Peter Molnar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Nanoscience Technology Center and
Biomolecular Science Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
pmolnar@mail.ucf.edu, http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~pmolnar

 
CAREER

 

 

Electrophysiologist devoted to the development of functional in vitro test systems for the study of the central nervous system, normal and pathological behavior of neural networks and ion channels, synaptic plasticity, neurodegenerative diseases, memory and learning processes with unique skills and experience in both academic and industrial pharmaceutical research.
 

SUMMARY


 

 

 

Established track and funding record
Lead drug discovery projects at a pharmaceutical company
Teaching experience (Bioinstrumentation, Electrophysiology, Molecular Neuroscience)
Experienced in a broad scale of in vivo and in vitro electrophysiological and imaging methods (single channel and whole cell patch clamp recordings in cell cultures and in hippocampal slices, field /evoked potential recording in vivo and in vitro, measurement of single unit activity in different brain areas in vivo, multi-electrode recording, confocal microscopy, calcium imaging, flash photolysis)
Experienced in culturing primary cells and cell lines
Experienced in common silicon micro-manufacturing methods and surface modification techniques
Excellent computer skills: made commercial quality data acquisition and analysis programs, neuron models
 
     2004-
 

 

Assistant Professor
University of Central Florida, Nanoscience Technology Center and Biomolecular Science Center, Orlando, FL
 
     2003-2004

 

Research Assistant Professor
Clemson University, Dept. Bioengineering, Clemson, SC, USA
 
     2000-2003





 

Postdoctoral Fellow
Clemson University, Dept. Bioengineering, Clemson, SC, USA
Development of whole-cell biosensors based on multi-electrode recording of action potentials for high throughput screening and for toxicological applications. Study of artificial patterned neuronal networks. Study of surface-cell interactions. Computer modeling of neurons, ionic currents, second messenger systems
 
     1996-2000


 

 

Research Associate
Duke University Medical Ctr., Dept. Pharmacology, Durham, NC, USA
Studied mossy fiber sprouting in the pilocarpine model of chronic epilepsy. Characterized single granule cell granule cell synapses using whole cell patch clamp, laser photostimulation and histological methods in hippocampal slices. Studied the effect of endogen modulators (Zn) on postsynaptic receptors and their role in the initiation of seizure activity.
 
     1993-1995


 

 

 

Research Scientist, Project manager
Chinoin Co. Ltd., CNS Pharmacology, Budapest, Hungary
Designed, built and lead an electrophysiological / patch clamp laboratory to study / screen the effect of compounds on different postsynaptic ion channels. Used / made primary cortical cultures, cell lines, and freshly dissociated smooth muscle cells. Used whole cell and single channel patch clamp technics. Studied voltage sensitive sodium and calcium channels, NMDA and GABAA receptors, Ca-activated potassium channels. Organized and lead a drug discovery project.
 
     1989-1992

 

 

 

 

Research Scientist
Richter Gedeon Co. Ltd., Dept. Biochemistry, Budapest, Hungary
Used electrophysiological methods to clarify the mechanism of action of cognitive enhancer drugs. Studied the effect of cognitive enhancers on long-term potentiation (LTP) in order to validate this model for screening further drug candidates. Used lesion of the medial septum to evoke a pathological condition which resulted in memory impairment and recorded field potentials in vivo and in vitro to evaluate the effect of cognitive enhancers on LTP in this model. Used in vivo single unit recording technics to study the effect of anti-Parkinson drugs in substantia nigra and VTA, and the effect of cognitive enhancers in locus coeruleus.
 
EDUCATION  
     1984-1989


 

 B.S. (Physics, Biophysics)
Eötvös Lorand University of Sciences Budapest, Hungary
B.S. DISSERTATION: Microiontophoretic study of cerebellar Purkinje cells
 
      1989-1992

 

 

 Ph.D. (Biophysics)
Eötvös Lorand University of Sciences Budapest, Hungary
DISSERTATION: Microelectrophysiological study of memory and learning processes. Experiments with cognition enhancers
 
COURSES  
     1992

 

 Three months postgraduate training
at the University of Bristol sponsored by TEMPUS
 
     1995

 

 International School of Biophisics "A. Borsellino" 23rd NATO Course in Neurobiology, Erice (Sicíly), May, 2-13 sponsored by NATO
 
MEMBERSHIPS
 

 

 

 Hungarian Neuroscience Society (1993 - 1995)
ENA (1993 - 1995)
ESN (1993 - 1995)
German Neuroscience Associacion (1993 - 1995)
New York Academy of Sciences (1996 - )
American Society for Neuroscience (1997 - )
 
OTHER SKILLS


 

Languages: English, German, Hungarian

Computer: strong computer / programming skills in windows / linux environment
 
PATENTS
 


 

WO9707116 - Prolylendopeptidase inhibitors against neurodegenerative diseases, neuroprotection

WO9719934 - Quinoxaline compounds inhibitors of glutamate receptor (NMDA glycine site), neuroprotection
 
TEACHING

 


 

 Bioinstrumentation
Introduction to Neuroscience Lab
Electrophysiology
Molecular Neuroscience
Tissue Engineering
 

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Engineered Neuronal Networks for Drug Screening, NIH NIBIB, K01, PI, $432,000 (2004-2009)

Effect of Defined Surfaces on Cardiac Myocyte Physiology. NIH NIBIB, R21, PI, $290,000 (2003-2006)

An In Vitro Model of Stem Cell Innervation of Myotubes, NIH, Co-PI, 10%, $180,000 (2005 – 2009)

High-throughput Electrophysiology for Pathway Identification, NIH, Co-PI, 50%, $450,000 (2006 – 2009)

Previous Research Support

In Vitro System to Determine Factors Promote Survival and Regeneration of Principal Neurons of the Spinal Cord. SC Spinal Cord Injury Research Board, PI, $75,000 (2003 - 2004)

PUBLICATIONS

  1. Gaál L. and P. Molnár, “Effects of vinpocetine on noradrenergic neurons in rat locus coeruleus,” Eur. J. Pharmacol. 187:537-539 (1990).

  2. Gaál L. and P. Molnár, “A Turbo Pascal program for on line analysis of spontaneous neuronal unit activity,” In: Scientific Computing and Automation (Europe) 1990, ed.: E. J. Karjalainen, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, 1990.

  3. Molnár P. and L. Gaál, “Effect of different subtypes of cognition enhancers on long-term potentiation in the rat dentate gyrus in vivo,” Eur. J. Pharmacol. 215:17-22 (1992)

  4. Tarnawa I., P. Molnár, L. Gaál, and F. Andrási, “Inhibition of hippocampal field potentials by GYKI 52466 in vitro and in vivo,” Acta Physiol. Hungarica 79:169-175 (1992)

  5. Molnár P., L. Gaál, and Cs. Horváth, “The impairment of long-term potentiation in rats with medial septal lesion and its restoration by cognition enhancers,” Neurobiology 2:255-266 (1994)

  6. Maksay G., P. Molnár, and L. Gruber, “Common modes of action of g -butyrolactones and pentylenetetrazol on the convulsant and benzodiazepine sites and channel activity of the GABA receptor-ionophore complex,” Eur. J. Pharmacol. - Mol. Pharmacol.Sect. 288:61-68 (1994)

  7. Molnár P. and S.L. Erdő, “Vinpocetine is as potent as phenytoin in blocking voltage-gated sodium channels in rat cortical neurons,” Eur. J. Pharmacol. 273:303-306 (1995) (PDF)

  8. Lakics V., P. Molnár, and S.L. Erdő, “Protection against veratridine toxicity in rat cortical neurons: relationship to sodium channel blockade,” Neuroreport 7:89-92 (1995)

  9. Maksay G., P. Molnár, and M. Simonyi, “Thermodinamics and kinetics of t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding differentiate convulsant and depressant barbiturate stereoisomers acting via GABAA ionophores,” Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archives of Pharmacology 353:306-13 (1996)

  10. Molnár P. and S.L. Erdő, “Differential effects of five glycine site antagonists on NMDA receptor desensitization,” Eur. J. Pharmacol. 311:311-314 (1996) (PDF)

  11. Erdő S.L., P. Molnár, V. Lakics, J.Zs. Bence, and Zs. Tömösközi, “Vincamin and vincanol are potent blockers of voltage-gated Na channels,” Eur. J. Pharmacol. 314:69-73 (1996)

  12. Okazaki M., P. Molnar, and J. V. Nadler, “Recurrent mossy fiber pathway in the rat dentate gyrus: synaptic currents evoked in the presence and absence of seizure-induced growth,” J. Neurophysiol. 81:1645-1660 (1999) (PDF)

  13. Molnar P. and J. V. Nadler, “Mossy fiber - granule cell synapses studied with whole cell patch clamp recording and laser photostimulation,” J. Neurophysiol. 82:1883-1894 (1999) (PDF)

  14. Molnar P. and J. V. Nadler, “O-(CNB-caged) GABA selectively blocks inhibitory synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal slices,” Eur. J. Pharmacol 391:255-262 (2000)

  15. Molnar P. and J. V. Nadler, “Lack of effect of mossy fiber-released zinc on postsynaptic GABAA receptors in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy,” J. Neurophysiol. 85:1932-40 (2001) (PDF)

  16. Molnar P. and J. V. Nadler, “Synaptically-released zinc inhibits N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation at recurrent mossy fiber synapses,” Brain Res. 910:205-207 (2001) (PDF)

  17. Feng L., P. Molnar, and J. V. Nadler: Short-Term Frequency-Dependent Plasticity at Recurrent Mossy Fiber Synapses of the Epileptic Brain. J. Neurosci. 23. 5381-5390 (2003) (PDF)

  18. Das M., P. Molnar, H. Devaraj, M. Poeta and J. J. Hickman: Electrophysiological and morphological characterization of rat embryonic motoneurons in a defined system. Biotechnology Progress 19. 1756-1761 (2003) (PDF)

  19. Kang J.F., M. Poeta, L. Riedel, M. Das, C. Gregory, P. Molnar, J. Hickman, “Patterned Neuronal Networks for Robotics, Neurocomputing, Toxin Detection and Rehabilitation,” Proceeding of 24th Army Science Conference, Nov. 29th, 2004 (PDF)

  20. Das M., P. Molnar, C. Gregory, L. M. Riedel and J. J. Hickman: Long-term culture of embryonic rat cardiomyocytes on organosilane surface in serum-free media. Biomaterials, 25: 5643-47 (2004) (PDF)

  21. Natarajan, A., P. Molnar, K. Sieverdes, A. Jamshidi and J.J. Hickman: Multielectrode Recordings of Cardiac Action Potentials as a High Throughput Method to Evaluate Pesticide Toxicity. In Vitro Toxicology, 20 (3): 375-81 (2005) (PDF)

  22. Mohan, D.K., P. Molnar, and J. J. Hickman: Toxin detection based on action potential shape analysis using a realistic mathematical model of differentiated NG108-15 cells. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 21 (9): 1804-11 (2006) (PDF)

  23. Das M., Bhargava N, Gregory C, Riedel L, Molnar P. and Hickman JJ. Adult Rat Spinal Cord Culture on an Organosilane Surface in a Novel Serum-Free Medium. In Vitro – Animal, 41 (10): 343-8 (2005) (PDF)

  24. Peng P.L., Zhong, X., Tu W., Soundarapandian, M.M., Molnar P., Zhu D., Lau L., Liu S. , Liu F. and Lu Y.M. ADAR2-Dependent RNA Editing of AMPA Receptor Subunit GluR2 Determines Vulnerability of Neurons in Forebrain Ischemia. Neuron, 49, 719-733 (2006) (PDF)

  25. Xu, T., C. Gregory, P. Molnar, S. Jalota, S. B. Bhaduri, T. Boland: Viability and Electrophysiology of Neural Cell Structures made by the Inkjet Printing. Biomaterials, 27. 3580-3588 (2006) (PDF)

  26. Das M., C. Gregory, P. Molnar, L. M. Riedel and J. J. Hickman: A Defined System to Allow Skeletal Muscle Differentiation and Subsequent Integration with Silicon Microstructures. Biomaterials. 27, 4374-80 (2006) (PDF)

  27. Molnar P., M. Kuchma, A. Natarajan, J.-F. Kang, N. Bhargava, M. Das and J. J. Hickman: Photolithographical patterning of single cells and cell assemblies on commercial multielectrode arrays. Proceedings of the 5th International Meeting on Substrate-Integrated Micro Electrode Arrays, Reutlingen, Germany (2006) (PDF)

  28. Molnar P., W. Wang, A. Natarajan, J. W. Rumsey and J. J. Hickman: Photolithographic Patterning of C2C12 Myotubes using Vitronectin as Growth Substrate in Serum-Free Medium. Biotechnology Progress, submitted (2006) (PDF)

  29. Wilson K., P. Molnar and J. J. Hickman: Skeletal Muscle Force Measurement with an Integrated MEMs Device. Nanoscience Letters, submitted (2006)

  30. Behal A., D.M. Dawson, P. Molnar, and J. J. Hickman: The Stretch Reflex Arc: Simulation, Control, and Identification submitted to the Asian Journal of Control: Special Issue on Control Biology (PDF)

BOOK CHAPTERS

  1. Molnar P., M. Kuchma, J. W. Rumsey, K. Wilson and J. J. Hickman: Biosurface Engineering, Cell Patterning. In: Encyclopedia of Medical Devices, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2006)

  2. Molnar P., J. F. Kang, N. Bhargava, M. Das and J. J. Hickman: Synaptic Connectivity in Engineered Neuronal Networks. In: 'Patch Clamp Methods and Protocols', Humana Press 'Methods in Molecular Biology' series: in press (2006) (PDF)

  3. Molnar P., and J. J. Hickman: Modeling of Action Potential Generation in NG108-15 Cells. In: 'Patch Clamp Methods and Protocols', Humana Press 'Methods in Molecular Biology' series: in press (2006) (PDF)

'Patch Clamp Methods and Protocols' for Humana Press 'Methods in Molecular Biology' series: Editor: P. Molnar, (2006)