Anna Moszczynska

projects
Investigating Protein Ubiquitination in Methamphetamine Use Disorder. (ongoing)

Faculty Profile

Associate Professor
ei2744@wayne.edu

Suffix

Ph.D.

Office Location

EACPHS, Room 3142

Phone

313-577-1257

Department

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Degrees and Certifications

  • 1987 B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, Institute of Technical Biochemistry, Technical University of Lodz, Poland
  • 1988 M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, Institute of Technical Biochemistry, with Honours,Technical University of Lodz, Poland
  • 1995 M.Sc. in Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada

  • 2002 Ph.D. in Neurochemistry, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, ON, Canada

  • 2005 Post-doctoral Fellowship in Molecular Neurobiology, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 
2007 Post-doctoral Fellowship in Molecular Genetics, University of Guelph, ON, Canada
2008 Post-doctoral Fellowship in Pharmacology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

Positions and Employment

  • 2016 - Associate Professor. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, USA. Research: The ubiquitin proteasome system in methamphetamine neurotoxicity.
  • 2010 - Assistant Professor. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, USA. Research: The ubiquitin proteasome system in methamphetamine neurotoxicity.
  • 2008 - 2010 Research Assistant Professor. Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA. Research: The ubiquitin proteasome system in methamphetamine neurotoxicity.
  • 2007 - 2008 Postdoctoral Research Associate. Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Research: The role of ubiquitination in methamphetamine neurotoxicity.
  • 2006 - 2007 Postdoctoral Research Associate. Laboratory of Population Genetics, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph and Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Guelph, ON, Canada. Research: DNA barcoding of the phylum, Platyhelminthes and characterization and population genetics of a transposable element, Pokey, in Daphnia.
  • 2002 - 2005 Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. Research: Protein-protein interactions, transporter and receptor pharmacology, and intracellular signalling in neurodegenerative diseases.
  • 1996 - 2002 Ph.D. student (supervisor: Dr. Stephen J. Kish). Human Neurochemical Pathology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. Thesis title: Major antioxidant systems in brain of chronic methamphetamine users and in parallel animal model.
  • 1995 - 1996 Research Associate. Human Neurochemical Pathology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience Research,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. Research: Phospholipid metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases.
  • 1992 - 1995 Master student (supervisor: Dr. Michal Opas). Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Thesis title: Adhesion, growth and differentiation of RPE-J cell line.

Awards and Honors

    • Career Development Chair Award (2019 - 2021)
    • Sabbatical Leave Award (2019 - 2020)
    • GRA Competition Award (2018 - 2019)
    • FRAP Collaborative Research Award (2018 - 2019)
    • Tuition Incentive Award (2017 - 2018)
    • Academy of Scholars WSU Junior Faculty Award (2015)
    • Tuition Incentive Award (2015 - 2016)
    • FRAP Young Investigator Award (2013 - 2014)
    • University Research Grant (2013 - 2014)
    • Presentation at NIDA's satellite mini-convention "Frontiers in Addiction Research" at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC (2008)
    • Parkinson Society Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship (2004 - 2006)
    • Ontario Mental Health Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2003 - 2004)
    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (1999 - 2001)
    • Ontario Mental Health Foundation Scholarship (1996 - 1999)
    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (1994 - 1995)
    • University of Toronto Open Fellowship (1993 - 1994)
    • Technical University of Lodz Dean's Award (1987 - 1988)

Grant Support

  • Career Development Chair Award (2019 - 2021) “Parkin Deficiency and Substance Use Disorder”. Role: PI
  • Bridge Grant (2018 - 2020) “The role of ubiquitin protein ligase parkin in vulnerability to develop methamphetamine addiction”. Role: PI
  • NIH/NIDA R01 DA034783 (2013-2019) "Proteasome and parkin as drug targets against methamphetamine toxicity". Role: PI
  • NIH/NIDA R00 DA023085 (2010-2013) "The Role of Ubiquitination in Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity". Role: PI
  • NIH/NIDA, K99DA023085 (2008-2010)  “The role of ubiquitination in methamphetamine neurotoxicity”. Role: PI

Professional Memberships

  • 1995 Member, Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
  • 1995 Member, International Brain Organization (IBRO)
  • 2010 Member, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)
  • 2010 Member, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)
  • 2011 Member, International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN)
  • 2011 Member, New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS)
  • 2011 Member, The Rho Chi Society
  • 2013 Council Member, Society for Neuroscience Michigan Chapter (MiSfN)
  • 2013 Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Primary Research Interest

My current research focuses on discovery of novel molecular and epigenetic drug targets to attenuate methamphetamine (METH) abuse in heavy users of the drug.  My primary research interest is parkin and proteasome, two components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, as drug targets in MUD.  My secondary research interest lies in transposable elements (rat LINE-1 an Identifier element) and their role in mediating METH neurotoxicity. 

Research Models: Rat model of heavy METH use, rat models of METH neurotoxicity (chronic METH and METH overdose), rat mode of parkin deficiency (Park2-/- rats) and parkin excess (parkin overexpressing rats).

Main Research Techniques: Native and 2D gel electrophoresis/western blotting, multi-PAGE electrophoresis/western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, in vivo gene transfer with adeno-associated viral vectors, manipulation of protein-protein interactions with TAT-peptides, anxiety and cognitive behavioral tests, and enzymatic assays, as well as proteomic analysis.

Positions available: postdoctoral fellow, research assistant/associate, technician

Recent Publications

Moszczynska, A. Differential Responses of LINE-1 in Rat Dentate Gyrus and Striatum to Chronic Neurotoxic Methamphetamine Administration. (2020) ‎Genes (published online). Impact factor: 3.33.

Tong, J., Fitzmaurice, P.S. Moszczynska, A., Rathitharan, G., Ang, L-C, Meyer, J.H., Mizrahi, R., Boileau, I., Furukawa, Y., McCluskey, T., Sailasuta, N. and Kish, S.J. Normal Glutathione Levels in Autopsied Brain of Chronic Users of Heroin and of Cocaine. (2018) Free Radic. Biol. Med. 190:20-28. Impact factor: 5.74 

Feldmann, D.P., Cheng, Y., Kandil, R., Xie, Y, Mohammadi, M., Harz, H., Sharma, A.*, Moszczynska, A. Leonhardt, H., Pun, S.H. and Merkel, O.M. In Vitro and In Vivo Delivery of siRNA via VIPER Polymer System to Lung Cells (2018). JCR 276:50-58. Impact factor: 7.70

Gemechu, J.M., Sharma, A.*, Yu, D., Xie, Y., Merkel, O.M. and Moszczynska, A. Characterization of Dopaminergic System in the Striatum of Young Adult Park2-/- Knockout Rats. (2018) Sci. Rep. 8:1517 (Nature Publishing Group). Impact factor: 4.52

Flack, A., Persons, A.L., Kousik, S.M., Napier, T.C., and Moszczynska, A. Self-Administration of Methamphetamine Alters Gut Biomarkers of Toxicity. (2017) Eur. J. Neurosci. 46:1918-32. Impact factor: 2.94

Moszczynska, A. and Callan, S.P. Molecular, Behavioral and Physiological Consequences of Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity: Implications for Treatment. A review. (2017) JPET 362:474-88. Review. Impact factor: 3.03

Moszczynska, A. Burghardt, K. and Yu, D.* Neurotoxic Doses of Chronic Methamphetamine Trigger Retrotransposition of Identifier Element in Rat Dorsal Dentate Gyrus. (2017) Genes 8; pii: E96. Impact factor: 3.24

Rhinesmith, T.*, Killinger, B.A.*, Sharma, A.*, Moszczynska, A. Multimer-PAGE: A method for capturing and resolving protein complexes in biological samples. (2017) J Vis Exp 123. Impact factor: 1.13 

Feldmann, D.P., Xie, Y, Jones, S.K., Yu, D., Moszczynska, A. and Merkel, O.M. The impact of microfluidic mixing of triblock micelleplexes on in vitro/in vivo gene silencing and intracellular trafficking. (2017) Nanotechnology 28; 224001. Impact factor: 3.57

Xie, Y.*, Killinger, B.A.*, Moszczynska, A. and Merkel, O.M. Targeted Delivery of siRNA to Transferrin Receptor Overexpressing Tumor Cells via Peptide Modified Polyethylenimine. (2016) Molecules 21:E1334. Impact factor: 6.02

Moszczynska, A.  Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity. (2016) Psychiatr. Times 33:16-8. Review.

Luong D, Kesharwani P, Killinger BA*, Moszczynska A, Sarkar FH, Padhye S, Rishi AK, Iyer AK. Solubility enhancement and targeted delivery of a potent anticancer flavonoid analogue to cancer cells using folate decorated dendrimer nano-architectures. (2016) J. Colloid Interface Sci. 484:33. Impact factor: 6.02

Moszczynska, A. Methamphetamine and the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System. (2016) In Neuropathology of Addiction and Substance Misuse. Publisher: Elsevier; Editor: Victor R. Preedy.

Killinger, B.A.* and Moszczynska, A. The Characterization of α-synuclein multimer assembly and stoichiometry in complex biological samples by electrophoresis. (2016) ACS Anal. Chem. 88:4071-84. Impact factor: 5.64

Tong J, Fitzmaurice PS, Moszczynska A, Mattina K, Ang LC, Boileau I, Furukawa Y, Sailasuta N, Kish SJ. Do glutathione levels decline in ageing human brain? (2016) Free Radic. Biol. Med. 93:110-7. Impact factor: 5.74

Killinger, B.A.* and Moszczynska, A. Epothilone D prevents binge methamphetamine-mediated loss of striatal dopaminergic markers. (2016) J. Neurochem. 136:510-25. Impact factor: 4.24.

Moszczynska, A., Flack, A., Ping, Q, Muotri, A. R. and Killinger, B.A.* Neurotoxic methamphetamine doses increase LINE-1 expression in the neurogenic zones of the adult rat brain. (2015) Sci. Reports. 5:14356 (Nature Publishing Group). Impact factor: 5.58

Nadithe, V., Liu, R., Killinger, B.A.*, Movassaghian, S., Kim, N-H., Moszczynska, A., Masters, K., Gellman, S., and Merkel, O. “Screening of Nylon-3 Polymers, a New Class of Cationic Amphiphiles for siRNA Delivery". (2015) Mol. Pharmaceutics. 12:362-74. Impact factor: 4.57.

DO NOT EDIT: Experts guide blurb

Anna Moszczynska is an expert in in the field of methamphetamine neurotoxicity, working toward a treatment to prevent, inhibit or reverse the toxic effects of methamphetamine on the brain. She is also searching for new drug target candidates for Methamphetamine Use Disorder.