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Our laboratory employs a variety of techniques in understanding the molecular, cellular, and physiological aspects of excitability protein function. These proteins are critical for normal synaptic function and are also responsible for a number of important medical disorders. Specific topics of study include: 1) neurotransmitter transporters, which are proteins responsible for the uptake of neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft; 2) the interaction among cellsurface receptors, G proteins, and intracellular second messengers; and 3) the structure and function of brain acetylcholine receptors. These areas are of interest because of the role they play in mental illness, neuropsychiatric disease and therapy, cancer, and drug addiction. Students are encouraged to examine any of these questions in areas that may spark their interest. Possibilities include: 1) determining the cellular components responsible for the modulation of neurotransmitter transporter expression and function; 2) determining the signals responsible for transporter sorting; 3) electrophysiological and pharmacological characterization of recently cloned transporters; 4) understanding signal transduction pathways for heterotrimeric G proteins; and 5) the role of acetylcholine receptors in nicotine addiction. Opportunities exist for the student to learn a number of techniques central to research in molecular neurobiology. Molecular biology methods include PCR techniques, sitedirected mutagenesis, and heterologous expression of genes in Xenopus oocytes and mammalian cell lines. Cell biology techniques include subcellular fractionation, immunocytochemistry, and immunohistochemistry. Functional assays include uptake of radiolabeled substrates, radio ligand binding, twoelectrode voltageclamp electrophysiology, and immunomicroscopy. |
 (Image courtesy of Henry A. Lester at CalTech) |