Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

We are interested in the structural, molecular, and environmental underpinnings that facilitate neuronal communication via neurotransmitter gated ion channels at synaptic junctions. We are primarily interested in ionotropic glutamate receptors, and the precise mechanisms of their function and regulation. We recently discovered that physiological temperatures (both healthy and hyperthermic) alter glutamate receptor function and are interested in understanding the broader effects of brain temperatures on neurotransmitter gated ion channels. 

The second area of the lab is interested in how tight junctions form and establish the blood brain barrier.

Generally, we like to combine precision cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and electrophysiology to dissect function and build foundations for therapeutic intervention.