On January 21st, 2015 Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland, handed professorial nominations to the academic teachers and workers of science and art. In the group of nominees was prof. Małgorzata Skup, a researcher in the Laboratory of Reinnervation Processes and Head of the Department of Neurophysiology at the Nencki Institute.

The research of the Laboratory concerns the postlesion plasticity and regenerative capacity of neurons in the rodent brain and spinal cord. Professor’s Skup interests focus on functions of neurotrophic factors, mechanisms of their effects on the neuronal networks and responsiveness of their receptors in healthy and diseased spinal cord. The potential of targeted transgene expression approach to efficiently transduce cells with neurotrophins and cell adhesion molecules after spinal cord injury is explored. Her recent interest is on the possible role of neurotrophins in regulation of inhibitory and cholinergic neurotransmission targeting motoneurons and their impact on functional outcome after complete spinal cord transection.