degree .University: Tehran University of Medical Sciences .
Description:Zeinab Najafi, PharmD, is a researcher at Wayne State University. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from Tehran University before moving to the United States to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Pharmacology at Northwestern University, where she focused on cardiovascular research. She then joined Dr. Moszczynska’s lab as a Research Associate, studying the pharmacology of drug abuse and its potential cardiovascular adverse effects, as well as broader neuroscience-related mechanisms.
- TA
Tarek Atasi
Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Parkin in Methamphetamine Use Disorder
date: 2021 - presentDegree: Bachelor's Degree .University: Wayne State University .
Description:Tarek Atasi is an incoming first-year medical student at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Tarek is particularly passionate about bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, and he hopes to continue his involvement in neuroscience research throughout his medical education.
Tarek graduated from Wayne State University in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. He has spent three years as a research assistant in Dr. Anna Moszczynska’s lab, where he has gained extensive hands-on experience. Tarek worked primarily with rat models of methamphetamine self-administration, contributing to studies that explored the neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction. His work focused particularly on the effects of methamphetamine use, providing valuable insights into the complex pathways involved in substance abuse disorders.
Publications
Interactions of VMAT2 with CDCrel-1 and Parkin in Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity
DocumentPublisher:International Journal of Molecular SciencesDate:2024Authors:Neurotoxic Methamphetamine Doses Alter CDCel-1 Levels and Its Interaction with Vesicular Monoamine Transporter-2 in Rat Striatum
DocumentPublisher:bioRxivDate:2024Authors:Methamphetamine-induced region-specific transcriptomic and epigenetic changes in the brain of male rats
DocumentPublisher:Communications BiologyDate:2023Authors:Insights Into the Complexity of Methamphetamine Actions in the Brain and Periphery in the Face of a 3rd Methamphetamine Abuse Epidemic
DocumentPublisher:Current NeuropharmacologyDate:2021Authors:Dopamine and Methamphetamine Differentially Affect Electron Transport Chain Complexes and Parkin in Rat Striatum: New Insight into Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity
DocumentPublisher:International Journal of Molecular SciencesDate:2021Authors:Parkin-deficient rats are resistant to neurotoxicity of chronic high-dose methamphetamine
DocumentPublisher:Experimental NeurologyDate:2021Authors:Current and Emerging Treatments for Methamphetamine Use Disorder
DocumentPublisher:Current NeuropharmacologyDate:2021Authors:Parkin regulates drug-taking behavior in rat model of methamphetamine use disorder
DocumentPublisher:Translational PsychiatryDate:2021Authors:Comparison of differential accessibility analysis strategies for ATAC-seq data
DocumentPublisher:Scientific ReportsDate:2020Authors:Differential Responses of LINE-1 in the Dentate Gyrus, Striatum and Prefrontal Cortex to Chronic Neurotoxic Methamphetamine: A Study in Rat Brain
DocumentPublisher:GenesDate:2020Authors: