Team | Department of Anatomy

Alemeh Zamani Group

Choroid Plexus in Diseases

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Alemeh Zamani, Ph.D.

Head of the research group, Alemeh Zamani Research Group: Choroid Plexus in Diseases

office: bldg. F01B2/168
Kamenice 126/3
625 00 Brno

e‑mail:

Greetings! My name is Alemeh, and I have been studying neuroscience since 2011. For my master's, I investigated the development of the sea urchin's nervous system. During my PhD, I characterized the desensitization of channelrhodopsins, the first identified optogenetics tools. In the first two years of my postdoctoral research, I used paclitaxel to mimic tau pathology and study its effects on synaptic transmission. Since 2019, my research has focused on the role of the choroid plexus (responsible for most CSF production) in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and neuropathic pain.

I love what I do and am eager to contribute to our understanding of brain function and disease mechanisms. I look forward to new collaborations and opportunities to explore the world of neuroscience!

ADVISORY BOARD

prof. Mgr. Václav Brázda, Ph.D.

office: bldg. F01B2/118
Kamenice 126/3
625 00 Brno

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e‑mail:

"The only way to know more is to ask endlessly for solutions and never stop looking for answers". I am a professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics. My research interests focus on the study of nucleic acids and proteins and their roles in transcription regulation, pathogenesis of various diseases, including their involvement in longevity, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We use a wide range of methods ranging from bioinformatics, biophysical to molecular biology methods. Publications on Medline. Google scholar.

doc. Ahad Zareravasan, PhD

e‑mail:

I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Business Management, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University. My research interests include Artificial Intelligence, data and business analytics, and Blockchain. I help the group with analyzing large set of experimental datasets.

postdocs

Malahatosadat Dianat, Ph.D., Ph.D

e‑mail:

I am an evolutionary biologist specializing in animal diversity, distribution, and evolutionary history. My research began with investigating the biogeography of rodents in arid and semi-arid regions of the Palearctic, utilizing genetic and morphological data. Subsequently, I explored the impact of climatic fluctuations and geomorphological events on shrews in sub-Saharan Africa using genomic data from Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). While my primary focus has been on small mammals, my collaborative efforts have expanded to include evolutionary studies involving spiders. In addition to phylogeny and biogeography, I am engaged in gene expression studies, particularly investigating the aging process in annual killifish through DNA methylation analysis. Currently, I collaborate with researchers studying Alzheimer's disease to assist with RNA sequencing.

phd students

Parisa EmamiAref

e‑mail:

I joined this department in February 2023. Before coming, I received my BSc (laboratory science) and MSc (medical biochemistry) degrees from Iran, I have a passion for delving into the intricacies of neuroscience. My academic journey has led me to explore the fascinating world of neuroscience, and I'm enthusiastic about contributing to the field's advancements.

Mgr. Petra Orviská

e‑mail:

I am currently a PhD student under the supervision of Alemeh. My topic is to Study the role of the choroid plexus in Alzheimer's disease, for which I am using NGS, proteomics, and cell culture methods to investigate the link between AD and Diabetes mellitus. For my Master’s thesis, which I also worked on in this department, I studied the process of Tau phosphorylation in the choroid plexus and the role of neuroinflammation in this process. For my Bachelor’s thesis, I did a research of various infectious pathogens correlating to the development of AD. In my free time, I like to volunteer – I helped as a health care assistant in the hospice Domov Matky Rosy in Rajhrad, as well as in Alzheimercentrum Piešťany. I always had a big interest in the molecular and neurological background of Alzheimer’s disease and am glad to be working on understanding this disease a little closer with my research group.

p-pool students

Karolína Jeřábková

e‑mail:

I joined the Alemeh Zamani Research Group in February 2021 within the national high school competition Students’ Professional Activities (SOČ, Středoškolská odborná činnost) to study the role of choroid plexus during Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This project firstly introduced me to the academic grounds, especially to an unpredictable yet exciting world of neuroscience research.

Currently, I am interested in the neuroinflammatory mechanism occurring in the choroid plexus cells during the pathophysiology of AD. Especially, I am eager to explore the inflammatory signalling pathways crucial to development of chronic immune response, believed to be the causative factor in AD pathogenesis. Moreover, my goal is to grow and flourish as a beginner neuroscientist.

Besides my research journey, I am a General Medicine student at Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. Eventually, I seek to establish the balance between conducting up-to-date neuroscience experimentation and engaging in impactful clinical practice. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends, dancing, and hiking in the lovely Czech nature!

undergraduate students

Nir Yavin

e‑mail:

Andrea Joukal

e‑mail:

Hi, my name is Andrea Kollárová and I am studying 5th year of General Medicine. I am very interested in science, particularly in Pathology and Forensic Science which also corresponds with my dream future career.

In my free time, I love watching films, reading books and in the winter I enjoy skiing.

soč students (National High shcool Competition)

Anna Brodecká

Gymnázium Brno, Slovanské náměstí- Supported by the JCMM!

Anna is now studying general medicine.

Karolína Jeřábková

Gymnázium Brno, Řečkovice- Supported by the JCMM!

Kaya is now studying general medicine.

Adéla Ondráčková

Gymnázium Brno, třída Kapitána Jaroše

Believe it or not, science and music have a lot in common. For the ideal results, precision and detail is important in both of these fields, and that's what I try to achieve, but everything has a learning curve. I still have a lot to figure out in science and life, but having the chance to try to work on it since highschool is an opportunity I will always be grateful for.

Neuroscience is interesting for me especially because my ancestors struggled with dementia, which can be linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. I also love overall figuring things out, which is not always easy to do in the lab, but it's definitely rewarding when you do.

Besides science and music, I also dance, read fantasy books, and work in social media management for some student non-profit organizations.

Eliška Drdová

Klvaňovo Gymnázium a střední Zdravotnická škola Kyjov- Supported by the JCMM!

Vojtěch Vlček

Gymnázium Brno, Slovanské náměstí- Supported by the JCMM!

I am a high school researcher primarily focused on the tight junctions of the choroid plexus and their role in maintaining the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier. My work explores how chemotherapeutic agents like paclitaxel impact and change these structures and possible implications of such changes. Currently, I assist in ongoing research projects deepening our understanding of choroid plexus. I aim to become researcher in field of neuroscience.
In my free time I volunteer at Salesian youth centre, wander nature and you’ll often find me out cycling. I am also an avid reader with interest in sci-fi literature.

Evelína Voleská

Gymnázium, Česká Třebová,

Welcome! My name is Evelína, and I am currently researching the immunoreactive dynamics of paclitaxel-induced neuropathy. I’m thrilled to be part of this dedicated research group. Outside of my scientific work, I plan to pursue a degree in general medicine. I am also passionate about art, particularly theater acting, where I find inspiration and creativity that complement my scientific aspirations.

Evelina was supervised by Parisa EmamiAref.

ifmsa students (short internship)