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Joanna H. Sliwowska, PhD
Contact Information
University of British Columbia
Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences
Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology
2146 Health Sciences Mall
Vancouver BC; Canada V6T 1Z3
Academic Information
Research Associate, Weinberg Lab
Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Postdoctoral Fellow
Neuroendocrinology
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
PhD, Physiology
Adam Mickiewicz University
Poznan, Poland
PhD Training
- Neuroscience, Stockholm University, Sweden
- Neuroscience, Oregon University, USA
MSc, Cell Biology
Adam Mickiewicz University
Poznan, Poland
Research Interest
My scientific interests focus on the neurobiology of reproduction and stress. From the literature it is obvious that much more research has been done on males then on females with the justification that females have more complicated reproductive cycles (estrous or menstrual cycle). The clinical literature also suggests that females differ from males in their biological and subjective responses to several drugs of abuse. Furthermore, data have shown that women have a greater response to stressors and higher rates of depression than men. Moreover, women are particularly vulnerable to depression during times of reproductive hormonal change.
Alterations in the serotonergic system are known to modulate mood, emotion, and decreased serotoninergic neurotransmission has been proposed to be involved in a wide range of dysfunctions including obsessive-compulsive disorders, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Interestingly, dysfunction of the serotonergic system is also observed in animals prenatally exposed to ethanol.
My current research projects are related to studying effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in adult female rats.
My objectives are:
- To understand the interactions between the female ovarian hormones (estradiol and progesterone) and the stress hormones in adult females prenatally exposed to ethanol.
- To explore alterations in serotonergic systems in adult females after prenatal ethanol exposure.
- To find out how prenatal ethanol exposure and postnatal stress modulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis in female and male rats
Book chapters, review and research papers
- Lan, N., Yamashita, F., Halpert, A.G., Sliwowska, J.H., Ellis L., Yu WK., Viau V., & Weinberg J. (submitted)Effect of prenatal ethanol exposure on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function across the estrus cycle. Alcohol Clin Exp Res.
- Sliwowska, J.H., Lan, N., Yamashita, F., Halpert, A.G., Viau, V., & Weinberg, J. (in press). Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity and hippocampal 5HT1A receptor mRNA levels in female rats across the estrous cycle. Psychoneuroendocrionology.
- Weinberg, J., Sliwowska J.,H., Lan N., & Hellemans K,G,C. (2008). Prenatal alcohol exposure: Foetal programming, the HPA axis and
sex differences in outcome. Neuroendocrinol. 20(4):470-88.
- Bogusz, A.L., Hardy, S.L., Lehman, M.N., Connos, J.M., Hileman, S.M., Sliwowska, J.H., Billings, H.J. McManus, C.J., Valent, M., Singh, S.R., Coolen, L.M., & Goodman, R.L. (2008) Evidence that g-amino butyric acid is part of the neural circuit mediating estradiol negative feedback in anestrous ewes. Endocrinology. 149(6):2762-72.
- Sliwowska JH., Zhang X., Weinberg J. (2006) Prenatal ethanol exposure and fetal programming: implications for endocrine and immune development and long-term health. p. 153-181. In: Brain development. Normal Processes and Effects of Alcohol and Nicotine Ed. Michael W. Miller. Oxford University Press. ...link to Amazon.com.
- Sliwowska JH., Billings HJ., Goodman RL., Lehman MN. (2006) Immunocytochemical colocalization of GABA-B receptor subunits in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons of the sheep. Neuroscience. 141(1): 311-9. ...abstract in PubMed.
- Zhang X., Sliwowska JH, Weinberg J. (2005) Prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal programming: effects on neuroendocrine and immune function. Exp Biol Med ;230(6):376-88. ...abstract in PubMed.
- Sliwowska JH., Billings HJ., Goodman RL., Coolen LM., Lehman MN. (2004) The premammillary hypothalamic area of the ewe: anatomical characterization of a melatonin target area mediating seasonal reproduction. Biol Reprod. 70(6):1768- 75. ...abstract in PubMed.
- Sliwowska J. and Skrzypczak J. (2002) Assesment of macrophages from peritoneal fluid from women with endometriosois. Archives of Peritoneal Medicine 7(3): 50-55.
- Sliwowska J., Rosinski G., and Nässel D.R. (2001) Cardioacceleratory action of tachykinin-related neuropeptides and proctolin in two coleopteran insect species. Peptides 22: 209-217. ...abstract in PubMed.
- Szeszel-Fedorowicz W., Rosinski G., Issberner J., Osborne., Sliwowska J., Konopinska D. (2001) Myotropic effects of new proctolin analogues modified in the position 5 of peptide chain in insects. Pol. J. Pharmacol. 53(1): 31-8 13. ...abstract in PubMed.
- Rudwall A.J., Sliwowska J., and Nässel D.R. (2000) Allatotropin-like neuropeptide in the cockroach nervous system: myotropin action, sexually dimorphic distribution and collocalization with serotonin. J. Comp. Neurol. 428: 159-173 . ...abstract in PubMed.
- Puk E., Skrzypczak J., Sliwowska J. (1998) Composition and concentration of immunocompetent cells in peritoneal fluid of women with minimal endometriosis. Cent-Europ. J. Immunol. 23: 158-162.
IMPART Portfolio
This is my second year as a participant in the IMPART program. The IMPART program allows me to develop and broaden my knowledge in the field of drug addiction. Here I have a great opportunity to interact with scientists in this field. In the present and past year, I delivered several seminars to “the IMPART family members” and participated in very interesting discussions, which range from basic science, clinical studies, ethics, and social science.
Other Pursuits and Interests
Among my many interest I am particularly found of traveling, music, hiking, photography and, of course, spending time with my family.
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This page was last updated on 31 July 2008.
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