Neurobiology Research Unit

Majbrit Myrup Jensen

Majbrit Myrup Jensen
MSc in Human Biology, PhD student

Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet

Scientific interests

Several CNS disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by cognitive impairments, which are not sufficiently treated with the current therapies. It is well-known that nicotine has pro-cognitive effects and thus the interest for the nicotinic receptors (NR) has been immense as they are possible drug targets for diseases with cognitive deficits. We and others have shown that the activation of one particular NR, the α7 NR, has positive effects on certain cognitive domains (i.e. attention and working memory) in both animals and humans, making the α7 NR a promising drug target in the future treatment of cognitive dysfunction.

Several proteins and peptides have been demonstrated to interact with the α7 NR. One of the most interesting groups of proteins that interact with the α7 NR is the Ly6 protein family, from which members have recently been demonstrated to regulate the function of the α7 NR with an important impact on cognition. It is currently not known how Ly6 proteins are regulated by physiological, pharmacological or pathological factors.

My research project focus on functional and pharmacological studies of the α7 NR with emphasis on α7 NR-interacting proteins in both normal and pathological conditions

Biography

2012 -	PhD student at the Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet
2011 - 2011	Research assistant at Neurobiology Research Unit
2009 - 2010	Master Student at the Neurobiology Research Unit
2008 - 2010	MSc in Humanbiology, University of Copenhagen
2004 - 2008	BSc in Physics and Nanotecnology, Technical University of Denmark

Publications

Jensen MM, Lange SC, Thomsen MS, Hansen HH, Mikkelsen JD.
The pharmacological effect of positive KCNQ (Kv7) modulators on dopamine release from striatal slices (2011) Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2011 Nov;109(5):339-42

Address

Neurobiology Research Unit, build. 9201
Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet
Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Phone: +45 3545 6704
Fax: +45 3545 6713
E-mail: majbrit.jensen#nru.dk