Research Topics

Ion Channels, Membrane Biology, Neurobiology, Protein Dynamics, Protein Structure, Receptor Biochemistry

Disease Research Interests

Neurological and Behavioral Disorders

B.S./M.Sc. 1991 University of Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Ph.D. 1996 University of Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Postdoc. 1997-2002 State University of New York at Buffalo

Video interview

Molecular Mechanisms of Neurotransmitter-gated Ion Channels

My laboratory is broadly interested in the relationship between structure and function in neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, with special emphasis on the superfamily of nicotinic receptors. Our main tools are single-channel and ensemble electrophysiology, and protein-engineering techniques.

Some of the particular issues we have been working on lately are:

• Quantitative characterization of fundamental properties of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels such as rate and equilibrium constants of ligand binding in the closed and open states.
• Quantitative understanding of the different phenomena that contribute to the kinetics of the postsynaptic current decay under physiological and pathological conditions.
• Linear free-energy relationships and the chemical dynamics of the closed-to-open conformational change.
• Relationship between structure and electrostatics of the pore domain.

2015 Faculty Excellence Award
2014 Richard and Margaret Romano Professorial Scholar
2012 Outstanding Advisor Medical Scholars Program
2012 James E. Heath Award for Excellence in Teaching Physiology

Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology
524 Burrill Hall
407 S. Goodwin Ave
Urbana, IL 61801