学术报告
题目：Ion Channels Involved in Touch and Pain: ThermoTRPs, STIM1/Orai and Piezos
报告人：Bailong Xiao, Ph.D.
Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute
时间：Tuesday 10:00 a.m., December 6
地点：生命科学学院411会议室
The sense of touch consists of the perception of discrete types of thermal, chemical and mechanical stimuli, and forms the basis of pain perception. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of touch and pain remain elusive, which is largely due to a lack of complete understanding of the sensory receptors. I have aimed to study this biological question by focusing on characterizing known sensory receptors such as temperature activated TRP channels (thermoTRPs) and identifying novel ones. My postdoctoral work toward this direction has led me to characterize the nociceptive role and activation mechanisms of TRPA1, a polymodal receptor of noxious cold and chemicals, identify STIM1/Orai-mediated Calcium Release Activated Current (CRAC) channels as a novel class of temperature receptors in vitro and in vivo, and investigate some fundamental properties of Piezo proteins, the newly identified components essential for mechanically activated cation channels. These studies significantly contribute to our current understanding of the mechanisms of touch and pain and importantly lay the foundation of my future research. I will focus on investigating the physiological relevance of STIM1/Orai temperature sensitivity and the structure-function relationship of Piezo proteins. In the long run, I will continue to identify novel sensory receptors and set up to screen novel therapeutics for better treating pain.
欢迎各位老师和同学积极参加！