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Sâmia Joca

Joca Lab - Translational Neuropharmacology

How pscyhoactive drugs affect our brain to regulate mood, motivation and cognitive aspects associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety)? How can we use this information to understand disease neurobiology and foster the development of improved therapeutic for mental disorders?

These are some of the questions that our group is trying to answer. Our research focus is the mechanism of action of psychoactive drugs, primarly antidepressants, examining how these unique molecules influence neural plasticity, stress responses, and emotional regulation. We are particularly interested in understanding how lipid mediators, such as endocannabinoids, affect neuroplasticity and behavior.

We use translational approaches combining animal models of stress-related psychiatric disorders, in vitro models for drug testing (primary and immortalized cell cultures), molecular biology methods for protein and mRNA quantification, evaluation of drug-receptor interactions, neurochemical analysis (neurotransmitters and lipid mediators), and microscopy (immunofluorescence, confocal). We collaborate with different groups at Aarhus University and abroad to tackle our research questions with different methodological approaches and perspectives.

News


DANDRITE Annual Report of 2024

- Policy and strategy

2024 was a year of transitions, major milestones, and accelerating momentum at DANDRITE. Discover the breakthroughs, the people behind them, and the…

1.934.673 steps, one winner and a week full of Spring

A glimpse from the week. From top left: Silent Fit in the University Parc. Bottom right: the walking team. Bottom left and top right: Spring Party themed: The Mad Scientist's Tea Party.
- Events

From 12–16 May, the DANDRITE Community marked the arrival of spring in Denmark with a week of outdoor events designed to build community and celebrate…

New student in Jensen Lab

- People news

Søren Skjold Jensen is a bachelor's student at Aarhus University. As part of the preparation for his bachelor's project in the spring of 2026, he is…