Department of Neuroscience
Pharmacology - Dan Larhammar
| Telephone: | +46 (0) 18 471 4173 |
| Fax: | +46 (0) 18 511540 |
| E-mail: | Dan.Larhammar@neuro.uu.se |
| Mailing Address: | Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience, Box 593, BMC, SE-751 24 Uppsala |
| Visit Address: | Uppsala Biomedical Center, A2:2 |
| Homepage: | http://www.anst.uu.se/dla05000/ |
| Other: | Publications, projects, competence, etc. |
We investigate the functions of neuropeptides and endocrine peptides and their G-protein-coupled receptors and how these have originated and changed during evolution. Our primary interest is the neuropeptide Y (NPY) system whose peptides can potently stimulate and inhibit appetite by acting through seven different receptors, four of which exist in humans. The properties of the peptides and receptors are studied mostly at the cellular level in cell culture, but also in vivo and by genetic studies of humans. One important aspect under investigation is how the peptides bind to and activate the receptors and how peptide-receptor specificity has originated. We are also investigating how the number of gene copies for the appetite receptors correlate with body weight and obesity in humans.
We are also studying several gene families from an evolutionary point of view, primarily other peptide systems and receptors such as the opioid peptides (for instance endorphin), oxytocin-vasopressin, growth hormone and prolactin, and somatostatin receptors, but also other gene families of great importance for neuronal functions such as the voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels. We have recently initiated a large project on the evolution of vision in vertebrates and the origin of colour vision where we use the zebrafish as a model system to explore the origin of new functions after gene duplications.
Members
Larhammar, Dan
Professor
I received my PhD in 1984 and became a professor in molecular cell biology in 1994. My research interests span evolution, neurobiology and pharmacology. I am also interested in the distinction between science and pseudoscience. I have supervised 17 students to PhD degree and co-supervised 2. I am a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Abalo, Xesus (Chus)
Researcher
I got my PhD at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) after studies of lamprey CNS development. After that I got a postdoc position at the Karolinska Institute and studied the basal ganglia connections related to locomotion, also in lampreys. In Dan's lab I work on the evolution of vertebrate vision.
Bergqvist, Christina
Research engineer
I am involved in serveral projects and work with both molecular biology, bioinformatics/evolution, and histology/in situ hybridization. Presently I am investigating the evolution of several vertebrate neuropeptide receptor families.
Lagman, David
PhD student
I became a master of science in biology at Uppsala University in 2010. My PhD project concerns the evolution of vertebrate vision, particularly the origin of rods and cones. I study various phototransduction gene families using bioinformatic tools and in situ hybridizations on retinas from zebrafish.
Lapshyna, Kateryna (Kate)
Project student
I got my MSc in cytology, histology and biology of development from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine) in 2010. In Dan's lab I am working on the human gene for the pancreatic polypeptide receptor and its role in appetite regulation. My research interests include the development and physiology of the CNS.
Lundell, Ingrid
PhD, researcher, lecturer
After having worked in microbiological research in Boston, USA, I joined the Larhammar reach group and got my PhD in 1997. I now focus on the functional regulation of NPY receptors. I have been the chairman of the Biomedical Program at Uppsala University since 2004. Here I have been extensively involved in the reorganization of the Biomedicial Program and the launching of two new Master Programs.
Lundin, Lars-Gustav
reader (lektor) emeritus
I received my doctoral degree in 1971 and have worked with mouse genetics at the departments of Medical Genetics and Medical Chemistry until my retirement 1999 when I joined Dan Larhammar’s group. In the early 1970s I became interested in the possibility of vertebrate genome duplications and during almost two decades I have worked together with Dan's group on questions related to this.
Mohell, Nina
Adjunct professor
I am a docent in animal physiology and an adjunct professor in receptor pharmacology. I received my PhD at Stockholm University in 1985. After employments at Astra/AstraZeneca in Södertälje, Acadia Pharmaceuticals in San Diego, and Biovitrum in Stockholm, I am since 2005 at Aprea AB in Stockholm (www.aprea.com), presently as VP Discovery. I have worked on adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic and NPY receptors.
Ocampo Daza, Daniel
PhD student
I got my MSc in biology from Uppsala Universitet in 2007. My research interests include evolution, endocrinology and neuroscience, particularly the use of comparative genomics and bioinformatics tools to improve our understanding of evolution. Currently I am researching the molecular evolution of neuroendocrine peptides and receptors including the growth hormone-prolactin system and the oxytocin-vasopressin system.
Pruner, Jasna
PhD student
I got my master degree in biology at Uppsala University in 2011. My PhD project is on the molecular interactions between NPY-family peptides and their receptors. I also wish to find out what prevents NPY from binding to closely related peptide receptors. This will be useful for development of ligands selective for specific receptor subtypes.
Singh Parihar, Ravi
Project student
I am a master student in cell and molecular biology. I received my bachelors degree in biotechnology engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India, in 2010. In Dan's lab I am working on a project about the evolution of gene families involved in vertebrate colour vision.
Widmark Jenny
Project student
I am a master student in molecular biotechnology (molecular biotechnology engineering programme) doing a project in DanLab. I have recently completed a study of the evolution of vertebrate sodium channels and I am now investigating calcium channel evolution.
Xu, Bo
PhD student (currently on parental leave)
I got my master degree in neurobiology from Northwest A&F University, China, in 2007. My PhD project concerns ligand-receptor interactions for NPY-family peptides and receptors. I study receptors from different species and will perform mutagenesis to test hypotheses about specific points of interaction.
