Dr. Diana Peckys was born in Cologne, Germany. She studied Human Biology at the University of Marburg, Germany, and graduated on morphological and pharmacological studies of opioid receptor subtypes in the human brain. These studies were done by developing and using, amongst other techniques, a very sensitive in situ hybridization method in order to detect minute amounts of opioid receptor mRNA throughout the brain.
As a postdoc at the University of Freiburg, Germany, she concentrated on the pathophysiology of depression, particularly the influence of neurotransmitters like serotonin. For this purpose, she performed electrophysiological measurements (whole cell patch-clamping) of neurons in rat brain slices, using models of cellular learning (long-term plasticity).
From 2000 to 2004, she worked at the Department for Cardio Vascular X-Ray systems (cath labs) at Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands. As a Requirements and Test Engineer, she was responsible for Imaging Software.
After becoming excited with the possibility of using nanotechnology to interface with living cells, she joined the MENT group in spring, 2005. She will collaborate closely with Dr. Anatoli Melechko and Timothy McKnight and participate in the further development of parallel gene delivery by nanofiber arrays. Dr. Peckys also is fascinated with the idea of developing nanofiber arrays tools for the parallel electrophysiological (intracellular) investigation of neurons and neuronal networks.
Her hobbies include: playing with her three children, mountain hiking, and a broad spectrum of literature and music.
Phone: 865-574-5653
Fax: 865-576-2813
Email: peckysdb@ornl.gov
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008
Building 3500, Room D13
MS 6010
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6010
