Seminar: Professor Stephan Pless

Please join the talk with Professor Stephan Pless, KU, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, hosted by Professor, Gemma Solomon, NQCP

Recent insights and current challenges with studying the electrical chit-chat in our bodies

Electrical signals across cell membranes are responsible for a plethora of biological processes, including the initiation of the heartbeat, the sensation of touch and the release of insulin. These signals have in common that they are mediated by a diverse class of proteins called ion channels. They are large membrane-embedded proteins that are activated by physical or chemical stimuli. Ion channel dysfunction is associated with a myriad of diseases and they represent major drug targets with great therapeutic and commercial relevance. Although their physiological function is typically known, and recent breakthroughs have yielded atomic insight on the 3D structure of many of them, we still struggle to assess their dynamics on biologically relevant timescales, to faithfully simulate drug binding and to follow or predict complex formation with other proteins. Here, I will provide an overview on how my laboratory studies the function and pharmacology of these complex proteins and will outline some of the current challenges in the field. 

Afterwards, there will be coffee in Fb7.