Stanislav Rubakhin is a research associate professor at the Department of Chemistry. His primary affiliation is Neurotechnology for Memory and Cognition. In addition, he is affiliated with School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience Program, Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Institute for Genomic Biology, and UIUC Neuroproteomics and Neurometabolomics Center on Cell-Cell Signaling. He is a research professor for The Sweedler Research Group.

Research areas:

• Tech development

• Neurochemistry

• Neuronal models

Research interests:

• Bioengineering

• Biochemistry

• Chemical biology

The Sweedler group works on a range of projects to improve analytical measurement technology, in most cases, pushing them to higher performance with smaller samples. The need to sample small volumes is obvious when working with single cells and subcellular domains.  Thus, significant efforts use techniques with favorable scaling laws for low-volume samples.  Capillary separations are well suited to working with small volume samples, as is mass spectrometry.  Other approaches investigated include nanoliter volume NMR, microfluidics and microscopy.  One goal is to develop approaches that achieve greater chemical information while obtaining either temporal or spatial information. 

While they use other approaches in the group, their technology development efforts are highlighted and described in the following major areas: capillary electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and sampling. 

Cell to cell communication in the brain uses a diverse set of molecules, ranging from gaseous molecules such as nitric oxide (NO), classical transmitters such as glutamate, surprising molecules such as d-serine and a range of peptides.  The Sweedler group studies these to understand how networks of neurons and associated supporting cells such as glia can work together to yield emergent properties that give rise to behaviors and memory.  Specific questions address what molecules are present in specific cells and networks, how they change based on behavior or exposure to drugs, as well as their function. 

Several of the projects the Sweedler group is most involved with are:measuring nitric oxide and nitric oxide-related
compounds in neurons, neuropeptidomics, examining the distribution, release and biosynthesis of D-Amino Acid, and understanding serotonin catabolism. 

Their neuronal models are involved with mollusks with simple central nervous systems; ~10,000 larger neurons and a million synaptic connections, insects with social behaviors, and mammals that are relevant to human disease and function.