SzSA YearBook 2016/17

SZENT-GYÖRGYI STUDENTS
MÁRK HARANGOZÓ
Szeged Scientists Academy, 1 st year
University of Szeged,
Faculty of Medicine, 1 st year
E: markharangozo@gmail.com
T: +36 30/850-0171
DATE OF BIRTH:
1998
SZENT-GYÖRGYI PUPIL:
yes
SZENT-GYÖRGYI MENTOR:
Dr. Antal Berényi
SPECIALTY:
neuroscience
SECONDARY SCHOOL:
Radnóti Miklós Experimental
Grammar School, Szeged
NAME OF TEACHER:
Sándor Bán
LANGUAGES:
English/advanced
French/intermediate
IMPORTANCE, AIMS AND POSSIBLE OUTCOME OF RESEARCH
Anxiety and depression are responsible for one of the largest societal and individual
burdens amongst the neuropsychiatric disorders and in many cases drug
treatments cannot maintain an asymptomatic state. Former investigations showed
that the mechanism of the transformation of concrete fear reactions into
generalized anxiety is similar to that of the learning, although the exact neuronal
mechanisms in the background are still unknown. Successful animal experiments
and clinical investigations proved that the depression and anxiety can
be made asymptomatic by electrical stimulation, although this effect is rather
diffuse. The aim of my work is to explore the neuronal networks and cell-type
specific chokepoints which are responsible for the efficacy of the electrical therapies.
In our experiments we use different transgenic animal models in which
cell-type specific optoproteins are expressed, making their selective excitation
or inhibition feasible. Fear reactions are going to be evoked by using lege artis
electrical footshock and we attempt to prevent their generalization into anxiety
by optical stimulation. The efficacy of the stimulation will be evaluated by measuring
the level of anxiety after re-exposure to a similar environment by standard
psychophysiological methods (e.g. freezing). The long-term goal of my work is
to develop non-pharmaceutical methods to treat drug-resistant anxiety and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
AIMS DURING HIS CAREER
After obtaining my medical degree, I would like to become an internationally
known physicist and researcher. I would like to get a PhD and a postdoctoral
degree, too. In order to get experience, I would like to work abroad, mainly either
in the US or in the UK as a member of an international team.
HONORS AND PRIZES
• 2014 iGEM HS division: Best Experimental Measurement (as the member of
team HUNGENIOUS)
• 2015 EUSO: silver medal (as the member of the Hungarian team)
PUBLICATIONS
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102