Our mission
Towards understanding the basic neural mechanisms that control hunger and appetite, our research particularly aims to understand roles of different ion channel proteins in the regulation of electrical excitability of neurons. Ion channels are proteins in neuronal cell membranes that undergo conformational changes to form a pore that allows charged ions such as Na+, Ca++, K+ and Cl- to flow into or out of the cell. These “ionic currents” are the basis of the neuronal action potential and neuronal communication within the CNS.
There is a large diversity of ion channels: dozens of ion channel gene families have been described, and many families have numerous isoforms. These isoforms exhibit only subtle structural differences, but often exhibit dramatic functional differences. Populations of neurons may express vastly different complements of these isoforms and the relationship between ion channel isoform expression and the patterns of neuronal electrical activity is only beginning to be understood. Acutely modulating neuronal ion channel properties by activating intracellular signaling pathways or by changing expression patterns of ion channels by disease or other stimulus can result in dramatic changes in neuronal function, and represents an exciting target for drugs that can modulate appetite and other physiological processes.
