Draft:Illeana Hanganu-Opatz
Ileana Hanganu-Opatz (June 20, 1975) is a significant figure in the field of developmental neurophysiology, with a particular interest regarding the maturation of neuronal networks under physiological conditions.[1] Hanganu-Opatz has led the Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf,[2] or UKE in Germany. Her research is identified by the use of combining electrophysiological methods and optogenetics with imaging and behavioral assessments. Her lab explores the role of early network oscillations in the development of cognition and sensory perception, uni- and multisensory processing and ontogeny, as well as pathophysiology of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. She has contributed to numerous peer reviewed publications,[3] and this leadership outspreads her research on neuronal networks to the DFG Priority Programme, which aims to identify causal relationships linking the activity of single neurons and networks to behavior.
Born in Bucharest, Romania in the year 1975, Opatz initiated her academic career with a foundation in Mathematics/Informations before choosing to pursue Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Bucharest from 1994 to 1998. She continued her academic journey, honing her skills in cellular physiology at the University of Hamburg Germany, where she was supported by an EU TEMPUS fellowship. Hanganu-Optaz completed her PhD at Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf Germany in 2002. It was here she researched brain wiring and cortical development which influenced much of her postdoctoral work.[4] She currently continues to conduct her research at her own lab, the “Opatz Lab,” at the medical center in UKE.[2]
Early Life and Education
Ileana Hanganu-Opatz began her undergraduate experience studying biology and biochemistry at the University of Bucharest. During that time, she was awarded the EU-funded diploma thesis opportunity at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) in Germany where she was exposed to different research methodologies. Following the completion of her undergraduate studies Hanganu-Opatz pursued a PhD at the University of Düsseldorf under the watch of Professor Heiko Luhmann. Here she would begin her research on the intricacies of developing neuronal networks.
During her graduate studies from 1999 to 2002, Hanganu-Opatz received a fellowship for the Neuroscience Graduate Program, "Pathologische Prozesse des Nervensystems: Vom Gen zum Verhalten," providing her with specialized training and resources to delve deeper into her research interests. Just before embarking on a postdoctoral journey at the INSERM/INMED Marseille in France, Hanganu-Opatz defended her PhD thesis in 2002 to continue her exploration of developing neural networks soon after.[4]
Career
Ileana Hanganu-Opatz began her career as a biochemist and biologist at the University of Bucharest and in 1998 she graduated from the University.[2] During her time at the university, she worked in the lab of Professor Jurgen Schwarz working on cellular physiology. As a result, this allowed her to gain comprehensive knowledge on electrophysiology, which would prove to be important to the development of her career. She would go on to receive her PhD on the mechanism of brain wiring and cortical development at the University of Düsseldorf. In her postdoctoral endeavors, she would deepen her knowledge on this topic and go on to receive the Dubois-Reymond prize in 2008.[4] In 2009, Optaz’s work and research conducted on cellular physiology and electrophysiology would prove to pay off as she was appointed as a Professor of Physiology and granted her own lab at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. In the upcoming years, Optaz would build on her expertise and leadership in the field and become the coordinator of DFG Priority Program 1665 and the Research Unit 5159.[2] Three years later, she would be elected as a member of the FENS Committee of Higher Education and Training Committee (CHET) at the FENS forum.[4] In this role, she made significant contributions to the next generation of neuroscientists by developing training programs designed to transform their weaknesses into strengths.[4] In 2017, Optaz would become the leader of the Institute for Developmental Neurophysiology at the University Medical Center of Hamburg-Eppendorf. In 2022, she would go on to become the Director of the Hamburg Center of Excellence.[2]
Research
As a professor of Physiology at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hanganu-Opatz contributed to the field of developmental neurophysiology.[5] Her research lab is dedicated to understanding and exploring the maturation of neuronal networks and their implications for cognitive development and sensory processing.[5] Their work is particularly focused on how these networks evolve under both normal and pathological conditions, to discover the underlying mechanisms that impact cognitive function and sensory perception.[5]
Hanganu-Opatz’s lab combines advanced electrophysiological methods with optogenetics and imaging techniques, as an interdisciplinary method to facilitate new insights.[interview] Measuring the electrical activity of neurons and studying them in real-time allows them to create functional images of the structural aspects of neuronal networks during development. Current research interests include the development of neuro-immune cross-talk, sensory control of the maturation of cognitive processing, uni- and multisensory processing, dysfunction of neuronal networks and early oscillations, and development of neuronal networks accounting for cognitive processing. The lab often collaborated with other research groups and institutions to enhance the scope of individual findings.[interview] Under the leadership of Hanganu-Opatz, the lab has been accredited for its contributions to neuroscience, acquiring prestigious awards and funding from the European Research Council.[6]
Awards and Honors
Dagmar Eissner Award (2003): Ileana Hanganu-Opatz was awarded the Dagmar Eissner Award in 2003 for her pioneering PhD work focused on brain wiring and cortical development. This award acknowledged her early, significant contributions to neurophysiology, particularly in understanding the mechanisms that underpin brain function during development.[7]
FENS Excellence Grant (2006): In 2006, she received the FENS Excellence Grant from the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies. This grant acknowledged her significant research contributions to the understanding of the development of neuronal networks, specifically her work on the cellular interactions and functional communications critical for the development and maturation of prefrontal-hippocampal networks essential for mnemonic abilities.[7]
Du Bois-Reymond Award (2008): The Du Bois-Reymond Award was conferred upon Hanganu-Opatz in 2008 by the German Society of Physiology. This award recognized her outstanding and independent scientific achievements in physiology, particularly her research contributions to electrophysiology and its relevance to neurological disorders.[8]
Emmy Noether Grant (2009): The Emmy Noether Grant was awarded to her in 2009 by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), which supports highly qualified early-career researchers. This grant recognized her potential for leading a research group and for conducting innovative and impactful research in neuroscience.[4]
FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence Membership (2014): In 2014, Hanganu-Opatz became a member of the FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence. This membership is awarded to neuroscientists who have made significant contributions to the field and are deemed to have the potential for future excellence in neuroscience research.[9]
ERC Consolidator Grant (2015): The ERC Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council was awarded to her in 2015. This grant supported her ambitious research on the development and function of neuronal networks, specifically focusing on how early network oscillations contribute to the development of cognitive behaviors and the mechanics underlying neuropsychiatric disorders. This grant is aimed at supporting groundbreaking research on cellular substrate of abnormal network maturation in neuropsychiatric disorders.[10]
Selected Publications
Articles
- Dupont, E., Hanganu, I., Kilb, W. et al. Rapid developmental switch in the mechanisms driving early cortical columnar networks. Nature 439, 79–83 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04264[3]
- Hanganu, I. L., Ben-Ari, Y., & Khazipov, R. (2006). Retinal waves trigger spindle bursts in the neonatal rat visual cortex. The Journal of neuroscience: the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 26(25), 6728–6736. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0752-06.2006[3]
- Yang, J. W., Hanganu-Opatz, I. L., Sun, J. J., & Luhmann, H. J. (2009). Three patterns of oscillatory activity differentially synchronize developing neocortical networks in vivo. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 29(28), 9011–9025. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5646-08.2009[3]
- Brockmann, M. D., Pöschel, B., Cichon, N., & Hanganu-Opatz, I. L. (2011). Coupled oscillations mediate directed interactions between prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of the neonatal rat. Neuron, 71(2), 332–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.041[3]
References
- ^ "Prof. Dr. Ileana Hanganu-Opatz". NeuroWissenschaftliche Gesellschaft.
- ^ a b c d e "Ileana L. Hanganu-Opatz, PhD". InsideScientific.
- ^ a b c d e "Ileana Hanganu-Opatz Key Publications". Fens Kavli Network of Excellence.
- ^ a b c d e f "Ileana Hanganu-Opatz". Fens Kavli Network of Excellence.
- ^ a b c "Ileana Hanganu-Opatz". British Neuroscience Association.
- ^ "Major funder tracks impact: European Research Council embarks on an unusual evaluation that could inspire others". Gale Academic Onefile.
- ^ a b "Prof. Dr. Ileana Livia Hanganu-Opatz". Academia Net.
- ^ "Mainzer Neurophysiologin erhält renommierten Du Bois-Reymond-Preis – Auszeichnung der Deutschen Physiologischen Gesellschaft für hervorragendes und eigenständiges Werk der Nachwuchswissenschaftlerin". Gesundheit Adhoc.
- ^ "Programme Committee". Federation of European Neuroscience Societies.
- ^ https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/erc_2015_cog_results_ls.pdf