Short bio: Caroline Biojone has a background in psychopharmacology and neuroscience and has developed specialized expertise in elucidating the mechanisms of action of both experimentally and clinically used antidepressants. A key focus of her research is understanding drug-receptor interactions, as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which drugs exert their effects. This includes the study of post-translational modifications, conformational changes, mechanisms influencing receptor turnover and mobility on the membrane, interactions with partner proteins, and the biochemical pathways affected by pharmaceutical agents.

She completed her Master's and PhD training in Pharmacology at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, followed by extensive Neuroscience training at the University of Helsinki, Finland, where she worked as a researcher before relocating to Denmark.

Besides her research, she is passionate about teaching, including both the supervision of MSc and PhD candidates and classroom instruction, as she views it as a significant contribution to the academic community and to society.

Main research areas: The Biojone group will be specializing in identifying novel molecular mechanisms that regulate plasticity, as well as developing and characterizing new molecules tailored for the pharmacological intervention of these emerging targets.

Research focus: Depression is a serious condition that causes prolonged feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. Approximately 5% of adults worldwide are affected by depression. Current treatments, primarily antidepressant medications, are not effective for everyone. Around 30% of patients do not respond to these drugs, and those who do often experience only modest improvements. As a result, depression remains a significant health challenge that requires urgent attention.

The exact cause of depression is still not fully understood, and it can manifest in various ways, with differing levels of severity. This suggests that multiple factors or causes may contribute to the development of depression. However, most antidepressants currently available share a similar mechanism of action, primarily focused on enhancing monoaminergic signaling in the brain. This approach does not adequately address the potential variability in the underlying causes of depression, or the wide range of symptoms experienced by different patients. Therefore, Caroline Biojone’s research is focused on identifying new molecular targets that could lead to the development of more effective drugs with novel mechanisms of action.

In this context, Caroline Biojone’s research has focused on identifying and characterizing novel molecular brakes of neuroplasticity, with the aim of developing targeted strategies to selectively release these brakes. The current focus of interest includes mechanisms dependent on PTPRS, TRKB, NOS1, and its associated partner proteins.

Neuroplasticity enables the brain to reorganize itself at both structural and functional levels, and, when combined with appropriate environmental stimuli, it can facilitate recovery from disorders like depression. While it is well-established that the modulation of neuronal plasticity holds significant therapeutic potential for treating brain disorders, there remains a gap between this knowledge and its translation into practical therapeutic applications. The aim is to bridge this gap by not only exploring novel molecular mechanisms but also characterizing new molecules for the pharmacological intervention of emerging targets.

We look forward to the innovative contributions Caroline Biojone will make to our research community.

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Caroline Biojone