In my lab we are attempting to understand how ligand gated ion channels
function at the molecular level. To do this we use x-ray crystallography to solve receptor structures, and high resolution electrophysiological techniques to study the activity of native and mutant ion channels expressed in their native membrane environment. Binding of agonists and antagonists independent of gating is measured using purified water soluble ligand binding cores. We are also interested in the thermodynamics of these proteins. Our goal is to understand in detail the mechanisms underlying subtype selectivity, gating, desensitization, and ion selectivity. Our major focus is the large family of glutamate receptors which mediate synaptic transmission at ≈ 60% of synapses in the brain, and which have diverse functional properties which arise from structural diferences in the 18 iGluR gene products. 

Postdoctoral fellows interested in joining the lab should have strong backgrounds in biochemistry and protein chemistry, crystallography, or patch clamp recording techniques. The Lab Members page gives more information for potential postdocs.