Research Summary

Our laboratory is interested in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, a broad family of neurotransmitter receptors that play a role in fast signaling throughout the body. Nicotinic receptors are widely dispersed throughout the body, with specific subtypes being particularly abundant in immune cells. Through neurotransmitter binding sites and membrane-bound ion channels, they function as chemically activated electrical switches. Due to their diverse roles, they have been connected to various neurological, psychiatric, and inflammatory disorders. When these receptors bind to acetylcholine, they open a normally closed ion channel. Too many or too lengthy open channels in nerve cells may result in extreme electrical activity. Therefore, it is critical to understand the structure-function connection of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to comprehend their function in health and disease. Unraveling this connection paves the way for developing pharmaceutical therapies that target these receptors to slow or stop disease progression. Numerous nicotinic receptor subtypes may be specifically targeted, and various biological entities can regulate receptor function. Our research focuses on drugs and physiological modulators that act differently on these receptors and are potentially therapeutic.