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Unraveling the Emerging Role of Organellar Ion Channels in Physiology and Pathophysiology

The major interest of our laboratory is to study organelle ion channels and transporters and understand their role in human and plant physiology and pathophysiology. We use a wide range of integrated approaches, including:

1) Organelle Electrophysiology: lysosome patch-clamp and parietal cell tubulovesicle patch-clamp.

2) Ca²⁺ imaging: using either genetically encoded Ca²⁺ sensor or Ca²⁺ sensing dyes such as FURA2-AM or FLUO4-3AM.

3) Ion channel pharmacology: small-molecule channel activators and inhibitors.

4) Cell biology: Immunohistochemistry, H & E staining, Fluorescence and Electron microscopy.

5) Mouse genetics: Ion channel transgenic (Loxp-cre-Loxp) and knockout mice.

6) Biochemistry: Western blot, pull-down assay, protein purification using HPLC, characterization by using several spectroscopic methods such as UV-Vis, Fluorescence quenching, Circular Dichroism spectroscopy.

• Our goals are to investigate the role of intracellular or organellar ion channels and transporters in the pathobiology of human diseases such as lysosome storage and gastrointestinal disease.
• We will also explore the role of ion channels and transporters in plant-herbivore interactions.