Dr. Attila Köfalvi Laboratory of Neuromodulation and Metabolism, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of Coimbra, and Research Associate at the Institute of Interdisciplinar Investigation, – The Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC) Coimbra

  • Young Investigator

Dysregulation of neural communication and glucose metabolism by neuromodulators in brain disorders.

  • Laboratory of Neuromodulation and Metabolism, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of Coimbra, and Research Associate at the Institute of Interdisciplinar Investigation,
  • [email protected]
  • +351 239 820-190, ext: 126
  • Portugal

About Dr. Attila Köfalvi

Research:

Brain glucose metabolism is tightly coupled to neural activity. My lab investigates how modulators of neural activity such as adenosine, endocannabinoids, glucocorticoids, and insulin-like peptides trigger changes in glucose metabolism. 

All neurological and psychiatric disorders are linked with persistent changes in glucose metabolism in very specific regions in the human brain. 18F-deoxyglucose and functional MRI imaging help neurologists detect these alterations which are precious and selective early markers of brain disorders. Many times these metabolic anomalies preceed neurodegeneration by years. Hence, we also would like to know if the restoration of altered brain glucoregulation could improve the outcome of the given brain disease, or even, prevent the onset of it.

Education and career:

2011/09/01-present: Research associate at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Investigations, UC
2010/09-present: Own laboratory with office (Laboratory of Neuromodulation and Metabolism)
2009: FELASA Category C certificate on Laboratory Animal Science
2007-present: Research fellow of Associate Laboratories, renovable after every 5 years (first renovation occurred in november/2012)
2004-2007: Post-doc at the laboratory of Purines at CNC, Coimbra
2005: Achievement award of the International Cannabinoid Research Society
2004: PhD in Neurosciences at the Semmelweis Medical School, Budapest
2001: Good Laboratory Practice certificate at the Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest
1999: Diploma in Biology at the Eötvös Lorand University, Budapest

Grants and fellowships so far:

2004-2006: Hungarian-Portuguese S&T Project, value: 20,000 €
2005: A 1-year IBRO Research Fellowship, value: 25,000 €
2005: 2-year research fellowship of the III/UC, code: III/BIO/56/2005; value: 25,000 €
2007-2009: 2-year research fellowship, code Project Grices PT-18/2007; value: 20,000 €
2010: 27-month FCT grant, code: PTDC/SAU-OSM/105663/2008; value: 100,000 €.
2010: 24-month FCT grant, code: PTDC/SAU-NEU/100729/2008; value: 92,000 €.

Ressources: 

Own webpage at the University of Coimbra: http://apps.uc.pt/mypage/staff/uc40923/en
ORCID profile: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6910-9707
My publications at PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=kofalvi+a+or+kafalvi+a