Professor Marysia Placzek

Marysia Placzek

Professor in Developmental Neurobiology
Department of Biomedical Science
The University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield S10 2TN
United Kingdom

Room: D18b Firth Court
Telephone: +44 (0) 114 222 2353
Email: m.placzek@sheffield.ac.uk

General	Brief career history 2014-2015 Director of the Bateson Centre (formerly, The MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics) at the University of Sheffield . 2009-2014 Acting Director, MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics 2007-2009 Deputy Director, MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics 1999-present: Professor in Developmental Neurobiology, University of Sheffield. 1997-1999: Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield. 1992-1997: Scientific Staff, National Institute of Medical Research, London. 1983-1987: Post-doctoral fellow, Columbia University, New York. Research Advisor: Dr Jane Dodd. 1983-1987: PhD. Imperial Cancer Research Fund and Imperial College, London. Research Advisor: Dr Gordon Peters. 1979-1983: Bsc, University of Edinburgh. Research interests We study how the hypothalamus of the brain is formed in the embryo In development, hypothalamic nerves and glia are built in space and time with an order and precision that leads ultimately to the integrated assembly of the brain-body axis. The proper development of the hypothalamus is therefore vital to ensure that throughout life, brain and body function in perfect harmony and balance. Our research focuses on the stem and progenitor cells that build the hypothalamus. Our goal is to characterise the molecular networks involved in hypothalamic development, and determine how they work to build and maintain the different cells of the hypothalamus. Our work will contribute to understanding the importance of the hypothalamus to robust long-term health and will shed light onto diseases and disruptions of homeostasis. Professional activities Scientific Advisory Board member Roslin Institute (2008-2011) 2012: MRC Suffrage Science Heirloom Recipient 2013-present: External Examiner, Dept. Zoology Cambridge 2015: MRC Doctoral Training Partnership Panel Member Full publications
Research	Building the hypothalamus through life My research focuses on the development of the hypothalamus and on its cellular plasticity over the lifecourse. The functions of the hypothalamus in mediating homeostasis are well-known. By contrast, little is understood of how hypothalamic cells form in development. This knowledge is important, because early indications suggest that deregulation of developmental programmes may underlie complex human pathological conditions, including stress and eating disorders. Our goal is therefore to understand how the hypothalamus develops in the embryo and how the proper embryonic assembly of the hypothalamus holds the key to robust adult function. We focus in particular on five key areas: The role of the prechordal mesoderm and the importance of its dynamic cellular and signalling properties to induction of a multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor. The characterisation of the multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor, in particular identification of the molecular and cellular cues that maintain a multipotent hypothalamic progenitor, or that promote its differentiation to different sets of hypothalamic neurons and glia, including infundibular glia. The cellular and molecular events that underlie the integrated assembly of the hypothalamo-pituitary neuraxis. The characterization of stem/progenitor-like tanycytes in the adult hypothalamus The importance of appropriate hypothalamic assembly to the stress-regulatory pathway and robust adult behaviour and health. We use a range of animal model systems (chick, mouse, zebrafish) and combine in vivo and ex vivo approaches with imaging, transgenic, gain-and loss-of-function approaches to characterise how stem/progenitor cells renew, or differentiate in response to local and systemic signals. Funding Medical Research Council (MRC)
Teaching	Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules Undergraduate: BMS243/247 Stem Cells BMS242/243 Principles of Developmental Biology BMS336 Modelling Human Disease and Dysfunction (Co-ordinator) Level 3 Practical and Dissertation Modules Masters (MSc): BMS6336 Modelling Human Disease and Dysfunction (Coordinator)

General

Brief career history

2014-2015 Director of the Bateson Centre (formerly, The MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics) at the University of Sheffield .
2009-2014 Acting Director, MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics
2007-2009 Deputy Director, MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics
1999-present: Professor in Developmental Neurobiology, University of Sheffield.
1997-1999: Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield.
1992-1997: Scientific Staff, National Institute of Medical Research, London.
1983-1987: Post-doctoral fellow, Columbia University, New York. Research Advisor: Dr Jane Dodd.
1983-1987: PhD. Imperial Cancer Research Fund and Imperial College, London. Research Advisor: Dr Gordon Peters.
1979-1983: Bsc, University of Edinburgh.

Research interests

We study how the hypothalamus of the brain is formed in the embryo

In development, hypothalamic nerves and glia are built in space and time with an order and precision that leads ultimately to the integrated assembly of the brain-body axis. The proper development of the hypothalamus is therefore vital to ensure that throughout life, brain and body function in perfect harmony and balance. Our research focuses on the stem and progenitor cells that build the hypothalamus. Our goal is to characterise the molecular networks involved in hypothalamic development, and determine how they work to build and maintain the different cells of the hypothalamus. Our work will contribute to understanding the importance of the hypothalamus to robust long-term health and will shed light onto diseases and disruptions of homeostasis.

Professional activities

Scientific Advisory Board member Roslin Institute (2008-2011)
2012: MRC Suffrage Science Heirloom Recipient
2013-present: External Examiner, Dept. Zoology Cambridge
2015: MRC Doctoral Training Partnership Panel Member

Full publications

Research

Building the hypothalamus through life

My research focuses on the development of the hypothalamus and on its cellular plasticity over the lifecourse.

The functions of the hypothalamus in mediating homeostasis are well-known. By contrast, little is understood of how hypothalamic cells form in development. This knowledge is important, because early indications suggest that deregulation of developmental programmes may underlie complex human pathological conditions, including stress and eating disorders. Our goal is therefore to understand how the hypothalamus develops in the embryo and how the proper embryonic assembly of the hypothalamus holds the key to robust adult function. We focus in particular on five key areas:

The role of the prechordal mesoderm and the importance of its dynamic cellular and signalling properties to induction of a multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor.
The characterisation of the multipotent embryonic hypothalamic progenitor, in particular identification of the molecular and cellular cues that maintain a multipotent hypothalamic progenitor, or that promote its differentiation to different sets of hypothalamic neurons and glia, including infundibular glia.
The cellular and molecular events that underlie the integrated assembly of the hypothalamo-pituitary neuraxis.
The characterization of stem/progenitor-like tanycytes in the adult hypothalamus
The importance of appropriate hypothalamic assembly to the stress-regulatory pathway and robust adult behaviour and health.

We use a range of animal model systems (chick, mouse, zebrafish) and combine in vivo and ex vivo approaches with imaging, transgenic, gain-and loss-of-function approaches to characterise how stem/progenitor cells renew, or differentiate in response to local and systemic signals.

Funding

Medical Research Council (MRC)

Teaching

Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules

Undergraduate:

BMS243/247 Stem Cells
BMS242/243 Principles of Developmental Biology
BMS336 Modelling Human Disease and Dysfunction (Co-ordinator)
Level 3 Practical and Dissertation Modules

Masters (MSc):

BMS6336 Modelling Human Disease and Dysfunction (Coordinator)

Selected publications

Journal articles

Placzek M & Briscoe J (2018) Sonic hedgehog in vertebrate neural tube development. International Journal of Developmental Biology, 62(1-3), 221-230. View this article in WRRO
Fu T, Towers M & Placzek M (2017) Fgf10(+) progenitors give rise to the chick hypothalamus by rostral and caudal growth and differentiation.. Development, 144, 3278-3288. View this article in WRRO
Eachus H, Bright C, Cunliffe VT, Placzek M, Wood JD & Watt PJ (2017) Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 is essential for normal hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis function. Human Molecular Genetics, 26(11), 1992-2005. View this article in WRRO
Muthu V, Eachus H, Ellis P, Brown S & Placzek M (2016) Rx3 and Shh direct anisotropic growth and specification in the zebrafish tuberal/anterior hypothalamus. Development, 143, 2651-2663. View this article in WRRO
Burbridge S, Stewart I & Placzek M (2016) Development of the Neuroendocrine Hypothalamus.. Compr Physiol, 6(2), 623-643.
Ellis PS, Burbridge S, Soubes S, Ohyama K, Ben-Haim N, Chen C, Dale K, Shen MM, Constam D & Placzek M (2015) ProNodal acts via FGFR3 to govern duration of Shh expression in the prechordal mesoderm. Development, 142(22), 3821-3832. View this article in WRRO
Robins SC, Stewart I, McNay DE, Taylor V, Giachino C, Goetz M, Ninkovic J, Briancon N, Maratos-Flier E, Flier JS , Kokoeva MV et al (2013) α-Tanycytes of the adult hypothalamic third ventricle include distinct populations of FGF-responsive neural progenitors.. Nat Commun, 4, 2049. View this article in WRRO
Liu F, Pogoda H-M, Pearson CA, Ohyama K, Löhr H, Hammerschmidt M & Placzek M (2013) Direct and indirect roles of Fgf3 and Fgf10 in innervation and vascularisation of the vertebrate hypothalamic neurohypophysis.. Development, 140(5), 1111-1122.