Areas of Interest

Research Interests

Ion Channels, Structural studies, Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM), Atomic modeling from cryo-EM density maps

Ca2+ ions exert a profound influence on vital physiological processes. One major player driving the Ca2+ signal is the Ca2+ release channel, inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), present natively in nearly all human cells. IP3Rs act as a signaling hub for multiple inputs to finely tune the Ca2+ signal and its dysregulation deeply impacts health with critical roles in cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. While IP3Rs are highly regulated signal integrators, the molecular mechanism governing their regulation is not well understood. High-resolution structural information is key to understanding IP3R function in Ca2+ signaling and Ca2+ channel diseases. Therefore, we utilize a multidisciplinary approach that includes biochemical and biophysical characterization, single-particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM), computational methods, molecular modeling and bioinformatics to define the molecular interactions regulating IP3R function.