College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The research in my laboratory is aimed at figuring out how ion channels work at the molecular level. Our strategy to study channel structure and function combines patch-clamp electrophysiology, site-directed mutagenesis, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and biochemical techniques to deduce a working hypothesis of the molecular architecture of a channel.
Our work is focused primarily on calcium-activated potassium channels. These types of channels are found in many organisms, ranging from bacteria and insects to humans. In higher organisms, the opening of these channels lets potassium flow out of the cell; this hyperpolarizes the cell membrane and decreases electrical excitability. In nerve cells, this translates to a decrease in action potential firing; in the smooth muscle cells that line blood vessels and the trachea, this translates to relaxation, so these channels may be therapeutic targets in the control of blood pressure and asthma.
