Ukr.Biochem.J. 2025; Volume 97, Issue 5, Sep-Oct, pp. 102-115
doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/ubj97.05.102
The Department of Neurochemistry from 1925 untill the present day
N. Krisanova, N. Pozdnyakova*
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Department of Neurochemistry, Kyiv;
*e-mail: nataly.pozdniakova@gmail.com
Received: 11 June 2025; Revised: 14 August 2025;
Accepted: 30 October 2025; Available on-line: 02 December 2025
Activity in the Department of Neurochemistry from 1925 until the present day was described in particular. The main scientific areas of research at the Department of Biochemistry of the Nervous System until 1982 were following: study of the chemical topography of the nervous system; study of subcellular and suborganoid localization of neurospecific proteins; investigation of the effect of psychotropic agents on nitrogen, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism in the structures of the nervous system; studying membrane organization and function mechanisms of enzyme systems for active transport of sodium, potassium, and calcium in nerve cells. Since 1982, research in the Department has been focused primarily on the following areas: biogenesis of membrane and secretory proteins; research on neurospecific proteins; research on plasma membrane directly involved in the generation and transmission of nerve signals. Since 2010, the research of the Department of Neurochemistry was aimed at solving the following urgent problems: elucidation of the role of structural organization of membrane and lipid- protein interactions in the regulation of nerve signal transmission process; elucidation of the role of presynaptic receptors in the regulation of key stages of neurotransmission process and determination of the ways to modulate the neurotransmitter reception system; search and identification of natural membranotropic and neuroactive compounds, analysis of the molecular mechanisms of existing membranotropic and neuroactive drugs action; space biology, namely the development of a method for determining the toxicity of planetary dust; nanotechnology, namely the synthesis and analysis of the neuroactive effect of nanoparticles; environmental neurotoxicology, namely the study of the neurotoxic effects of environmental pollutants and the development of the ways to overcome their harmful impact.
Keywords: exocytosis, functional nanocomposites and nanohybrids, membranotropic and neuroactive compounds, nerve terminals, neurotransmitter transporters, receptors, synaptic neurotransmission
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