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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


Researchers have mapped the hidden control system of vision

Left: a picture of retina Right: a GABAergic cell type visualized by GFP
- Research

For the first time, the smallest control system of vision in mammals has been mapped – a discovery that opens entirely new insights into how our…

Research leaders in new Parkinson's centre: We are building a centre in the absolute super league

The management team of the new Parkinson Research Centre, PACE. From the left: Clinical Professor and director, Per Borghammer, Professor Marina Romero-Ramos and Professor Poul Henning Jensen.
- Research

Danish Parkinson's research is accelerating in Aarhus. Within the next 10 years, the centre expects to play a central role in the development of…

New group leader-positions at Denmark's new Centre for Parkinson's Research

- Research

Denmark’s new centre for Parkinson's research PACE at Aarhus University, Denmark hires group leaders to establish programs in 4D cellular physiology…