Behavior and Metabolism Research Laboratory

Head
Robert Kuba Filipkowski, PhD, phone: +48 22 60 86 607, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Research staff
Krzysztof Hubert Olszyński, PhD, phone: +48 22 60 86 606, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Technical staff
Agnieszka Wardak, PhD, phone: +48 22 60 86 606, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rafał Polowy, MSc, phone: +48 22 60 86 606, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PhD students
Rafał Polowy, MSc, phone: +48 22 60 86 606, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Research profile
• rat ultrasonic vocalizations
• behavioral models of brain diseases
• functional changes in cardiovascular system
• adult neurogenesis
• nuclear shape of cells

Grants
• ”Changes in rat cardiovascular parameters following presentation of ultrasonic vocalizations”, 2015/19/B/NZ4/03393, Robert Filipkowski, 2016-2021
• ”Restoring brain functions in mice by neuronal transplantation”, 2014/14/M/NZ4/00561, Robert Filipkowski, 2015-2019

Collaboration
domestic
• Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw
• Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Krakow
• Warsaw University, Warsaw

Collaboration
foreign
• CRTD-DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
• University of California San Diego, San Diego, USA

Research equipment
• microphones and speakers to analyze ultrasonic vocalizations (Avisoft Bioacoustics)
• implantable telemetry (DSI)
• automated blood sampling system (Culex®)
• automated dosing instrument (EMPIS®)
• open field, elevated-plus maze
• Morrisa water maze, fear conditioning equipment
• Skinner boxes
• metabolic cages

Research methods
• acquisition, emission and analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations
• evaluation of learning and memory, anxiety, locomotor activity, sensorimotor functions
• telemetric evaluation of cardiovascular function
• immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, 3D image analysis

Selected publications

  • Wardak A.D., Olszyński K.H., Polowy R., Matysiak J., Filipkowski R.K. Rats that learn to vocalize for food reward emit longer and louder appetitive calls and fewer short aversive calls. PLoS One 2024; 19(2):e0297174. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297174.
  • Olszyński K.H., Polowy R., Wardak A.D., Grymanowska A.W., Zieliński J., Filipkowski R.K. Spontaneously hypertensive rats manifest deficits in emotional response to 22-kHz and 50-kHz ultrasonic playback. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 120:110615. DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110615.
  • Bijata M., Bączyńska E., Müller F.E., Bijata K., Masternak J., Krzystyniak A., Szewczyk B., Siwiec M., Antoniuk S., Roszkowska M., Figiel I., Magnowska M., Olszyński K.H., Wardak A.D., Hogendorf A., Ruszczycki B., Gorinski N., Labus J., Stępień T., Tarka S., Bojarski A.J., Tokarski K., Filipkowski R.K., Ponimaskin E., Wlodarczyk J. Activation of the 5-HT7 receptor and MMP-9 signaling module in the hippocampal CA1 region is necessary for the development of depressive-like behavior. Cell Rep. 2022; 38:110532. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110532.
  • Grabowska A., Sas-Nowosielska H., Wojtas B., Holm-Kaczmarek D., Januszewicz E., Yushkevich Y., Czaban I., Trzaskoma P., Krawczyk K., Gielniewski B., Martin-Gonzalez A., Filipkowski R.K., Olszynski K.H., Bernas T., Szczepankiewicz A.A., Sliwinska M.A., Kanhema T., Bramham C.R., Bokota G., Plewczynski D., Wilczynski G.M., Magalska A. Activation-induced chromatin reorganization in neurons depends on HDAC1 activity. Cell Rep. 2022; 38:110352. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110352.
  • Olszyński K.H., Polowy R., Wardak A.D., Grymanowska A.W., Filipkowski R.K. Increased Vocalization of Rats in Response to Ultrasonic Playback as a Sign of Hypervigilance Following Fear Conditioning. Brain Sci. 2021; 11:970. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11080970.
  • Olszyński K.H., Polowy R., Małż M., Boguszewski P.M., Filipkowski R.K. Playback of Alarm and Appetitive Calls Differentially Impacts Vocal, Heart-Rate and Motor Response in Rats. iScience 2020; 23:101577. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101577.
  • Cieślik M., Gąssowska-Dobrowolska M., Jęśko H., Czapski G.A., Wilkaniec A., Zawadzka A., Dominiak A., Polowy R., Filipkowski R.K., Boguszewski P.M., Gewartowska M., Frontczak-Baniewicz M., Sun G.Y., Beversdorf D.Q., Adamczyk A. Maternal Immune Activation Induces Neuroinflammation and Cortical Synaptic Deficits in the Adolescent Rat Offspring. Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21:4097. DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114097.
  • Gąssowska-Dobrowolska M., Cieślik M., Czapski G.A., Jęśko H., Frontczak-Baniewicz M., Gewartowska M., Dominiak A., Polowy R., Filipkowski R.K., Babiec L., Adamczyk A. Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Microglia and Synaptic Ultrastructure in a Brain-Region-Specific Manner in Young-Adult Male Rats: Relevance to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21:3576. DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103576.
  • Zieminska E., Toczylowska B., Diamandakis D., Hilgier W., Filipkowski R.K., Polowy R., Orzel J., Gorka M., Lazarewicz J.W. Glutamate, Glutamine and GABA Levels in Rat Brain Measured Using MRS, HPLC and NMR Methods in Study of Two Models of Autism. Front Mol Neurosci. 2018; 11:418. DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00418.
  • Popek M., Bobula B., Sowa J., Hess G., Polowy R., Filipkowski R.K., Frontczak-Baniewicz M., Zabłocka B., Albrecht J., Zielińska M. Cortical Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity in Acute Liver Failure Are Decreased by Presynaptic Events. Mol Neurobiol. 2018; 55:1244-1258. DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0367-4.
  • Ziemka-Nalecz M., Jaworska J., Sypecka J., Polowy R., Filipkowski R.K., Zalewska T. Sodium Butyrate, a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Exhibits Neuroprotective/Neurogenic Effects in a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia. Mol Neurobiol. 2017; 54:5300-5318. DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0049-2.