Guest Editors
Ewa A. Ziółkowska
Washington University
Dr. Ewa A. Ziółkowska is a postdoctoral research associate at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She earned her PhD in animal science and fisheries from Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Poland, following dual master’s degrees in biology and chemistry and in environmental and experimental biology, and a bachelor’s degree in biology with science and health education. Her research focuses on neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (Batten disease), with a particular emphasis on pathology across the central, peripheral, and enteric nervous systems as well as skeletal muscles. She integrates diverse experimental approaches, from histology and neurobiology to systemic analyses, and investigates multiple therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy, enzyme replacement therapy, and small-molecule interventions.Dr. Ziółkowska has significantly contributed to uncovering neurometabolic and neuromuscular aspects of disease and evaluating innovative treatments that address both CNS and peripheral manifestations. She has authored numerous publications, received the 2025 WORLD Symposium Young Investigator Award, and actively serves on editorial boards and international scientific committees. Her interdisciplinary work aims to advance translational therapies for rare neurodegenerative diseases. She also holds an international MBA, which enhances her expertise in research coordination, leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Agnieszka Nowacka
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Dr. Agnieszka Nowacka is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. She earned her PhD in medical sciences in 2013 with a dissertation on angiogenesis in malignant brain tumors. Her academic career integrates clinical and scientific work, with a focus on neuro-oncology and innovative therapeutic approaches. She is a co-inventor on a European patent for a dolorimetric adapter for handgrip dynamometers, developed to enhance the objectivity of pain assessment. Her scientific achievements include numerous peer-reviewed articles and active participation in national and international research collaborations. Moreover, she regularly serves as a reviewer for scientific journals and presents her work at international conferences.
Collection Overview
Neurometabolism is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of nervous system health, as it links energy balance, nutrient signaling, and mitochondrial function to synaptic activity, neurodevelopment, and neurodegeneration. Disruption of these processes contributes not only to central nervous system (CNS) pathology but also to disorders involving the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the enteric nervous system (ENS), and the gut microbiota, underscoring the systemic nature of neurological disease. Given the rising prevalence of neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders worldwide, advancing methods to investigate neurometabolic mechanisms is of urgent importance.
This Methods Collection aims to highlight experimental approaches that can illuminate the metabolic basis of neural function and dysfunction across systems. We seek protocols ranging from cellular and molecular assays of mitochondrial and lysosomal activity, to imaging and electrophysiological techniques that couple metabolic dynamics with neuronal signaling, to integrative models of the gut–brain axis. Studies employing animal models, organoids, and clinical methods are equally welcome.
By assembling these diverse methodological innovations in a visual, reproducible format, the collection will provide a comprehensive toolbox for researchers across neuroscience, metabolism, and systems biology. Ultimately, this collection will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, accelerate the discovery of metabolic biomarkers, and support the development of new therapeutic strategies for neurological and systemic diseases.
Articles
Real-Time Two-Photon Imaging of Brain Endothelial NAD+ Metabolism in Mice
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2026
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Rui Zhan*1,2,3, Yanyan Li*1, Xia Meng4,5, Hongtu Cui2, Mingming Zhao2, Wenxin Shan2,6, Huanhuan Cao2,6, Jianyong Du1, Junxia Zhang2, Lu Fang1, Wenguang Li7, Qihua He8, Xin Wang1, Zhao Yang3, Jinpeng Sun3, Youyi Zhang2,9, Erdan Dong1,2,6, Han Xiao1,2,9
1School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 2Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shandong University, 4National Center for Infectious Diseases, Capital Medical University, 5China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Capital Medical University, 6The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Peking University, 7Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 8State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, 9Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine