Mateusz Kucharczyk
Title
Somatosensation and cancer neuroscience聽
Abstract
Neuronal pathways travel from the brain to the spinal cord to influence somatosensation. They regulate spinal and primary sensory neuron activity, enabling the brain to finely tune signal levels transmitted through the spinal cord and control the periphery via neurogenic mechanisms.
Our laboratory’s dual focus on the somatosensory system and cancer neuroscience seeks to uncover the system’s involvement in neurogenic mechanisms governing tumorigenesis and related pain. Employing a combination of in vivo electrophysiology and calcium imaging with selective opto- and chemogenetic modulation of genetically and anatomically defined neuronal circuits, we sample the activity in the spinal and peripheral neurons and correlate this activity with behavioural responses using machine learning-supported analysis.
We aim to link network-wide brain activity with top-down ability to influence both nociception and tumorigenesis. In this pursuit, we aspire to forge innovative therapies for cancer and associated pain, rooted in a deep understanding of neuronal systems.
Biography
Mateusz Kucharczyk earned a BSc (2012) and an MSc (2014) in Biotechnology from Jagiellonian University in Krak贸w. Subsequently, as a Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie trainee, he completed his PhD in Neuroscience (2019) at University College London, specialising in in vivo electrophysiology with Professor Anthony Dickenson and in vivo calcium imaging with Professor Stephen McMahon (King鈥檚 College London) to study cancer-induced bone pain. Successively, as a PDRA in Dr Kirsty Bannister group (King鈥檚), he advanced opto- and chemogenetic techniques for studying descending modulatory circuits in health and disease. Currently he develops Cancer Neurophysiology research group at 艁ukasiewicz-PORT in Wroc艂aw.
His group bridges Neuroscience with Oncology, aiming to comprehend neurogenic regulation of carcinogenesis and associated pain. Employing state-of-the-art techniques (i.e., in vivo optical imaging, electrophysiology and optogenetics) they selectively sample and modulate activity of genetically defined neuronal populations and their effects on tumour biology. In this pursuit, the group aspires to forge innovative therapies for cancer and associated pain, rooted in a deep understanding of neuronal systems.